Hallucinogens and Shamanism: A Brief Article Matthews NC

The use of psychoactive drugs was studied in the 1960s by Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert who looked at LSD and psilocybin who studied shamanic teachings and practices around the globe. These shamanic traditions involve non-ordinary states of consciousness induced by a variety of methods including ingesting hallucinogenic plants, but also drumming, fasting, wilderness vision questing, use of sweat lodges and others.

Wade D Williams PhD
(704) 362-1555
517 South Sharon Amity Road
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders

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Community Alternatives
(704) 336-4844
5800 Executive Center Drive
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days), Outpatient, Partial hospitalization/day treatment
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, Pregnant/postpartum women, Women, Residential beds for clients' children

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Chemical Dependency Center
(704) 376-7447
100 Billingsley Road
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient, Partial hospitalization/day treatment
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, Pregnant/postpartum women, Women, DUI/DWI offenders, Criminal justice clients
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired, Spanish

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Counseling Insights Inc
(704) 568-1122
3557 North Sharon Amity Road
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
DUI/DWI offenders
Language Services
Spanish

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Micah''s Angels Stewarts Crossing
(704) 566-0198
11822 Stewarts Crossing Drive
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Residential short-term treatment (30 days or less), Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days)
Special Programs/Groups
Adolescents, Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders

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Southeast Addictions Institute and
(704) 561-0920
5601 Executive Center Drive
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, DUI/DWI offenders
Language Services
Spanish

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Mecklenburg County Area MH Authority
(704) 336-3067
429 Billingsley Road
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse , Detoxification
Types of Care
Residential short-term treatment (30 days or less)
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with HIV/AIDS, Women, Men
Language Services
ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

Data Provided by:
Eastover Psychological and
(704) 362-2663
Eastover Awakenings
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse , Buprenorphine Services
Types of Care
Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders

Data Provided by:
Assessment Dynamics
(704) 537-9740
5107 Monroe Road
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse
Types of Care
Outpatient

Data Provided by:
Charlotte Rescue Mission
(704) 334-4635
907 West 1st Street
Charlotte, NC
Services Provided
Substance abuse , Halfway house
Types of Care
Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days)
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with HIV/AIDS, Men

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Hallucinogens and Shamanism: A Brief Article

In the western area, many drugs are highly refined and attempted excessively or habitually, in ways that are addictive and harmful. However, in traditional societies powerful mind-active plants are consumed ritually for therapeutic purposes or for transcending normal, everyday reality. In this article I will look in detail at the ritual use of mind-active drugs for therapeutic mind-expansion as part of shamanic traditions in comparison to the modern abuse of pharmaceutical drugs as part of drug addictions and dependencies.

The use of psychoactive drugs was studied in the 1960s by Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert who looked at LSD and psilocybin who studied shamanic teachings and practices around the globe. These shamanic traditions involve non-ordinary states of consciousness induced by a variety of methods including ingesting hallucinogenic plants, but also drumming, fasting, wilderness vision questing, use of sweat lodges and others.

Metzner notes that indigenous people have a profound knowledge of plants and herbs and their effects on the body and mind and are well able to distinguish harmful from beneficial medicines. For this reason the vision-inducing plants that have a tradition of shamanic usage are much more likely to be safe, in contrast to newly discovered and synthesized drugs, the use of which may often involve unknown long-term risks.

Western psychotherapy and indigenous shamanism use similar psychoactive substances for healing and obtaining knowledge (call...

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