Newsletter
Psychedelics: Using them Safely2026-04-21
“Psychedelics, used responsibly and with proper caution, would be for psychiatry what the microscope is for biology and medicine.”
—Stanislav Grof
Psychedelics can be transformative drugs in the right patient. With one or a few doses, people become unstuck from long-standing negative brain patterns and ruminations: PTSD, depression, suicidality, addictions.
In the wrong patient, or taken at too high a dose or for too long, they can induce psychosis, mania, anxiety, but also unwanted changes in personality, and dependency/addiction.
At a minimum, people should be screened for family and personal history of psychosis/schizophrenia, and of mania/bipolar disorder. Blood biomarker testing with MindX One (https://mindxsciences.com/bloodtests/), can help, as it has psychosis and mood disorders risk panels.
Moreover, on the positive side, MindX One can match people to psychedelics, based on their biomarker profile. Almost a third of the biomarkers in MindX One have some evidence for modulation by psychedelics- primarily ketamine, but also psylocibin. The annotation of the biomarkers is being improved monthly, as new experimental evidence emerges.
In conclusion, precision psychiatry can enhance the clinical utility of these transformative drugs.
Live. Happier. Longer.
Alexander B. Niculescu, MD, PhD
Founder +CEO| MindX Sciences