A Trip Towards Wellness? Perspectives of Facilitators and Users of Unofficial Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Slovenia

The recent resurgence of interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy coincides with a massive mental health crisis, sensationalist media reporting, and shifts in public perceptions. Classic psychedelics (like LSD, psilocybin, DMT, and mescalin) are classified as the most dangerous illicit substances without medical application. Yet, they are often described as posing little risk to physical health, low potential for development of chemical addiction, and huge (if insufficiently researched) potential to treat a variety of mental health disorders (depression, eating disorders, PTSD, etc.). Against the backdrop of such narratives, psychedelics are no longer confined to the psychonautic niche and are attracting new groups of users. In the context of restrictive legislation that precludes clinical trials with psychedelics, low accessibility of mental health support services, and an unregulated psychotherapy market in Slovenia, a variety of unofficial psychedelic therapeutic and shamanic practices are taking place. While providing positive experiences for some, these clandestine practices also present various risks and ethical considerations. Such psychedelic practices remain undetected in the official statistics and thus merit an investigation that takes into account the particular experience, risks and motivations for engagement in, as well as general societal attitudes towards shamanic and therapeutic use of psychedelics and their regulation. The paper will present the results of a broad public survey and semi-structured interviews with facilitators and users of various forms of unofficial psychedelic-assisted therapies and shamanic rituals in Slovenia. While the empirical research presented in this paper focuses on the local context, the research conducted does not neglect the fact that the changing trends in psychedelic use are similar across the Global North, nor does it ignore the problematic implications for the communities of the Global South stemming from the Global North’s fascination with traditional shamanic practices and substances.