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Margaret Rhodes

On Your Next Psychedelic Journey, Let an App Be Your Guide

“What type of Trip are you taking?”

The question appears on a phone screen, atop a soft-focus illustration of a dusky, Polynesian-seeming landscape. You could type in meditation or breathwork, or label it with a shorthand wink, like a mushroom emoji. The next question asks, “How far are you looking to go?” You choose “moderate”—you’re planning to ingest, say, 1.5 grams of magic mushrooms, which is still enough to make the bathroom floor tiles swirl like marbled paper. Select one of five prerecorded ambient soundtracks, and answer a few gentle questions about your state of mind. Soon you’ll be plumbing the depths of your consciousness, with an app as your guide.

It’s a capital-T Trip because the app belongs to Field Trip Health , a Toronto-based venture focusing on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. The Trip app , which begins a soft launch this week, is a digital companion to Field Trip’s clinics in New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto, where patients settle into rooms filled with Svago zero-gravity leather recliners and weighted blankets and take an ego-quieting psychedelic substance under the supervision of a Field Trip-trained therapist.

Field Trip belongs to a new and growing class of for-profit companies using psychedelic drugs (namely MDMA, ketamine, and psilocybin, the alkaloid that makes magic mushrooms magical) to treat depression, anxiety, and other obstinate mental illnesses. Unlike most players in that for-profit cohort, Field Trip is open for business. Field Trip isn’t dosing patients with MDMA or psilocybin; both are still listed by the government as Schedule 1 substances . But it’s also not waiting for legalization to find its customers. Instead, in New York and Toronto, Field Trip is treating select patients with ketamine, a dissociative drug that has FDA approval for off-label use right now. (The Los Angeles clinic opens later this month.)

And for those sheltering in place in the safety of the home, Field Trip's new app handily distills its consciousness-expanding protocols, making a guide—or at least a facsimile of one—accessible whether you can visit a clinic or not.

Psilocybin legalization is likely years away, but Field Trip cofounder Ronan Levy, a former executive at two Canadian cannabis companies, says the company plans to open 75 clinics in North America by 2024, if not sooner. “We’re building the infrastructure to support the coming wave, when psilocybin legalization efforts get across the line,” he says. “These experiences can be four, six, eight hours, and most doctor’s offices aren’t designed for that. You need a very different experience.”

For centuries, indigenous societies around the world have used psychedelic plants like psilocybin and ayahuasca in religious and societal ceremonies. The idea to study these substances and develop “best practices” for their use emerged in the United States in the late 1950s.

In 1957, a New York banker named R. Gordon Wasson wrote an article for Life magazine called " Seeking the Magic Mushroom ," based on several trips from deep in Oaxaca, Mexico. The article introduced untold Americans to the therapeutic possibility of psilocybin mushrooms, and a new avenue for self-improvement materialized. Psychedelics piqued the interest of researchers.

One such research initiative was Timothy Leary’s infamous Harvard Psilocybin Project, which administered doses of the drug to Boston-area graduate students between 1960 and 1962. Leary’s most lasting legacy (aside from coining the phrase “turn on, tune in, drop out,” and freaking the bejesus out of parents and politicians) is the concept of “set and setting.” Set refers to the mental state a person brings to the trip; setting refers to physical surroundings. Both require careful consideration for a trip to feel safe and insightful.

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In many ways, Field Trip is packaging and franchising a kind of “set and setting.” This version includes carefully designed protocols (a consultation plus six ketamine-infusion sessions, combined with nine therapy sessions, for $4,700), digital touch points (an online portal where patients can prepare for their trips and chart their progress afterward), and ambiance (mid-century modern furniture, jute rugs, many, many potted plants). Soon, a Field Trip session might be like a Sweetgreen salad or a Heyday facial—it doesn’t matter which location you go to, because you’ll find the same menu of services and the same airy, placid ambiance wherever you end up. “You’ll never be walking into a room with tie-dye T-shirts and patchouli floating in the background,” Levy says. “We’re developing an experience that’s 100 percent controlled by us.”

Until recently, practitioners of psychedelic therapy clung to a loose set of aesthetics—hand-me-down tropes from the counterculture that grew slightly less cartoonish over time. In Michael Pollan’s 2018 book How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence , the therapeutic spaces he visits—at New York University and Johns Hopkins University, or in the homes of underground guides—almost invariably feature a Buddha figure or a ceramic mushroom in an otherwise unremarkable room.

These nostalgic, unpretentious environments make sense, given the landscape within which psychedelics have existed so far. Neither a clinical trial nor an underground (i.e., illegal) trip is much of a capitalistic venture. The marketplace is inherently limited: If you want to trip in the controlled company of a person, you either have to seek enrollment in a clinical trial or travel to a retreat in Mexico, Jamaica, or another country with different substance laws.

A theoretically more accessible option is an underground guide, but they’re hard to come by. “Even as someone who had their foot in the community, I had a hard time finding someone,” says Michelle Janikian, author of Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion: An Informative, Easy-to-Use Guide to Understanding Magic Mushrooms . This is largely because psychedelic substances are illegal, but also because the resurgent attention to psychedelic therapy has led to a new crop of guides, many of whom lack training but still charge upwards of $1,000 for a session. Janikian describes meeting one such self-styled professional guide at a psychedelics conference. “When I got to know him he was just a normal person”—a guy in his forties, an ex-engineer—“who was changed by mushrooms and wanted to share them with others.”

Ketamine is only slightly more attainable. Patients with a doctor’s referral can visit one of many ketamine clinics across the United States, some more reputable than others. The Polaris Insight Center in San Francisco, for instance, was founded by clinicians from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and takes care to customize ketamine treatments for patients with varying dosages and talk therapy after a trip. On the flip side, a 2018 investigation by the science publication STAT found that many freestanding ketamine clinics fail to thoroughly screen patients, skip the integration step, and tend to oversell and overpromise, touting treatments like custom ketamine infusion “blends” based on a patient’s DNA.

Field Trip and its competition—companies like Compass Pathways , Mindbloom , and MindMed —present a new model for this kind of therapy, although actual access to these services varies. Compass has raised $116 million to run clinical trials for psilocybin treatment; MindMed is in the lab, developing medications based on psychedelic substances. Mindbloom, like Field Trip, offers in-clinic ketamine sessions as well as an at-home option; in that case, Mindbloom mails ketamine lozenges to its patients. (Field Trip will only administer ketamine in its clinics. If you use the Trip app to explore with drugs, you’ll have to procure your own substances.)

By Matt Simon

Ketamine has weathered a difficult reputation, first as a horse tranquilizer and then as a raver party drug, but it’s also widely used as an anesthetic and as an anti-inflammatory medication. It won’t occasion a colorful, hallucinogenic experience (like mushrooms do), but the right dose can put a person in a trance-like, dissociative state. “This facilitates the loosening of the habits in the mind,” says Joseph De Leo, Field Trip’s lead psychologist. “When an individual has a mystical experience, it provides them with a lot of material to process.”

