The Michelle Chalfant Show — Life from the Adult Chair

390: Understanding Psychedelics with Matt Zemon

Oct 26, 2023

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Everyone seems to have an opinion about psychedelics these days.

Doctors and therapists see them as potential treatments for things like anxiety, depression and PTSD. Spiritual communities believe they open us up to the divine. Politicians debate whether they should be legal or illegal.

I have to admit that when I first heard people talking about them, I was scared.

I’m not a big fan of substance use of any kind, and the idea of a “drug” becoming mainstream concerned me.

But when some respected psychologists and colleagues of mine started talking about the healing power of psychedelics — people who were far from the 1960s “Summer of Love” stereotype — I knew the topic at least deserved my honest research.

As I dug deeper into the science behind psychedelics and understood how they worked in the mind, I began to realize they weren’t about escaping but about going deeper into oneself by quieting the ego and opening the door to new parts of our consciousness.

But, I wanted to make sure my opinion was backed up by accurate, science-based, factual research. And there are few people who I’ve found better informed on this topic than Matt Zemon.

Matt was once a fellow skeptic like me who also became convinced through research and experience that psychedelics can play a positive role in therapeutic and medical settings.

He is one of the most grounded, scientific voices I’ve heard on this topic — perfect for anyone who simply wants to learn more and see what you think for yourself — and I am thrilled to have him share his wealth of knowledge in this episode.

Listen to discover:

Matt’s story of opening his mind to psychedelics – and how they changed his life
Safety considerations for psychedelic use
Whether or not psychedelics are addictive (and how they can help treat addiction)
The different types of psychedelics and how they work in the mind
How and why psychedelics can help us change our thought patterns
The importance of therapeutic integration after a psychedelic experience
Resources for doing your own research and safe psychedelic use

The choice to have a psychedelic experience is very personal, and I would never tell someone they should or should not try a powerful substance like these.

But I do think we should all do our due diligence to research new breakthroughs in healing with an open mind — which I hope this episode helps you do.

Because whether you get there through a psychedelic or not, allowing yourself to see new perspectives and change your mind is how you grow as a human…and that’s always a path worth pursuing.

"In that first six- or seven-hour [psychedelic] journey, the entire way I look and interact with the world shifted." - Matt Zemon

"Physically, these substances are relatively safe." - Matt Zemon

"Not all psychedelics are the same, and you don't want to be on certain medications and taking a psychedelic." - Matt Zemon

"The psychedelic process can help us remember a way that we used to think, maybe before we had adopted those behaviors...and from that rememberance, we can then start to take the steps to change our life." - Matt Zemon

"It's not so much that [psychedelics are] a cure...they're really catalysts for change." - Matt Zemon

"It's not a magic pill. None of them are a magic pill." - Michelle Chalfant

"I felt like I was sitting with God each and every time. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever done." - Michelle Chalfant

"The most important thing was the integration. What do you do after you've had this experience and then how do you integrate that into your life?" - Michelle Chalfant

"In the psychedelic experience, a few things are going to happen. Your default mode network...is going to quiet down...Neurons fire together that haven't fired together in a long time...In this process, it's common that you will then feel connected to all things and all people. You'll feel loved. You'll feel enough. And that is, in my opinion, the reclaiming of your true self." - Matt Zemon

"When you know you're enough and you know you're loved, you're starting to take away the masks you've put on and have been put on you." - Matt Zemon

LINKS & RESOURCES

Join the 30-Day Journaling Challenge

https://theadultchair.com/30days

Tanasi

https://tanasi.com/

Use code ADULT to get 25% off your first order

Matt Zemon Website

https://mattzemon.com/

"Psychedelics for Everyone" (Matt Zemon Book)

https://www.amazon.com/Psychedelics-Everyone-Beginners-Depression-Consciousness/dp/B0BCS7NM9H

Matt Zemon Instagram