The Adverse Effects and Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Medicines

by Richard Louis Miller

• ISBN13: 9798888500781
• ISBN10: 8888500782
• eBook ISBN(s): 9798888500798
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2026-05-05
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• More Book Details

Summary

A guide to informed and responsible psychedelic use

• Draws on current research, interviews, and case studies to detail the risks and benefits of psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, and mescaline

• Explores the short- and long-term effects of psychedelics, looking at heart rate, blood pressure, and markers of mental health

• Includes in-depth profiles of psychedelics, considering their chemical composition, effects, safety considerations, and legal status

The psychedelic renaissance has been opening new therapeutic modalities in Western medicine. With the potential to reduce our reliance on pharmaceuticals and improve overall well-being, the use of psychedelics has yielded promising results. However, the increased acceptance and use of these age-old medicines should also be approached with caution and full awareness.

Clinical psychologist Richard Louis Miller provides a balanced analysis of the risks and benefits of psychedelics to ensure their responsible use. He comprehensively details the rewards and potential complications of substances like LSD, psilocybin, ayahuasca, DMT, MDMA, and ketamine to provide thorough risk profiles and a working guide for psychedelic-informed therapy.

Drawing on the latest research, interviews with practitioners, and case studies, Dr. Miller considers physiological effects like nausea, altered heart rate, and blood pressure changes, along with mental effects such as anxiety, reality distortion, and mood disorders often associated with a bad trip. He also includes an extensive, in-depth Psychedelic Clinical Profiles guide to the 13 most commonly used psychedelic substances, detailing their chemical composition, safety considerations, and legal status.

As psychedelics become more accepted as medicines, it is important that we become fully knowledgeable about their effects. By revealing the benefits and risks, this book is a key resource in the ethical and responsible use of psychedelics.

Author Biography

Dr. Richard Louis Miller has been a clinical psychologist for more than 50 years, and is host of the radio show Mind Body Health & Politics. The founder of the Cokenders Alcohol and Drug Program, he is a former faculty member at the University of Michigan and Stanford University. He lives in Fort Bragg and Wilbur Hot Springs, California.

Table of Contents

PROLOGUE The Space Between Hope and Caution,
Promise and Peril

PART 1
The Promises and Pitfalls of the
Psychedelic Renaissance

ONE Full Transparency

TWO Understanding Psychedelic Substances

PART 2
Acute Adverse Effects

THREE Mental Adverse Effects

FOUR Somatic Challenges

PART 3
Prolonged Adverse Effects

FIVE Prolonged Perceptual Changes

SIX Long-Term Psychological and
Existential Disturbances

SEVEN The Enigma of Recovered Memories

PART 4
The Crucial Need for
Professional Standards

EIGHT Abuse of Patient Trust in Psychedelic Therapy

NINE Ramifications of an Unsafe Environment

TEN Harm Reduction—From Theory to Practice

ELEVEN Integration

TWELVE The Way Forward

Resources for Psychedelic Safety, Research,
and Integration

Guide to Psychedelic Clinical Profiles

2C-B (2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenethylamine)

5-APB (5-(2-Aminopropyl)benzofuran)

5-MeO-DMT (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine)

Ayahuasca

DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine)

DOM (2,5-Dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine)

Ibogaine

Ketamine (2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)
cyclohexanone)

LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)

MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)

Mescaline (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine)

Psilocybin Mushrooms

Salvia divinorum / Salvinorin A

References

Index