Research on ketamine dates back decades. The Ketamine Papers , edited by Phil Wolfson (who has godfather status with the drug) and published by MAPS, documents those findings, many of which describe ketamine as an agent for spiritual processing. More recent studies from Yale and the National Institute of Mental Health home in on ketamine as a fast-acting treatment for depression. “For that, the science is good,” says Adam Kaplin, director of the Johns Hopkins Psychiatric Esketamine Clinic, before pointing out the problems: “We don’t yet know the best way to sustain the long-term benefits. It’s virgin territory. If patients don’t want to keep coming in and sitting in the clinic, what do we replace it with? We don’t know.”

Psychedelics can easily acquire an enticing sheen of before-and-after; even the very people developing long-range therapy programs will cite “an experience” that ended a depression or rewired a sense of self. The trick is what you do with the trip once it’s ended. In psychedelic-assisted therapy this is called integration, and it involves talk therapy, journaling, and goal-setting. “There’s actual work involved,” Levy says. “It’s not just, take this antidepressant and you’ll feel better .”

With Field Trip, much of that work takes place online, via a dashboard that tracks scheduled sessions, daily moods, goals, tasks, and perceived results. “It’s kind of like how One Medical has their own app,” says Kori Harrison, Field Trip’s head of product. A self-described “Silicon Valley type A person who saw the lights” after a few formative psychedelic experiences at Burning Man, she’s the bridge between Field Trip’s psychologists and its slate of tech products, including the Trip app.

Trip takes cues from journaling apps like Jour and Reflectly , and prompts users to take notes on their “narrative identity.” Harrison worked with Lucid—a company that uses machine-learning programming to compose music for “mental wellness”—on five custom, preprogrammed soundtracks. Each 45-minute track plays on a loop, mixing ambient music with nature sounds. Each selection is meant to facilitate a slightly different kind of emotional experience, from processing to healing to growth. (This is a theme among these new companies; Mindbloom also offers custom music.)

A red Record button sits front and center on the app's screen to let users take audio notes. Harrison heard from guides that patients find voice memos less overwhelming than journals. (“I wanted the app to feel like a beautiful oasis,” she says.) Trip technically doesn’t tout itself as a how-to guide for ingesting illegal substances—that would be against the rules of the App Store—but it mimics the work of a human guide, presenting calming visuals and encouraging introspection with multiple-choice questions like “How are you feeling right now?” Answers get saved in a journey log that can be accessed later.

Screens are a relatively new prop for psychedelic-assisted therapy. Experienced trippers caution against keeping a device around, for obvious reasons—just imagine picking up your phone to use Spotify, and instead winding up in a Twitter doomscroll while your drugs take hold—but digital interfaces could influence a trip in other, subliminal ways. In How to Change Your Mind , Pollan recounts a curious incident of looking at a computer during a guided mushroom trip. In an effort to try out some heady psycho-visual experiment, Pollan watches a video on his laptop mid-trip. Afterwards, eyeshades back on, he mentally finds himself in an “urban landscape that appeared to have been generated by a computer.” During his processing session the next day, Pollan’s guide suggests that the laptop screen inspired the computer-rendered hallucinations. “Could there be a better demonstration of the power of set and setting,” he asks.

If you follow that logic, then the media that’s consumed during a trip has a profound impact in shaping the visual tenor of what is typically an ineffable and unpredictable journey of the mind. Follow that logic further, and a more existential question emerges: With a specific animation and soundtrack in place, can you engineer a certain kind of trip? Would you want to?

For now, the Trip app makes a rarified toolkit much more accessible than before. While the app is useful for any kind of mood-tracking, Levy says it would be naive and insincere to pretend that people don’t self-medicate or explore at home—especially while many of us are stuck indoors, grappling with the ripple effects of a global pandemic. “This way, at least, we can make sure you have well-considered instructions,” Levy says. “I like to say we’re like Home Depot for self-exploration. You can do it, we can help.”

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Field Trip: Psychedelic guide 17+

Reflect and grow from trips, field trip health inc, designed for iphone.

• 4.8 • 572 Ratings

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Expand your mind: psychedelic support, meditation, music, and guided journaling A psychedelic guide in the palm of your hand, the Field Trip app helps you explore the psychedelic space and assists you in the preparation, exploration, and integration phases of your journey. Expand your practice through guided psychedelic programs in the app and in Field Trip clinics. Our app offers an immersive, connective, supportive, educational, and curated experience to help you on your psychedelic journey. Immersive: Our offline mode, psychedelic music, psychedelic meditations, and trip visuals allow users to immerse themselves in the psychedelic experience and go deeper within, free from distractions. This includes: - Offline mode - Psychedelic visuals and animations - Consciousness expansion music and meditations Connective: We offer a connective space for people in the psychedelic community to get to know themselves better through exploration and expand their perspectives with other like-minded individuals through community chat. Connect with your fellow journeyers through: - Inclusive and safe chat groups to connect and bond with the psychedelic community - Tools to capture the psychedelic experience - Journaling prompts, check-ins, and reminders for integrating the psychedelic experience Supportive: Like a psychedelic companion, the app offers guidance, structure, and tools from experts in the community. The app sets you up for a successful journey and helps you to make the most of your consciousness-expansion. Find psychedelic support on your psychedelic journey through: - Journaling prompts, check-ins, and reminders for integrating the psychedelic experience - Trip tracking, meditation, and mood tracking - Supervised psychedelic journeys for deeper exploration - Peer trip support Educational: Our app is designed to answer all of your questions, help you to prioritize safety, and expand your knowledge of the psychedelic experience. Learn more about psychedelic integration with: - Education and tips from our expert Field Trip medical and therapeutic team who support clients through psychedelic exploration every day - Readings and meditations from artists and leaders in the mindfulness and consciousness expansion - Knowledge from wise Field Trippers with experience that is easily shared in the community chat - Tools to deepen inner knowledge and personal reflection Curated: This app is your key to exclusive music from popular artists challenging the idea of what psychedelic music really is. All of our content is created by people in the community for people in the community. Our curated app experience includes: - Frequently updated content, created with love by passionate people in the psychedelic space. - Exclusive psychedelic music from established artists such as East Forest, Superposition, BLOND:ISH, Dirtwire, Laraaji, Jeralyn Glass, and more Our app is brought to you from a heart centered team at Field Trip Health and Wellness. For more resources from the Field Trip team, please check out our podcast Field Tripping by Ronan Levy. To report an issue, please email us at [email protected].

Version 2.0.2

Dear Field Trippers, Looking for someone to talk to about your psychedelic experience? In this new release, check out our programs tab to find a new integration therapy offering in New York! Integration therapy is the best thing you can do to turn your insights from expanded states of consciousness into real growth and change. This path is not meant to be walked alone, our new integration therapists are here to accompany you on this journey. With gratitude, The Field Trip Team

Ratings and Reviews

572 Ratings

This app is teaching me to be still and to meditate!

I’ve been using this app for about 2 weeks in conjunction with visits to the Field Trip Health clinic in NYC and I can’t believe how much I’m trying to meditate now. I could never sit still enough to do it before and I always put off doing even 5 minutes of meditation just because of my own internal distractions. I’m finally “getting” it. This app is teaching me and engaging me in ways no book or therapist has been able to and I love it. Just wish I could know who does the voice guidance for the “cave” meditation because I’d love to hear more of hers. I generally prefer sounds or music or voiceless guided meditation but I really enjoy whoever does the “Cave” one in this app. Going to do a meditation before bed now. I can’t get enough!

