{"id":108098,"date":"2023-07-14T10:56:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T14:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=108098"},"modified":"2023-07-14T11:57:38","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T15:57:38","slug":"silicon-valley-psychedelics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/","title":{"rendered":"Silicon Valley Is on Psychedelics\u2014Here&#8217;s Why (+the Risks)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Why is Silicon Valley on psychedelics? Do they really make you more creative? What are the associated risks?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A growing number of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and others working in Silicon Valley appear to be embracing psychedelic drug use to enhance their creativity and treat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/low-mood-and-anxiety\/\">anxiety and depression<\/a>. Experts say that more research is needed to understand the benefits and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/risks-of-psychedelics\/\">dangers of psychedelics<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s a look at psychedelic use in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-silicon-valley-is-getting-high\">Silicon Valley Is Getting High<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Reports suggest that psychedelics are permeating corporate culture in Silicon Valley, with executives and employees alike taking the drugs to open their minds, amplify their performance, and manage what ails them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s behind the alleged growing embrace of psychedelics in Silicon Valley? We\u2019ll examine experts\u2019 varied views on these questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-background\"><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Psychedelics come in many forms, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/article\/psychedelics-miracle-cure-or-unacceptable-risk-shortform-explainers-shortform?sf_source=businessnewsletter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">psilocybin (magic mushrooms), ketamine (Special K), LSD, and MDMA (ecstasy)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reports suggest that <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>the use of psychedelics in Silicon Valley is growing<\/strong><\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Elon Musk has said that <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1673567124768317440?s=46&amp;t=zHQCBTtfz3hXdhbfUsgEAg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">occasional use of ketamine<\/a>\u2014which he allegedly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">microdoses<\/a>\u2014is a better option to address depression than taking \u201czombifying\u201d antidepressants.\u00a0<\/li><li>Google cofounder Sergey Brin reportedly uses magic mushrooms.\u00a0<\/li><li>Steve Jobs has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jackkelly\/2020\/01\/17\/silicon-valley-is-micro-dosing-magic-mushrooms-to-boost-their-careers\/?sh=c178c485822a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">touted his experiences with LSD<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-does-venture-capital-work\/\">Venture capital<\/a> firms are said to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">throwing psychedelic parties<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li><li>Tesla is purportedly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214?mod=hp_lead_pos7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">receptive to workers\u2019 use of psychedelic drugs<\/a> while en route to work.\u00a0<\/li><li>One coach to Silicon Valley corporate executives and startup founders says that five years ago psychedelics were a taboo subject;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214?mod=hp_lead_pos7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> today 40% of his clients want to try them<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Silicon Valley psychedelic enthusiasts and newcomers reportedly acquire and use the drugs by turning to traditional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drug dealers<\/a>, employing chemists, and <strong>attending invite-only psychedelic parties organized via encrypted messaging apps like Signal.<\/strong> Invitees sometimes pay hundreds of dollars to attend these gatherings where they\u2019re asked to sign nondisclosure agreements.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-are-psychedelics-popular-in-silicon-valley\"><strong>Why Are Psychedelics Popular in Silicon Valley?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Reports suggest that tech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and others <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-are-psychedelic-drugs\/\">using psychedelics<\/a> in Silicon Valley view the drugs as a fast-track path to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214?mod=hp_lead_pos7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See their minds and the world with unparalleled clarity<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li><li>Increase their creativity, focus, and likelihood of developing groundbreaking innovations.\u00a0<\/li><li>Make themselves more attractive to investors, who some say will only sink money into people and companies they believe are extraordinary, not \u201cnormal.\u201d Psychedelics, they assert, give them this edge.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Many of Silicon Valley\u2019s psychedelics users reportedly \u201c<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/02\/28\/well\/mind\/microdosing-psychedelics.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>microdose<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u201d<\/strong>\u2014in other words, take 5% to 10% of a full dose of a psychedelic to reap the rewards of the drugs\u2019 alleged mental health benefits and alleviate anxiety and depression without getting a hallucinogenic high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-risks-of-psychedelics\"><strong>Risks of Psychedelics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>But experts warn that <strong>taking psychedelics in unsupervised, non-clinical settings isn\u2019t risk-free:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214?mod=hp_lead_pos7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">potential for drug dependence and abuse grows<\/a> as more people self-medicate with psychedelics.\u00a0<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jackkelly\/2020\/01\/17\/silicon-valley-is-micro-dosing-magic-mushrooms-to-boost-their-careers\/?sh=c178c485822a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Psychedelics research offers an inconsistent, sometimes troubling picture of the drugs\u2019 effectiveness and impacts<\/a>. <\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/article\/psychedelics-miracle-cure-or-unacceptable-risk-shortform-explainers-shortform?sf_source=businessnewsletter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The drugs can cause a host of problems<\/a>, including:\u00a0<ul><li>Mood swings and erratic behavior, raising questions about whether people using them in non-clinical settings might harm themselves or others.<\/li><li>Lethal toxicity when combined with prescription drugs like antidepressants.\u00a0<\/li><li>Enduring psychotic episodes and hallucinations in rare circumstances.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Do Psychedelics Do to the Brain?