What psychedelics can teach us about play

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What psychedelics can teach us about play By Rachel Sonis Associate Editor, Ideas Play is one of the most important aspects of being human, but it’s often seen as too frivolous an activity to partake in for busy adults. On the contrary, however, it's actually serious business. Play can expand the ways we see possibility and malleability in the world around us. Psychedelics could play a role in helping us rediscover the long-lost art of play. As sociologist and psychotherapist Ross Ellenhorn explains in a new piece for TIME, they can also facilitate a departure from habitual thoughts and help us adopt a more flexible worldview. Among Ellenhorn's most fascinating points: Psychedelics make our brains more open to play and often result in mystical experiences—a crucial therapeutic component of these substances. Play, like psychedelics, can be used as an antidote to isolation and disconnection because it's inherently collaborative and connective. While psychedelics aren't magic bullets, they promote recognition of the strange and beautiful nuances of life, creating a deeper connection to play. READ MORE Share This Story

What Else to Read Biden Administration Announces $600M to Produce No-Cost COVID Tests By Associated Press The Department of Health and Human Services says orders can be placed at COVIDTests.gov starting Sept. 25. Read More » 9 Ways to Squeeze in More Steps Every Day By Angela Haupt Stop texting the people you live with, and get (or borrow) a dog. Read More » Ambition Is Out By Jamie Ducharme Why some people are renouncing ambition in the workplace—and what they're embracing instead. Read More » Ticks Carry More Diseases Than Just Lyme. Here’s What You Need to Know By Jeffrey Kluger A tick bite can transmit more than 20 diseases. Read More » Why the Supplement Berberine Is Not ‘Nature’s Ozempic’ By Haley Weiss The popular supplement berberine may result in some modest weight loss, but it's nothing like Ozempic and other semaglutide drugs. Read More »

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