Developer Response ,

It is heartwarming to hear that Trip is bringing stillness and mindfulness into your life. It sounds like the kind of engagement we offer on the app was a refreshing new way to approach meditation, and having a more interactive meditative experience helped you settle into a mindfulness practice. We are honored to have been able to support you thus far and welcome any feedback you have as we continue to improve our app. Please reach out to [email protected] if you come across any ideas you'd like to share with our team. Wishing you peace and healing on your journey. About the "Cave" meditation: the creator of this meditation is from the Metastory app on the app store. If you check out their app, you might find more meditations like the "Cave" recording.

My trusted companion

I’ll revise this when I have more time and after my next and 3rd check in. But long story short this app has helped me through hard times as well as been in my ear while blissfully alive. I had a very hard trip and an artist on this App helped me, it’s kind of embarrassing how much this app was like wilson from castaway haha. 2 years later I was able to meet that artist and watch her play in a small zen garden in L.A, this was a crazy and powerful moment and period in my life and this app literally made some of it happen! Thank you 🙏

Wonderful variety for all user levels

I use this app every night, in conjunction with going to the Houston Field Trip clinic. After 35 years of trying absolutely everything else for severe Treatment-Resistant Depression, I feel like I’m in a hopeful place. These tools don’t take away the lows but do help me have hope for surviving and managing them. A huge THANK YOU to all of you who use your knowledge and skills to compile and offer these literally lifesaving tools and treatments!

Hello kind human, this message truly touched our heart . It sounds like you have had a powerful journey through Field Trip both within the clinic and with our app. We are so grateful to have been welcomed in to your path and we hope to remain a supporting resource. Please reach out at [email protected] if you would like to touch base on a more personal note. We welcome any feedback or stories your wish to share. 🙏

App Privacy

The developer, Field Trip Health Inc , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• User Content

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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This App Guides You Through Tripping

"trip" helps users dive into their consciousness—whether with psychedelics or mindfulness techniques like meditation..

Article by console.log(""); console.log("author name"); console.log("DoubleBlind Staff"); DoubleBlind Staff .author-bio * {display: unset !important;} Fact Checked by: Shelby Hartman Published on August 4, 2020 Updated April 15, 2024

This is a sponsored story, in partnership with Field Trip Health.

Could a phone app function as your trip sitter? Well, sort of. Psychedelic-assisted therapy is around the corner with MDMA and psilocybin on the fast-track to becoming prescription medications. Meanwhile ketamine is already being administered in clinics around the country, and plant medicines like peyote or ayahuasca are being served in ceremonial contexts. 

But not everyone has access to a professionally guided psychedelic experience. And yet, especially for beginner psychonauts, a little navigation can’t hurt. Enter Trip , a phone app, developed by psychedelic therapy startup Field Trip Health , to help users embark upon and sail through an intentional, healing experience. Whether it’s used for a mushroom journey or a meditation practice, Trip offers guidance for setting an intention, choosing music, and reviewing how the experience went during the integration phase. The idea is to help users get the most out of their trip. 

With plans to open six ketamine clinics by the end of the year throughout the US and Canada, in addition to a psilocybin research facility in Jamaica, Ronan Levy, founder of Field Trip Heath, says it’s likely that more people will want to experiment with psychedelics on their own—especially as we see a continued uptick in decriminalization policies. “As we thought about the efforts that we’re putting into developing our psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy protocols for our clinic, we thought it was a great opportunity to take those protocols and make them available to a broader audience, so anyone on a self-exploration journey can be doing it the right way,” he says. “In this world where mindfulness seems to be becoming more present and prevalent, it’s not the end of the journey in terms of self-awareness and consciousness expansion, but just the starting point.” 

Based in mindfulness practices, Levy describes the Trip app as a tool to help people access a deeper level of processing and integration work—with or without psychedelics as an avenue to get there. “We think it’s going to do a lot to advance the broader acceptance of psychedelic therapy [and] just general mental well-being and outcomes,” says Levy. “To help people go further with their own consciousness expansion practices—that’s what gave birth to Trip.” 

The app walks users through every stage of a trip. “What we’ve learned from our patients is expanding the mind is just the beginning. It is the set and setting before and during, and the reflection done after trips that supports lasting personal growth. We designed Trip as a tool to support that,” says Kori Harrison, Field Trip’s head of product. Upon launching the platform, they’ll be prompted to answer a few guided questions before starting their journey. That includes prompts for centering yourself, setting an intention, and deciding what the name for the trip might be, such as “psilocybin, June 10” or “breathwork” (this can also help people identify past experiences with the app’s handy record of each trip). Depending on the user’s intention—to grow, heal, process, transform, discover, or fill in the blank —Trip partnered with Lucid, an AI-driven music-for-mental-wellness platform, to provide five different 45-minute, customized playlists for different moods.

Before they begin to trip, users will also be asked how they are feeling, so that they can compare their emotional sensations before and after the experience. Then once they’re off on the journey, the app begins a timer and a voice recording button allows them to capture thoughts throughout the experience. When they’re “back,” they set the timer off and are prompted to reflect. “Trips can be dream-like, it’s easy to forget the key insights if they aren’t reflected on soon after, and keeping a record of trip details helps one calibrate and better prepare for trips overtime,” says Harrison.

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“Everyone journals in their own way,” says Levy. “The app guides them with questions we encourage them to answer”—which include topics like emotions, insights, and visions, not to mention the key question: What will you do differently tomorrow because of your trip? “This ends up getting saved with the trip,” he says. “It goes into the history section.” The “trip summary screen” also includes information like how long the experience lasted, documented emotions, and other audio recordings or journaling that went along with the trip. “Through our user research, we learned that many people already use their phones as a tool for tripping. The most common reasons were for music, writing notes or journaling, and voice recording. Now, they can have all three in one place,” says Harrison.

Available on the App Store beginning August 17 for early access users (join the waitlist here ), Trip will be free of cost. “Our goal is for this to reach the broader market that we’re not able to support in the clinics today,” says Levy. “This is built for a broader audience, for anyone who’s having consciousness expanding practices at home.” The app supports Field Trip Heath’s broader vision, he adds: “It’s a mental wellness company based on psychedelics and psychedelic experiences,” Levy says. “You don’t have to take a psychedelic molecule to have a psychedelic experience.”

A variety of mindfulness practices or psychedelic compounds can decrease activity in the Default Mode Network (the location of the ego) and increase neuroplasticity, he adds. And Trip is an extension of that, a touch point to getting there, and expanding consciousness. “It’s designed to help people get out there, to help support people,” says Levy. “Trip acts as a harm reduction tool for people who may be experimenting on their own without support.”

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Apps That Take Your Trip To The Next Level

Discover a new world of psychedelic experiences with the help of these innovative apps.

1. Field Trip: Psychedelic Guide

2. mindleap: psychedelic wellness, 3. polyfauna, 4. last voyage, 6. magic fluids lite, 7. lumenate: psychedelic meditation & sleep app, 8. wavepaths, 9. skyview lite, 10. forge of neon — 3d sandbox art, safety considerations when using apps while tripping, why are trippy apps becoming so popular.

