The Dark Side of Psychedelic Therapy

About this episode

Elisabeth McKay discusses the risks and considerations surrounding psychedelic therapy and who may be unsuitable for such treatments.

Psychedelics have gone from fringe culture to mainstream mental health conversation. But what if the discussion is missing the most important question? Who should never be taking them? In this episode of Decoded , Elisabeth McKay examines the growing normalization of psychedelics, ketamine therapy, medicine journeys, and modern psychedelic culture through the lens of brain patterns, psychological risk, emotional regulation, and personal responsibility. This is not an anti-psychedelic episode. It’s an examination of why certain people may benefit from psychedelic experiences while others may experience devastating psychological consequences—including psychosis, false memories, emotional destabilization, identity confusion, and long-term dysregulation. This episode explores: The normalization of psychedelic culture Why most people are not ideal candidates for psychedelics Ketamine therapy and psychological risk The relationship between psychedelics and psychotic breaks False memories and altered states of consciousness Emotional dysregulation and vulnerability The difference between healing and truth-seeking Why some people become spiritually obsessed after medicine journeys…

People in this episode

Host: Bizzie Gold

Guest: Elisabeth McKay

Topics covered

• psychedelic therapy
• psychological risk
• emotional regulation
• personal responsibility
• mental health
• normalization of psychedelics

Keywords

• psychedelics
• ketamine therapy
• psychosis
• emotional destabilization
• identity confusion
• spiritual obsession
• screening protocols

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Decoded, Break Method

Products: psychedelics, ketamine therapy, mushrooms, peyote

Places: rave culture

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