While psychedelic sum like psilocin and ayahuasca are becoming increasingly democratic due to their apparentmental health benefit , the use of such mind - altering compounds is sure not for everybody . For this reason , researchers are keen to modernise non - pharmacological technique to inducepsychedelic - like effects , and newfangled inquiry suggest that flickering lights may have the mental ability to spark hallucination similar to those give rise by LSD and other drug .
In the study published in the journalPLOS ONE , the generator sharpen out that early psychedelic study carry in the 1960s used flickering Inner Light to enhance the effects of peyote and magic mushrooms , and that similar method involving flashing light arrays are sometimes used recreationally to return altered DoS of cognisance . They decide to look into whether the pattern has the capacity to spark off the neuronal mechanisms underlying the force of psychedelics , with a view to create novel mental health therapies without relying on the use of drug .
A total of 24 participants were recruited to take part in the pocket-size survey , each of whom was first screened for indications of photosensitive epilepsy before commence the trial . Once cleared , volunteers were placed in a saturnine room and instructed to fill up their eyes while a stroboscopic light flicker on and off for a menses of 20 minute .
In parliamentary procedure to equate the effects of this method with those of pharmacological psychedelics , the research worker employed a series of scientifically validate questionnaires that are typically used to measurealtered states of consciousnessin studies involving drugs . In doing so , they found that flickering luminousness generate a arcdegree of “ vigilance reduction ” – which name to the experience of “ cloud-covered consciousness ” – that is like to a low dose of Ketalar .
Furthermore , participants reported seeing “ elemental mental imagery ” hallucinations , consist of “ colorful , dynamically changing fractal structures , ” that were standardized in strength to those typically raise by an average recreational dose ofLSD .
tot up up this finding , the study source say that “ our results demonstrate that the visual effects of flicker light foreplay , in some aspects , are rated to be similarly strong as the effects induced by certain psychedelic substances . ” However , they go on to explicate that “ the induced spectrum of phenomena is rather special to optical effects , while other aspects of alterations in consciousness are less robustly get . ”
For example , the manipulation of flickering lights did not fall any of the “ ego dissolution or mystical - type experiences ” that are ordinarily reported by users of psychedelics , whilecomplex hallucinatory visionsfeaturing “ meaningful objects ” were also lacking .
what is more , recent studies have point that psychedelic drug have the capacity to raise users ’ creative mentation abilities , although participants in this study demonstrated no such increase in creativity after being exposed to flick lights .
yet , the study generator reason out that “ flicker light stimulation is capable of inducing visual effects with an intensity value to be similar in strength to upshot rush by psychedelic heart and soul and thereby patronize the investigating of potentially shared rudimentary neural mechanism . ”