From AI-generated music and guided meditations to strobic visual stimulation and psychedelic education resources, these apps have it all.

Whether you’re a seasoned psychonaut or a curious first-timer, we’ve rounded up a fun list of apps to help you navigate our next trip and make the most of your psychedelic experience.

Available: Android & iOS

Price: Free

Features: Psychedelic education, guided meditation, music, visuals, community chat

Field Trip is an incredible resource for beginners, as trying psychedelics for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience. The Field Trip App is a “self-discovery companion” in the palm of your hand.

The app serves as a map for your next psychedelic trip, offering support through various stages including, including mental preparation, exploration, and integration.

With its interwoven psychedelic programs and affiliation with in-person Field Trip clinics located in New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto, the app offers a comprehensive and immersive experience.

Along with offering psychedelic music, meditations, and mesmerizing visuals, the app also facilitates community interaction, and personal growth through journal prompts that encourage consciousness expansion through psychedelic experiences.

Price: Free (But can cost $50–$220 for a session with a practitioner)

Features: Psychedelic education, therapists, guided meditation, tracking tools

Mindleap launched as the first-ever “inner wellness platform” focused on psychedelics integration.

It’s kind of like the BetterHelp but for connecting psychonauts with accredited mental health professionals who can offer deeper insights into using psychedelics for therapy.

Aside from connecting users with therapists, the app can serve as a private health journal and features guided meditations, sound journeys, and educational resources, and enables users to connect with a community of like-minded individuals.

We love seeing apps like Field Trip and Mindleap come to life as they provide incredible resources and support for a positive experience with psychedelic exploration.

Available: Android

Features: Music, interactive game

Unlike the first two apps, PolyFauna wasn’t designed specifically to guide you through your psychedelic trips.

Polyfauna app is an experimental audio-visual project developed by the band Radiohead in collaboration with the digital arts studio Universal Everything, released in 2014.

The app allows users to explore a surreal, dream-like world created through interactive graphics and ambient soundscapes designed to create an immersive and meditative experience.

If you’re big into gaming and looking to get lost in a trippy space galaxy on your next psychedelic trip, this might be a fun app to try.

We recommend using high-quality, noise-canceling headphones for a deeper immersive experience.

Available: iOS

Price: $1.39

Last Voyage provides a meditative and contemplative experience through an abstract, dream-like world.

Apple called Last Voyage one of the “15 most imaginative games” when it was released in 2015.

But it’s more than just a game — it’s an artistic and meditative journey that encourages the player to slow down and reflect on themes such as the impermanence of life and what lies beyond our culture and technology.

Storytelling within games can create a sense of structure that can feel grounding during a psychedelic trip. The user takes the role of a captain navigating a ship through a serene environment with the goal of reaching the final destination while interacting with hidden elements that provide clues and insights into the game’s deeper themes.

It’s best described as a “space opera” with stunning visuals. You also want to play this game with a good pair of headphones for the best experience.

Features: Fractal art generator

Fraksl is the app for those wanting to get lost in hypnotizing visual effects.

With a vast collection of intricate and mesmerizing designs, Fraksl can help induce a deep state of focus and concentration, ideal for meditation, creativity, or just zoning out.

The app’s primary focus is on the visual experience, and it does not offer much beyond its unique fractal art designs. However, users can enhance their experience by pairing the visual effects with calming music or other psychedelic aids.

Features: Interactive art

Another fun app to play with is Magic Fluids Lite for a visually stimulating interactive word of fluid dynamics.

It generates abstract, colorful patterns and designs in real-time based on the user input, such as screen touch and movement of the device.

You can customize the colors, shapes, and even the behaviors of the liquid simulations to create your own unique visuals.

This isn’t an overly deep app, but it’s still fun nonetheless.

Price: $8.99/month or $49.99/year (Free trial meditation)

Features: Guided meditation

The Lumenate app claims to use scientifically researched strobe light patterns from your phone’s flashlight to guide you to a “semi-altered state of consciousness” between deep meditation and classic psychedelic visuals and experimental music.

If you’re new to the world of psychedelics, trying the strobe and sound meditation can give you a taste of what you can expect. It induces very trippy visual effects even without the influence of psychedelics, and we can imagine it would be even more of a trip on mushrooms or LSD.

Available: Website

Price: $12.99/month (7 days free)

Features: Music, guided meditation.

The concept of music as a therapeutic tool isn’t revolutionary, as music has long been shown to impact our emotions directly and is often used to regulate mood.

The Wavepaths app is a mental wellness app that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) to create personalized music recommendations tailored to the listener’s music tastes and psychological needs.

One of the more interesting aspects of this app is that it teaches users new ways to relate to their thoughts. The app features elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and neuroscience designed to reduce stress and focus.

This is a great app for music lovers, as it can help you discover established artists from around the world who have been commissioned to create music specifically for the Wavepaths goal.

Related: How AI Is Revolutionizing Psychedelic Science

Features: Stargazing

SkyView is a free stargazing app that allows users to explore the night sky and identify stars, constellations, and planets using the phone or tablet’s camera and satellites that detect location and orientation in real time.

All you have to do is point the device at the sky, and the app will display the names and information about what lies beyond our atmosphere.

This is one of our favorite free stargazing apps when we’re camping. But we think it’s an even better experience combined with psychedelics to contemplate our place in the vast expanse of the universe.

Price: Free with paid upgrades available

Forge of Neon is an interactive app that allows you to create a virtual world of neon lights with a library of pre-made 3D brushes and color palettes to choose from.

Like the other interactive art games on this list, there’s no real motive of this game but to help you relax and melt into the captivating artwork you create.

One of the stand-out features of this app is that you can record your creations and share them.

Using these apps while you’re on a psychedelic trip can help to enhance your experience. However, it’s still important to approach psychedelic drug use responsibly to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey.

• Research and download before your trip begins.

Before you start tripping, take time to research and download the apps you plan to use. We don’t recommend downloading apps as the onset of drugs kicks in. Downloading stuff from the internet on the fly puts you at risk of downloading something seedy or causing unnecessary overwhelm while you’re in an emotionally vulnerable state.

• Set limits to your screen time.

Once you’ve got your apps sorted and your trip is planned, decide how much time you’ll spend on your screen. While apps can be a fun and helpful tool for enhancing your trip, take reasonable breaks from your screen to avoid overstimulation and eye strain.

When you’re under the influence of psychedelics, time can get away from you quickly, especially if you’re immersed in one of the games we’ve suggested on the list.

So, set a timer for breaks to give yourself time to reconnect with your surroundings again.

While some people may prefer to experience psychedelics in a traditional, tech-free setting in nature, others are drawn to the potential for integrating technology into their trips.

This is where trippy apps come in, offering a range of tools for consciousness exploration, personal growth, and healing.

Beyond the trippy apps that provide mind-bending visuals and sounds, some apps offer guided meditations and access to professional support. These resources can be powerful tools for revolutionizing the way we approach psychedelic exploration, making it more accessible for people to reach out for help from the comfort of their homes.

