Petter G Johnstad | University of Bergen (original) (raw)
Address: Bergen, Hordaland Fylke, Norway
less
Uploads
Papers by Petter G Johnstad
AIMS – The article aims to gain insight into the private worlds of users of hallucinogenic drugs ... more AIMS – The article aims to gain insight into the private worlds of users of hallucinogenic drugs
in spiritual contexts, with a focus on the self-perceived mental health implications of their
practices. This will help us understand the rationale behind and consequences of hallucinogenic
drug use. METHOD – Respondents were recruited at several internet fora for individual emailmediated
interviews (n = 5) or group interviews in public discussion threads (n = 11). They were
predominantly males in their 30s or 40s with stable jobs and living conditions and extensive
hallucinogen experience. RESULTS – Both positive and adverse consequences were assessed,
and respondents emphasised the capacity of hallucinogenic drugs for healing and personal
growth; even adverse experiences (“bad trips”) were regarded as valuable for these purposes. The
dependence potential of these drugs was regarded as low because of an inherent self-regulatory
mechanism whereby positive effects disappear with overuse. A minority of participants reported
mental health problems that may result from their hallucinogen use, but the majority have
experienced no significant adverse reactions after many years of use. This should be seen in light
of the low frequency of their hallucinogen use. CONCLUSION – The study obtained evidence of a
predominantly male group of mature users taking hallucinogens in carefully prepared sessions
for the purpose of personal spiritual growth, acknowledging some risks but also several benefits
from this practice.
This study attempts to gain insight into the life worlds of users of entheogenic drugs, and there... more This study attempts to gain insight into the life worlds of users of entheogenic drugs, and thereby to broaden our understanding of a clandestine and little known spiritual phenomenon. Such insight will also help us to comprehend the rationale behind and consequences of entheogen use. Respondents were recruited at several Internet fora for individual email-mediated interviews (n = 11) or group interviews in public discussion threads (n = 15). They were predominantly males in their 20s, 30s or 40s with stable jobs and living conditions and extensive entheogen experience. The findings obtained indicate that participants tended to follow a pattern of infrequent and often well-planned entheogen sessions. They described a wide variety of cognitive and emotional effects taking place under the influence of entheogenic drugs, ranging from Maslovian peak experiences to one dramatic psychotic episode. Respondents emphasized the capacity of entheogenic drugs for healing and personal growth, and even adverse experiences (“bad trips”) were regarded as valuable for these purposes. Their reported spiritual experiences did not seem significantly influenced by familial or cultural background.
Drafts by Petter G Johnstad
This article presents an explorative study of microdosing practices with psychedelic drugs. A mic... more This article presents an explorative study of microdosing practices with psychedelic drugs. A microdose is defined as a sub-perceptual dose, commonly about one tenth of an ordinary recreational dose, which gives no alteration of consciousness or feeling of intoxication. Respondents (n = 17) were recruited at several Internet fora for individual interviews mediated via private messaging. Every participant was male, and the median respondent was in his 30s with a stable job and relationship and extensive entheogen experience. Respondents tended to experiment with microdosing in phases, reporting mostly positive consequences from these practices. Benign effects included improved mood, cognition, and creativity, which often served to counteract symptoms especially from conditions involving anxiety and depression. There were also reports of various challenges with microdosing psychedelic drugs, and some did not find the practice worth continuing; one participant reported of a distinctly negative experience resulting from a combination of a microdose of LSD with a recreational dose of cannabis.
AIMS – The article aims to gain insight into the private worlds of users of hallucinogenic drugs ... more AIMS – The article aims to gain insight into the private worlds of users of hallucinogenic drugs
in spiritual contexts, with a focus on the self-perceived mental health implications of their
practices. This will help us understand the rationale behind and consequences of hallucinogenic
drug use. METHOD – Respondents were recruited at several internet fora for individual emailmediated
interviews (n = 5) or group interviews in public discussion threads (n = 11). They were
predominantly males in their 30s or 40s with stable jobs and living conditions and extensive
hallucinogen experience. RESULTS – Both positive and adverse consequences were assessed,
and respondents emphasised the capacity of hallucinogenic drugs for healing and personal
growth; even adverse experiences (“bad trips”) were regarded as valuable for these purposes. The
dependence potential of these drugs was regarded as low because of an inherent self-regulatory
mechanism whereby positive effects disappear with overuse. A minority of participants reported
mental health problems that may result from their hallucinogen use, but the majority have
experienced no significant adverse reactions after many years of use. This should be seen in light
of the low frequency of their hallucinogen use. CONCLUSION – The study obtained evidence of a
predominantly male group of mature users taking hallucinogens in carefully prepared sessions
for the purpose of personal spiritual growth, acknowledging some risks but also several benefits
from this practice.
This study attempts to gain insight into the life worlds of users of entheogenic drugs, and there... more This study attempts to gain insight into the life worlds of users of entheogenic drugs, and thereby to broaden our understanding of a clandestine and little known spiritual phenomenon. Such insight will also help us to comprehend the rationale behind and consequences of entheogen use. Respondents were recruited at several Internet fora for individual email-mediated interviews (n = 11) or group interviews in public discussion threads (n = 15). They were predominantly males in their 20s, 30s or 40s with stable jobs and living conditions and extensive entheogen experience. The findings obtained indicate that participants tended to follow a pattern of infrequent and often well-planned entheogen sessions. They described a wide variety of cognitive and emotional effects taking place under the influence of entheogenic drugs, ranging from Maslovian peak experiences to one dramatic psychotic episode. Respondents emphasized the capacity of entheogenic drugs for healing and personal growth, and even adverse experiences (“bad trips”) were regarded as valuable for these purposes. Their reported spiritual experiences did not seem significantly influenced by familial or cultural background.
This article presents an explorative study of microdosing practices with psychedelic drugs. A mic... more This article presents an explorative study of microdosing practices with psychedelic drugs. A microdose is defined as a sub-perceptual dose, commonly about one tenth of an ordinary recreational dose, which gives no alteration of consciousness or feeling of intoxication. Respondents (n = 17) were recruited at several Internet fora for individual interviews mediated via private messaging. Every participant was male, and the median respondent was in his 30s with a stable job and relationship and extensive entheogen experience. Respondents tended to experiment with microdosing in phases, reporting mostly positive consequences from these practices. Benign effects included improved mood, cognition, and creativity, which often served to counteract symptoms especially from conditions involving anxiety and depression. There were also reports of various challenges with microdosing psychedelic drugs, and some did not find the practice worth continuing; one participant reported of a distinctly negative experience resulting from a combination of a microdose of LSD with a recreational dose of cannabis.