Glossary: Psychedelic Medicine

An individual who supports participants before, during, and after an altered-state experience by maintaining safety, providing emotional support, and managing the therapeutic or ceremonial process.

A history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders in first-degree relatives, which may increase vulnerability to psychosis and is an important consideration in psychedelic screening.

The spontaneous recurrence of perceptual, emotional, or cognitive aspects of a previous traumatic or psychoactive experience.

A diverse group of plant polyphenols with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other biological activities that may contribute to health benefits.

An internationally recognized Indigenous right affirming that Indigenous peoples have the authority to give, withhold, or withdraw consent to projects, research, policies, or activities affecting their lands, resources, knowledge, or communities before such activities begin.

The degree to which different brain regions communicate and coordinate their activity over time.

The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system that helps regulate neuronal excitability and promotes relaxation.

The brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory, synaptic plasticity, and neurodevelopment. Ketamine primarily affects glutamatergic signaling.

Techniques that help individuals reconnect with the present moment, their body, and their immediate surroundings to reduce distress, dissociation, or overwhelming emotional activation.

A trained individual who accompanies and supports participants through psychedelic or ceremonial experiences. Responsibilities and qualifications vary across therapeutic, ceremonial, and cultural contexts.

A sensory perception occurring without an external stimulus that is experienced as real, such as hearing voices or seeing images that are not present.

An older umbrella term for substances that alter perception. Increasingly replaced by more precise pharmacologic classifications.

A rare condition characterized by persistent or recurrent visual disturbances following hallucinogen use despite the absence of acute intoxication.

A practitioner who uses medicinal plants to support health and treat illness. Herbalists may practice within Indigenous, traditional, Western, or integrative systems of medicine.

A psychologically safe interpersonal space in which individuals feel supported while exploring difficult emotions, memories, or altered states. The concept originated in psychodynamic theory.