By harnessing the power of technology and combining it with the wisdom of ancient practices, these apps have the potential to facilitate transformative experiences that help users gain insight into their consciousness and improve their mental health and well-being.

If you have other apps you’d like to share with the Trip Sitter community, let us know!

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Exercitationem A Rerum Aut

Voluptatem totam est illo minima deleniti. Harum voluptatibus aut beatae voluptatem reiciendis.

Why Field Trip Health Is Dividing in Two — and What This Means for Investors

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"The proposed separation will allow us to pursue a singular focus and commitment to innovation, while maintaining the current synergies of the integrated company through the collaboration agreement between Field Trip Health and Wellness and Reunion Neuroscience," says current CEO Joseph del Moral.

In a surprise move, Field Trip Health Ltd. (TSX: FTRP, Nasdaq: FTRP) announced on Thursday that they will be separating their company into two independent publicly traded entities.

Assuming the ratification of shareholders and regulatory approval, come July 2022, Field Trip Health will be no more. From its ashes will rise Reunion Neuroscience Inc, and Field Trip Health and Wellness Ltd.

Reunion will be the successor to Field Trip’s Discovery division, which was the part of the company which worked on next generation psychedelics. This includes FT-104, a psilocybin-like compound which is a prodrug to 4-HO-DiPT, and the company’s FT-200 series of psychedelics, which they call third-generation.

Once the deal is ratified, Reunion will keep Field Trip’s listing on the TSX and the Nasdaq, though it will be traded under a different ticker symbol, which has yet to be revealed. The company will have Joseph del Moral at the helm as CEO. 

Field Trip Health and Wellness, on the other hand, will inherit the company’s 12 psychedelic therapy clinics. These clinics currently use ketamine-assisted therapy to treat mental health issues like depression, and hope to use other substances such as MDMA and psilocybin once they become legalized. It will also offer clinical trial services, operate their psilocybin research center in Jamaica, and partner with Nue Life on Field Trip at Home™, a digital at-home ketamine assisted therapy program.

Field Trip Health and Wellness will have Ronan Levy as its CEO, and hopes to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange, pending approvals.

If you currently own stock of Field Trip Health, once the deal is finalized, for each share you own you will automatically receive 1 share of Reunion, and 0.86 shares of Field Trip H&W. Current shareholders of Field Trip Health will own 100% of Reunion, and 50% of Field Trip H&W. Of the remaining 50%, 10% will be owned by Reunion—so essentially current shareholders—and 40% will be held by new investors, led by the Oasis Management Company.

As for the cash positions of the two companies, Reunion will have $43 million CAD, and Field Trip H&W will have $23.7 million, $18.7 million of which comes from the above-mentioned new investors.

This move follows a strategic review of the company, which concluded that both parts of their business would be more likely to succeed if they operated independently from each other. 

In a press release, Field Trip Health gave four strategic rationales for the move. They said that following the transaction, both Field Trip H&W and Reunion will:

• “have separate and focused management and governance best suited to each company’s operational and strategic needs;
• be able to establish distinct capital structures and capital allocation plans matched to the unique strategies and requirements of each company;
• maintain current strategic synergies through a Collaboration Agreement, which will provide access to data, assistance in protocol development, preferential access to clinical trial sites and other benefits;
• provide differentiated investment characteristics and a focused investment thesis for long-term investors in each company.”

Adding to this, in a conference call with investors, future Reunion CEO Joseph del Moral said, “the proposed separation will allow us to pursue a singular focus and commitment to innovation, while maintaining the current synergies of the integrated company through the collaboration agreement between Field Trip Health and Wellness and Reunion Neuroscience.”

I find this move fascinating, as it moves in precisely the opposite direction of what I expect to see in the psychedelics space in the coming months and years: consolidation.

For example, earlier this month Numinus Wellness (TSX: NUMI, OTCQX: NUMIF) announced that they are acquiring Novamind Inc. (CSE: NM, OTCQB: NVMDF) . At the time, I wrote that “in the coming months I expect to see more, perhaps many more, of such deals being announced.”

To be clear, I still expect that to be the case, which would make this current transaction the exception, not the rule. 

Nevertheless, this decision has already helped Field Trip Health and Wellness raise $18.7 million. That is an early sign that this decision may be in the best interests of its current shareholders.

_______________________________________________________________________

Interested in attending conferences where you can meet the leaders of the psychedelics industry? Join Paul Stamets, Ronan Levy (currently Executive Chairman of Field Trip Health and future CEO of Field Trip Health and Wellness) and more at Canada’s premier psychedelics conference, The Catalyst Summit . Being held in Kingston, Ontario, from May 20th-22, the Catalyst Summit is your chance to get the inside scoop on the psychedelics industry.

Purchase your tickets through Psychedelic Spotlight and receive 20% off!

But hurry, tickets will soon be sold out!

Full Disclosure: James Hallifax holds positions in MindMed, Compass Pathways, atai Life Sciences, the Horizons Psychedelic Stock Index, and the Advisor Shares Psychedelics ETF.

The views of the author are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as financial advice, but rather his own personal opinion. Furthermore, the views of the author are not necessarily representative of Psychedelic Spotlight. His views and opinions are his own.

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Field Trip Health Ltd. Announces Official Opening of Psychedelic Research and Cultivation Facility in Jamaica

• Post published: February 9, 2021
• Post category: Press Release

The laboratory, which is the first facility dedicated exclusively to the study of plant-based psychedelics, is being launched in partnership with University of the West Indies 

TORONTO, Feb. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Field Trip Health Ltd. (CSE: FTRP; FTRP.WT; OTCQX: FTRPF) (“ Field Trip “), a leader in the development and delivery of psychedelic therapies, is pleased to announce the official opening of the Field Trip Natural Products Limited Research and Development Laboratory for Psychedelic Fungi in Mona, Jamaica. The research facility, which is opening as part of Field Trip’s previously announced strategic partnership with the University of West Indies, is the world’s first legal research and cultivation facility dedicated exclusively to psilocybin-producing mushrooms and other plant-based psychedelics.

“Clinical studies on psilocybin and other plant-based psychedelic compounds have shown that they have great potential to produce profoundly positive changes in individuals, particularly those struggling from serious mental health conditions like anorexia, depression and PTSD,” said Dr. Nathan Bryson, Field Trip’s Chief Science Officer. “With the opening of this facility, Field Trip and UWI will be leaders in the understanding of psilocybin-producing fungi and how they can be best utilized in a treatment setting.”

The work at the new facility will leverage the research and development efforts that have been conducted by Field Trip at a temporary facility at UWI since January 2020, and will be broad-ranging, from genetics, breeding and cultivation work on many of the 180+ plus recorded species of psilocybin-producing mushrooms, to developing analytical methods for quality control, identification of novel molecules, as well as extractions and formulations for drug development purposes. Research at the Facility will be led by Rupika Delgoda, Professor of Biochemical Pharmacology & Pharmacognosy and Director of the Natural Products Institute at UWI, who holds a D.Phil. from Oxford University (UK) in Pharmacology.

Pro Vice Chancellor and Principal at UWI, Mona, Professor Dale Webber added, “Field Trip has positioned itself as a global leader in the research and delivery of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and we look forward to working with its team in progressing the global conversation and understanding of psychedelic compounds. We are confident that this state-of-the-art facility and partnership with Field Trip will foster a wealth of innovation for the future of mental health research and therapies, even as we contribute to the regulatory framework that the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) is currently developing.” 