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In his book <em><a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-to-change-your-mind\/preview\">How to Change Your Mind<\/a><\/em>, Michael Pollan discusses the science behind psychedelics. While research into the neurological effects of psychedelics is young, and researchers haven\u2019t yet pieced it all together, some theorize that the substances may affect the way our brains filter or interpret information. Pollan says this research challenges conventional notions that the experiences are \u201challucinations.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Researchers at Imperial College in London in 2009 looked at brain scans of people undergoing psychedelic experiences with psilocybin. They expected to see <em>increased <\/em>brain activity, and that was the case for some regions, including those associated with emotions and memories\u2014particularly otherwise subconscious ones. Considering the experiences people describe, this was not surprising. But what<em> was<\/em> surprising was the<strong> <em>reduced<\/em> activity in the \u201cdefault mode network\u201d\u2014a network of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-are-the-regions-of-the-brain\/\">brain regions<\/a> responsible for our sense of self as a distinct individual.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This network is also responsible for filtering information from the outside world. Pollan says this filter allows us to operate more efficiently by allowing only the most important pieces of information in at any given time. So, he explains, because this default mode network is suppressed during a psychedelic experience, that means the brain is letting in sensory input that\u2019s normally restricted. We know, for example, that people see colors differently (often perceiving them as brighter) and hear music in a more intense and nuanced way under the influence of psychedelics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, Pollan says the brain research suggests that the way we perceive things in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/peak-state\/\">altered state<\/a> could be the <em>unfiltered<\/em> reality, while our brains usually act as filters\u2014weeding out all the \u201cunnecessary\u201d information\u2014to simplify our everyday experience. In other words, he says one could argue that<strong> our everyday consciousness is essentially a hallucination in itself\u2014it\u2019s composed only of the information the brain lets in and is processed against our prior experiences.<\/strong> And Pollan says it\u2019s likely that this one particular mode of consciousness evolved to be our default one because it best allows us to efficiently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-complete-a-task-successfully\/\">complete tasks<\/a> necessary for survival. But he says it\u2019s only one of multiple possible modes of perception.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-looking-ahead\"><strong>Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Psychedelic proponents assert that the drugs <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214?mod=hp_lead_pos7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>can be safely and productively integrated into the workplace<\/strong><\/a> but the process must be thoughtful and deliberate. But a roadmap to make this happen, which includes a better understanding of psychedelics\u2019 effects and risks, doesn\u2019t yet exist. Experts say that <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/well\/2023\/06\/21\/denver-psychedelic-conference-aaron-rodgers-jaden-smith-rick-perry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more research on the drugs is needed<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To this end, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/lifestyle\/2023\/07\/06\/psychedelic-drug-policy-washington\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>new legislation<\/strong><\/a><strong> in the House of Representatives may help bring the goal of better understanding psychedelics to fruition<\/strong>. The bipartisan bill instructs the defense secretary to offer grants for research on the use of psychedelics to treat active-duty military members with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. With seven Republican and five Democratic co-sponsors, the bill has the potential to pass the House, which could open the door to studies that shed more light on the drugs\u2019 benefits and dangers.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why is Silicon Valley on psychedelics? Do they really make you more creative? What are the associated risks? A growing number of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and others working in Silicon Valley appear to be embracing psychedelic drug use to enhance their creativity and treat anxiety and depression. Experts say that more research is needed to understand the benefits and dangers of psychedelics. Here&#8217;s a look at psychedelic use in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":108099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,24],"tags":[727],"class_list":["post-108098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","category-society","tag-articles","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Silicon Valley Is on Psychedelics\u2014Here&#039;s Why (+the Risks) - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A growing number of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and others working in Silicon Valley are embracing psychedelic drugs. Learn more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Silicon Valley Is on Psychedelics\u2014Here&#039;s Why (+the Risks)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A growing number of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and others working in Silicon Valley are embracing psychedelic drugs. Learn more.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-07-14T14:56:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-07-14T15:57:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/mdma-bottle.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1202\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"727\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Hannah Aster\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Hannah Aster\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Hannah Aster\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f39f52830e4f7039a16e45d12354542f\"},\"headline\":\"Silicon Valley Is on Psychedelics\u2014Here&#8217;s Why (+the Risks)\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-07-14T14:56:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-14T15:57:38+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/\"},\"wordCount\":1021,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/mdma-bottle.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Articles\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Psychology\",\"Society\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/\",\"name\":\"Silicon Valley Is on Psychedelics\u2014Here's Why (+the Risks) - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/silicon-valley-psychedelics\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/mdma-bottle.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-07-14T14:56:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-14T15:57:38+00:00\",\"description\":\"A growing number of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and others working in Silicon Valley are embracing psychedelic drugs. 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