Psychedelics have been used by nearly every culture in the world for thousands of years and are regarded as sacred tools for healing and insight.
Only in the past half-century have governments demonized these compounds, waging a failed War on Drugs and stifling valuable research that can save lives.
But here’s the thing: We are in a mental-health epidemic. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and, in the United States, one person commits suicide every 11 minutes. Many of these deaths are veterans who suffer from PTSD. As a whole, veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide compared to civilians. More veterans die by suicide than in combat.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy is one of the most effective tools we have to solve this mental health epidemic. In May 2021, the journal Nature Medicine published the results of the most advanced trial of psychedelic therapy to date. In its Phase 3 trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, 88 percent of participants who received MDMA in conjunction with trauma-focused therapy experienced a clinically significant reduction in symptoms. Two-thirds of participants no longer met the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis, and a number of participants reported MDMA-assisted therapy helped them address the root cause of their trauma for the first time.
One veteran said, “PTSD changed my brain and MDMA changed it back.”
MDMA is currently a Schedule 1 drug, which, as defined by the DEA, has "no currently accepted medical use." However, with sufficient political will and cultural pressure, MDMA-assisted therapy could soon become legalized.
From the start, MUD\WTR has donated a portion of its proceeds to psychedelic research and education, first to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), and currently to The UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP).
Given our platform, we believe we have a moral obligation to talk about psychedelics honestly.
In addition to psychedelics' potential to save lives, we believe that people should have the freedom to explore their own minds without fear of going to jail. We think that the recent decriminalization of psilocybin mushrooms in cities like Santa Cruz and Oakland, CA, are steps toward a more free and reasonable society.
There are risks associated with psychedelics. These are powerful compounds and should be taken with great care. That's why when we write about psychedelics on this platform, we often underscore the importance of mindset, setting and integration when embarking on any medium- to high-dose journey.
Read more: Healing with Psilocybin
Like most things, the dose determines the effect. Microdosing psychedelics—that is, taking 1/10th to 1/20th of a full dose—has a safer risk profile. According to Nature, "Adults who microdose psychedelics report health-related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers." That is why we allow our employees to microdose in the workplace without fear of being fired.
MUD\WTR is fundamentally a ritual-building company. We started by offering a new ritual to people who no longer wanted to be addicted to coffee. We have seen time and again that small habits can lead to big change. Many people who drink MUD\WTR couple it with new habits such as meditation or journaling. One change often leads to another. Psychedelics, when taken with care, can offer choice. These compounds can rewire new neural pathways that break people free from destructive thought patterns, and, when properly integrated, these insights can build new habits that change lives.
The safe and sacred use of psychedelics is baked into our company's DNA, and we will continue to talk about them openly and honestly.
Read more: 7 Films that can Help Change the Conversation on Psychedelics
Read more: Waves For Water Founder, Jon Rose, Opens Up about PTSD
Read more: Talking to Kids about Psychedelics
Read more: Rethinking the Road to Recovery