“Though science has been the primary catalyst for the psychedelic renaissance we’re in the midst of, the regulatory and legal environment is not far behind. We see this in the breakthrough therapy designations for psilocybin granted by the FDA. We see this in the success of Measure 109 in Oregon. We see this in the planned introduction of legislation for access to psilocybin therapies in California, Florida, Hawaii and Connecticut. We see this in the s. 56 compassionate access exemptions in Canada,” said Ronan Levy, Field Trip’s Executive Chairman. “However, in order for the full potential of these therapies to be realized, it’s critical that we rigorously research, test and understand not only how they work in the body, but also how we can best produce these drugs and products and make available to those who need them where we are legally able to do so.” 

The Field Trip Natural Products Limited Research and Development Laboratory for Psychedelic Fungi will officially open with a Grand Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, February 9 th  at 2PM EST. The virtual ceremony will be broadcast live and feature remarks from Field Trip executives, representatives from the University of the West Indies as well as The Honorable Daryl Vaz, the Minister of Science, Energy and Technology of Jamaica. 

About Field Trip Health Ltd.

Field Trip is a global leader in the development and delivery of psychedelic therapies. With our Field Trip Discovery division leading the development of the next generation of psychedelic molecules and conducting advanced research on plant-based psychedelics including psilocybin-producing fungi and our Field Trip Health division building centers for psychedelic therapies opening across North America and Europe along with the digital and technological tools that will enable massive scale, we help people, from those in treatment to those seeking accelerated personal growth, with a simple, evidence-based way to heal and heighten engagement with the world. 

Learn more at  https://www.meetfieldtrip.com ,  https://www.fieldtriphealth.com  and  https://www.fieldtriphealth.nl . 

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @fieldtriphealth

To receive company updates about Field Trip and to be added to the email distribution list please sign up  here .

For further information, contact Ronan Levy, Executive Chairman and a Director at Field Trip, at 1 (833) 833-1967.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information.  

This release includes forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws regarding Field Trip and its business, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the listing of the common shares of Field Trip on the Canadian Securities Exchange, and the timing of such events. Often but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “expect”, “intends”, “anticipated”, “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of the management of Field Trip and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Although the management of Field Trip believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the companies, including risks regarding the COVID-19 epidemic, the medical clinic industry, market conditions, economic factors, management’s ability to manage and to operate the business and the equity markets generally. Although Field Trip has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Field Trip does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Provider, nor the OTC Markets have approved the contents of this release or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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Karim Abdelaal: From the Soccer Field to the Field of Addiction and Psychedelics Research

Karim is a neurobiology graduate student exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelics to treat and understand addiction. a former college athlete and self-admitted foodie, karim also has an appetite for providing inclusive mentorship opportunities..

Trainee Spotlight  is a series of interviews from the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences that showcases the science and lives of the people behind the lab coats studying the brain at Duke. Be sure to also explore a list of our spotlighted trainees' favorite spots around town  here .    

We’d love to hear from you – please suggest someone for the series or nominate yourself by emailing DIBS’s Director of Communications  Dan Vahaba . 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

What do you study in the Dzirasa lab ? 

I'm trying to figure out what is going on in the brain that drives drug addiction and how that motivation to seek and consume drugs changes from the first time you take the drug to a state of addiction—from casual use to compulsive abuse. What's going on in the brain and why? Why does it happen to some people and not others? 

Part of what I'm doing is trying to look at how psychedelics reshape neural circuits to get rid of psychiatric disorders like addiction. The big hype around psychedelics is that they use a fancy term, "neuroplastigens", which just means they cause plasticity in the brain. From a clinical perspective, psychedelics have had a lot of promise in medical treatments. If I understand the mechanisms that are driving addictive phenotypes, and I can induce a state of addiction, can I then also use psychedelics to not only treat it, but also to understand the mechanism?  

What kind of big changes do you hope your research might lead to? 

Psychiatry is virtually the only medical specialty that doesn't look at the organ they treat. For neurological disorders, you do MRI scans. For cancers, you take biopsies. In all of these different fields, there is something objective that we can take or image. Psychiatry doesn't have that right now. Being able to find neural determinants, like strongly correlated brain activity, can be used to diagnose people with certain psychiatric disorders. I think that will reshape psychiatry. A lot of the work that's going on in our lab is asking how to develop tools that eventually translate over into humans, which will allow us to predict and create systems in which we can diagnose people based on objective biological measurements for psychiatry. 

What kind of big changes do you hope your research might lead to one day? 

What’s one thing you’re especially excited about in your field of research? 

One psychedelic drug I'm really interested in is Ibogaine. Iboga is a naturally occurring psychedelic plant that is native to Central Africa, and Ibogaine is the drug that comes from it. It’s a pretty awful psychedelic, actually. People don’t typically enjoy their trips on it, and it lasts anywhere from two to five days. But it has immense therapeutic potential. There are a lot of anecdotal reports of people, specifically with drug addictions, who have struggled with addictions for decades of their lives, and then they trip on Ibogaine once and have remained abstinent since.  

How did you find your way to science?   

I needed to figure out my life around my junior year in college. I thought I wanted to go into the medical space, but I wasn't really sure. I took this class called regenerative neurobiology, and it caught my attention. A professor who taught the class needed help in his lab, and so I ended up joining and doing physical system processing with mice. It was the first time that I had felt really challenged academically in a way that made me really want to catch up.  

What is something people might not know about you? 

I have played soccer as far back in my life as I can remember. At one point, I was getting paid to play soccer for a semi-professional team. If I were good enough to have made a career out of it, I would be doing that instead of science. Even though I ended up falling in love with science, my first true love and passion is absolutely soccer. If science doesn’t work out, my backup plan would be to go coach kids’ soccer, which has always meant a lot to me. 

Tell us one of your favorite places to grab a bite in Durham. 

There is a taco truck that's pretty close to campus called Tacos Chapin right behind the Advanced Auto Parts lot. They are only open in the evenings on some days, but it is one of my favorite places to eat at. A Cabeza Burrito is the best thing to get from there. 

What’s one piece advice you’d give to a young researcher?  

I mentor a lot of undergrads who come through the lab, and what I tell everybody is to do what you like to do. Prioritize what you like to do. Life will fill up every day from now until the end of time with things that you have to do, and if you allow that to take up all of your time, you won't have any time to do the things that you'd like. It’s a privilege that I get to do science as a job, that I have something that I have to do that I also like. If you are privileged enough to have a career in something that you'd like to do, do that. Don't go with what's going to make you a ton of money or what you have been told to do since you were a kid. Take time to breathe and figure out what matters to you. You can live a life doing things that you enjoy doing, especially if you're good at it. 

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A Trip Around the World: 10 Modern Psychedelic Rock Bands

Posted by Gavin Webber | Apr 15, 2020 | Music , Music Blog | 0 |

What does psychedelic rock mean to you? Is psychedelic rock the culmination of swirling soundscapes created by just the right amount of delay layered over a tight groove? Is psychedelic rock defined by its particular flavor of ambience that could only be understood through the music itself? For me, psychedelic rock is a combination of what happens when our waking life meets our subconscious and creates a sonically driven lovechild. As a genre, psychedelic rock extends much further than the confines of our imagination. 

