Seed Talks: The Science of Psychedelics (16+)

Join us for an in-depth examination of traditional + modern psychedelics, including their benefits for mental health. Followed by Q+A.

Psychedelic drugs have a tumultuous history. Indigenous communities have used them for healing and visionary experiences for thousands of years. More recently, they were discovered by the Western society and became central to social and artistic movements in the 1960’s… before being banned worldwide.

Now psychedelics are back in the spotlight and entering the mainstream, with clinical trials exploring their therapeutic use for mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and addiction. Groundbreaking science has uncovered that these substances have effects on the brain, affecting connectivity patterns that govern day-to-day functioning.

This talk will cover the key findings coming from contemporary research with psychedelics, and hint at what is next in store for psychedelic science and the potential impact on society at large…

Mourad is a senior registrar in psychiatry, currently working with the Regional Affective Disorder team in Newcastle (part of the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust (CNTW)). Being of Egyptian origin, Mourad came to the UK nine years ago to work in Psychiatry with a special interest in mood disorders, substance misuse, and psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, and has dedicated his career to combining his passions. . He is the lead for the psychedelic service in Newcastle which is currently in development after taking part in its first project investigating psilocybin for treatment resistant depression. The service aims to facilitate the delivery of psychedelic therapy within the region, both through hosting further research trials and raising awareness to clinicians and the general public.