Hallucinogens and Shamanism: A Brief Article Natchitoches LA

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.

Natchitoches Center for
(318) 357-3283
212 Medical Drive
Natchitoches, LA
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(877) 664-2248
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Substance abuse
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Outpatient, Partial hospitalization/day treatment
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Adolescents, Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, Women, Men, Criminal justice clients

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Ruston Addictive Disorders Clinic
(318) 251-4125
206 East Reynolds Drive
Ruston, LA
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Substance abuse
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Baton Rouge Area
(225) 389-3325
1819 Florida Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA
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Detoxification
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Residential short-term treatment (30 days or less)
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ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

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Claire House
(985) 395-2424
1101 SE Boulevard
Morgan City, LA
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Substance abuse
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Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days)
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Women, Residential beds for clients' children

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Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital
(337) 531-3922
1585 3rd Street
Fort Polk, LA
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Substance abuse , Detoxification
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Hospital inpatient, Outpatient

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Professional Counseling Services of
(318) 255-9210
101 East Reynolds Drive
Ruston, LA
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Substance abuse
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Outpatient
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DUI/DWI offenders
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French, German, Hungarian

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Veterans Affairs Medical Center
(318) 473-0010
2495 State Highway
Pineville, LA
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Substance abuse
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Residential short-term treatment (30 days or less), Outpatient, Partial hospitalization/day treatment
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Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, DUI/DWI offenders
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ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired

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Council on Alcoholism/Drug Abuse of
(318) 222-8511
2000 Fairfield Avenue
Shreveport, LA
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Substance abuse
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Men, DUI/DWI offenders, Criminal justice clients

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Caddo and Bossier Center
(318) 222-1767
527 Crockett Street
Shreveport, LA
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Substance abuse , Detoxification
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Residential short-term treatment (30 days or less), Residential long-term treatment (more than 30 days)
Special Programs/Groups
Women, Men

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Red River Addictions Complex
(318) 484-6888
242 West Shamrock Road
Pineville, LA
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Substance abuse , Detoxification
Types of Care
Residential short-term treatment (30 days or less)
Special Programs/Groups
Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders, Pregnant/postpartum women, Women, Men, DUI/DWI offenders, Criminal justice clients

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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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