In this article I will share with you 10 bands from all over the world that I consider to be unique, up and coming, psych rock bands. It is up to you to decide just how far you would like to explore the depths of your mind. Will you welcome the psychedelic experience with open arms? Or will you tune out and choose a different path? The ball’s in your court…

Slift – Toulouse, France – Fuzz/Garage/Psych/Prog

Slift is a 3 piece rock band hailing from the great country of France. With their eclectic sound its hard to classify them into any one genre. There’s moments where they create dense soundscapes that are easy to drift off to. Then, with such ease they pick up the pace and deliver an experience that’s sure to get your body moving. Between the release of their first full length EP in 2017, to their most recent LP released early 2020; they’re style has remained true but has transcended from your common garage psych to something much larger. With the momentum these guys are showing its extremely exciting to think of whats to come next. 

https://slift.bandcamp.com

Los Bitchos – London, England – Psych/Latin/Sunshine Cumbia

Next up is an incredible band based out of London, England who’s sound does not represent that one bit. Los Bitchos is a psych groove band consisting of 5 incredibly bad ass women. With tantalizing guitar tones mixed with an impenetrable groove these ladies are not to be skipped over. Combining Latin medley’s with Caribbean Cumbia, twisted into their own unique blend, it’s safe to say these women are honing in on some seriously fun sounds! Though they have not released an album yet, they have an incredible live performance on KEXP that will be linked below. 

https://losbitchos.bandcamp.com

Frankie and the Witch Fingers – Los Angelos, California – Psych/Rock n’ Roll/Fuzz Funk

Frankie and the Witch Fingers is a high powered 4 piece rock band from Los Angelos. Infusing a rockabilly sound with modern garage psych, these gentlemen have harnessed this incredible fusion that gets the blood pumping. Their animated lyrics match their music very well, creating obscure and playful imagery with each word sung. For Frankie and the Witch Fingers, it seems as if there is no true boundaries in their creative approach. From their first release in 2013, through out their entire catalogue containing 4 full length albums, you can hear their consistency while also noticing their undeniable growth and diversity. In turn, leaving us as listeners with an assorted collection of content while always wanting more. 

https://frankieandthewitchfingers.bandcamp.com

ORB – Victoria, Australia – Psych/Fuzz/ Stoner

Deriving from Australia, the current hot spot for psychedelic rock is a 4 piece outfit named ORB. ORB is one of the many talented bands that is signed to King GIzzard and the Lizard Wizards record label “Flightless Records”. Their sound could be described as dark but playful, with crunchy guitars and powerful bass lines that aren’t only heavy but also funky. Their subtle use of synthesizers pays homage to the prog legends of the 70’s but with a pinch of new school thrown on top. ORB is currently sitting on two full length LP’s, each holding true to a specific sound with just enough diversity throughout to keep things fresh. Besides ORB being a prolific studio band, they’re live performance is also exceptional. So with the culmination of their mind bending song writing and powerful stage presence ORB is a band not to  be slept on. 

https://orband.bandcamp.com

Naxatras – Thessaloniki, Greece – Hard Psych/Stoner/Fuzz

Coming from one of my personal favorite regions for psychedelic rock is an exceptional 3 piece group from Greece. Each track written by these guys is truly a unique psychedelic experience. Somehow, they’re able to create these beautiful guitar melodies that could at any minute be left in a smoke screen of delay and distorted guitar tones. Craftily devising their way through each track, they continuously build and build giving the listener the opportunity to truly get lost in a world created by sound. It’s no doubt that this band’s influences stretch beyond recognition. Their ability to maintain this dark and ominous sound while creating this unique brand of funk is truly mind-bending. Having three studio released LP’s and a live album at the listeners disposal there is a little something tucked in there for every one. 

https://naxatras.bandcamp.com

Black Midi – London, England – Black Midi/Math/Prog/Psych

You could say Black Midi is the wild card selection of this segment. Named after the Japanese genre black midi, we have the band Black Midi that focus’s on the black midi genre.. I know, very meta of them.. Considering most of us have no clue what the genre of black midi is, I will do my best to explain it. As a genre, black midi is a mass number of notes that are essentially layered onto of one another, therefore blacking out the staves on sheet music. Now, Black Midi as a band falls along these lines with their obscure playing that seems to blend in ways almost unrecognizable to the average mind. Though, I would classify them more as an experimental math/ prog group more than anything. Between their hardly recognizable lyrics, whirlwind of constant changing time signatures and polyrhythmic approach to their song writing, each song is truly an experience beyond words. With their debut release in 2019 they’ve gained major success and I imagine there will be plenty more strange tunes to come from these guys.

https://bmblackmidi.bandcamp.com

Elder – Boston, MA – Heavy Psych/Space Rock/Stoner/Prog

Bringing things back to the United States is a well ingrained band with in the Stoner/Psych rock scene, Elder. Elder is a 4 piece project that values themselves for their diverse and ever evolving sound. Blending elements of traditional psych rock, stoner rock and prog we get this fusion of sound that seems to melt time within its stratospheric serenity. This does not take away from the musics ability to make you wanna get out of your seat start head banging. They are no strangers to writing truly epic tracks. With most of their songs being 10 minutes plus, they welcome you into a jam vehicle heading straight toward the moon with no stops Intended. Over the last decade Elder has released 5 LP’s and a Live album. You can hear the maturity of the band throughout their discography. They’ve managed to stick to their roots through out their musical evolution while always making each new album feel a little tighter and fresh for the listeners ears. 

https://beholdtheelder.bandcamp.com

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – Perth, Australia – Psych/Alt Rock/Garage Psych

Once again welcoming an extremely talented band from Australia, I introduce Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. This 5 piece collective was spawned from their Acid Kool-Aid styled house parties. They would get together and play music until the sun started showing its face through the cracks of the barn they we’re playing in. With their funky upbeat style, their sound motivates the listener to want to shake their body while getting lost in their visceral soundscapes. Fusing their reverb drenched vocals with their use of heavy delayed guitars, we get this atmospheric ambiance that with ease sucks us in and spits us out with each track. Having released 3 LP’s since 2016, they have solidified their spot in contemporary psych rock. So, whether you’re into straight space rock or if you like to twist things up with some heavier tunes, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have a little something for everybody.

https://psychedelicporncrumpets.bandcamp.com

Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin – San Diego, CA – Hard Rock/Psych/Stoner

Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin is a three piece rock band out of California. Their sound paints the perfect image of wandering through the desert on a headful. With their use of distorted and droning guitar sections, matched by bass lines inducing hypnosis, the listener is presented with a sound of pure psychedelia. Through the saturated soundscapes they also harness the ability to lay down absolutely ridiculous lead guitar sections. Releasing their first full length LP early 2020, they have proved that they are moving forward full steam ahead. 

https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com

Somali Yacht Club – Lviv, Ukraine – Psych/Stoner/Post Metal/Prog

Somali Yacht Club in my opinion is the epitome of this list. With their unforgiving ability to create tracks that are built of pure psychedelic fuel, we encounter what its like to truly get caught in an ever growing experience of melodic ecstasy. Traveling through flawless peaks and valleys, they take us on a ride encouraging patience of the mind. Devising a sound that’s comprised of introspective space rock mixed with melodic tones of post rock we’re left with a sound that’s sure to leave the listener in awe. Over the past few years Somali Yacht Club has produced two full length albums, both creating a unique and mind bending ride through out. For those willing to set sail on a psychedelic voyage, I highly recommend letting Somali Yacht Club take the wheel. 

https://somaliyachtclub.bandcamp.com

I hope everyone who took the time to read this article enjoy’s at least one band on this list. It was a pleasure to be able to share musical knowledge that I’ve obtained over the years. Keep rocking on and stay psychedelic!

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Hallucinogen from Sonoran Desert toad venom shows potential to treat mental disorders

Research in mice shed further insight into the molecular bases of 5-meo-dmt and how this compound impacts the brain.

The Sonoran Desert toad ( Incilius alvarius , also known as the Colorado River toad or bufo toad) releases a poison through its skin that contains a psychedelic compound with therapeutic potential. The 5-MeO-DMT molecule, which is secreted naturally by the parotid glands of this amphibian, has hallucinogenic properties: when consumed, it causes temporary distortions of vision, sound and time perception. But the trips triggered by this compound may also impact mental health, and the scientific community is investigating its properties to treat depression and other mental disorders. A study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature provides further insight into this type of psychedelic and its medicinal possibilities . Researchers from the Icahn Faculty at Mount Sinai in New York mapped the molecular bases of 5-MeO-DMT in the brain and analyzed how it interacts with the same serotonin receptor that is used in other antidepressants. The researchers believe the study provides “crucial information” to facilitate the development of new neuropsychiatric therapies.

Amid the growing interest in psychedelic medicine , many scientists are looking at the therapeutic potential of 5-MeO-DMT . It is already being tested in humans, in a handful of trials for treatment-resistant depression. But the mechanism of action — i.e. how the compound impacts the brain — remains unclear. Scientists are paying special attention to how it and other psychedelics interact with brain receptors that activate a key neurotransmitter for regulating mood: serotonin. This chemical substance serves as a communication route for neurons, allowing them to send messages to each other. It also helps regulate various functions, such as mood, digestion, temperature, sleep and sexual function. Low concentration of serotonin is associated with the development of depression and other mental disorders. Some conventional antidepressants, such as Prozac, try to raise serotonin levels.

Daniel Wacker, author of the study published in Nature, admits that what they know about the effects of 5-MeO-DMT, “comes from anecdotal reports”: “The psychedelic induces altered states of consciousness, which are often described as trips and cannot be equated to a high like that produced by cannabis. Trips involve [...] hallucinations, but also so-called subjective effects that can range from pleasant mystical experiences and feelings of unity to negative experiences including fear, paranoia and vomiting. 5-MeO-DMT in particular has been associated with ego dissolution, that is, feelings of oneness with the universe, which could contribute substantially to the sustained antidepressant effects of psychedelics. However, this has not yet been demonstrated so far, and other studies, including ours, suggest that other mechanisms could also contribute to the antidepressant effects of 5-MeO-DMT2.”

His research focused on analyzing, in animal models, how this compound interacts with a group of serotonin receptors closely related to anxiety circuits in the brain. “While there have been some studies indicating that other receptors may play a role in the actions of 5-MeO-DMT, the psychoactive effects of psychedelics in general have been primarily attributed to actions at the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. 5-MeO-DMT has already demonstrated considerable therapeutic effects in humans, although these reports are anecdotal and cannot be equated with controlled clinical trials. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which 5-MeO-DMT and other psychedelics might treat psychiatric disorders are currently unknown. Our studies suggest that for 5-MeO-DMT, binding and activation of the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor could play a critical role,” says Wacker by email.

Behind that alphanumeric nickname (5-HT1A), hides one of the 13 groups of receptors activated by serotonin that “regulate numerous physiological processes, including many brain functions, intestinal motility and even the reproductive system,” explains the scientist. “5-HT1A is the most expressed serotonin receptor in the brain, where it regulates body temperature, memory and learning, mood , and other aspects of human physiology. Interestingly, 5-HT1A is the primary molecular target of several prescription antidepressants, such as vilazodone, buspirone, and gepirone. 5-MeO-DMT binds to the same 5-HT1A pocket that serotonin normally binds to, but interacts with the receptor differently compared to serotonin, as we demonstrate through structures at the atomic level in our work,” he adds.

The researchers analyzed how the compound interacted with these receptors, and modified specific sites of the hallucinogen to evaluate, in mouse models of depression, its potential as a therapeutic agent. “Our studies provide crucial insights into an understudied class of psychedelics and related compounds that may facilitate the development of new neuropsychiatric therapeutics that target 5-HT,” the study concludes.

Víctor Pérez, who is head of Psychiatry at the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona and has a clinical trial underway (Phase II) with 5-MeO-DMT for treatment-resistant depression, explains that Wacker and his team “propose what are part of the mechanisms of action,” but do not resolve all the unsolved questions. “We do not know how the patient’s improvement occurs. A lot remains to be done and I don’t know if we will know what the final mechanism of action is. But it is striking that patients with depression that does not remit to individual treatments and is tremendously desperate, after this therapy, within a few hours, experience a qualitative change [remits the depressive symptomatology]. They are substances with tremendous potency and, if done in the right places [under health control], they are quite safe drugs,” Pérez explains.

Clinical implications

Wacker’s findings shed a little more light on what happens in the brain when this psychedelic from the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad is taken. But the research also reveals the complexity of these mechanisms of action, admits the scientist: “Our research shows that the mechanism by which 5-MeO-DMT acts in the brain is probably more complex than previously assumed, since its clinical effectiveness potentially depends on 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors. This finding could have clinical implications, as the drug could have known 5-HT1A-related side effects, as seen with other 5-HT1A drugs (sleep disorders, headaches, etc.).”

Regarding this study, Óscar Soto, president of the Spanish Society of Psychedelic Medicine, points out that this field of research will allow scientists to “better identify how [this compound] affects one receptor or another.” “It opens the door to developing new specific molecules to specifically bind to a specific receptor,” says Soto, did not take part in the research.

Soto is a psychiatrist at the Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu in Spain, where three clinical trials are testing 5-MeO-DMT and another psychedelic compound, psilocybin, in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Regarding the hallucinogen extracted from the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad, Soto says that it induces a process of brain plasticity and an altered state of consciousness that is “complex and different from other psychedelics.” According to the doctor, this leads to “an acute improvement in symptoms.”

“A characteristic of altered states of consciousness is ineffability, the difficulty of describing that state: many people talk about feeling like they are disappearing, there are not so many visual alterations, but sometimes, they lose track of time. Sometimes you don’t even remember your own experience,” he says. The trip is short, between 10 minutes and half an hour, but he warns that “they are complex experiences, and it is important that the patient feels safe and not alone because it can be a difficult process to navigate.”

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The ‘psychedelic renaissance’: Science revives therapeutic potential of psychoactive drugs

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