Prince Harry’s all-out assault on the royal family may have been fueled by powerful psychedelic “trips”, experts have told .
During several pompous interviews over the weekend, the Duke of Sussex, 38, claimed he self-medicated with potent and illegal drugs including ayahuasca and magic mushrooms to cope with the loss of his mother, Princess Diana.
The drugs are illegal in most US states and the UK, but increasing research suggests they may have therapeutic value in managing trauma, addiction and mental health issues by lowering inhibitions and allowing patients to express themselves to open fully.
dr Matthew Johnson, a psychiatrist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research, told , “Openness seems good, but there can be too much openness … it can lead to manic episodes.”
dr Johnson said when there are underlying issues in a patient’s family, the drugs often allow users to become willing to forgive and see things from a different perspective. “But some people take it in the wrong direction” and develop even greater resentment for loved ones, he said.
Prince Harry admitted to using psychedelic drugs to deal with the “sadness” and “trauma” he felt following the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana
Now, Harry (seen with Diana in 1987) admitted he’d only cried once over the death of his mother – and said he was wracked with guilt at feeling he wasn’t emotional enough
dr Matthew Johnson (pictured), a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins, said using these psychedelic drugs could leave a person vulnerable to manipulation
dr Johnson added that the drugs give people a new perspective on life, but they also leave users vulnerable to the influence of others.
‘It has been argued that part of [the therapy] is greater mental flexibility … someone can be shaped, shaped,” he said.
Prince Harry and his wife Megan Markle controversially stepped back from the royal family in early 2020 in a bitter split dubbed “Megxit.”
Since then, they have alluded to racism and abuse by the royal family in several high-profile television interviews and a documentary on Netflix.
In the 60 Minutes interview, which aired on Sunday, Prince Harry revealed he experimented with psychedelic therapy seven years ago when he was still struggling to mourn the death of his mother in 1997.
He says he took hallucinogenic drugs under the supervision of a therapist.
dr Rachel Yehuda, director of the Mount Sinai Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, told , “The idea is to put yourself in a different state that’s good for insight.”
It’s believed that talking about trauma and emotions while under the influence of a hallucinogen allows people to open up more than usual and face their fears head-on.
while dr Johnson agreed the therapy is valuable, saying it can sometimes have the opposite effect.
“You see some crazy stuff that some people are going in the wrong direction with [the therapy],’ he said.
A person whose mind has become open is more likely to understand and consider the opinions of others.
But being too open makes her vulnerable.
“Someone can be inspired to become estranged from their family… it could lead someone to go in the wrong direction,” added Dr. Johnson added.
Even with a great therapist and a perfect situation, Dr. Johnson, a person taking these drugs is still prone to having their vision distorted.
He said he’s heard of cases where patients have been effectively brainwashed using psychedelic therapy.
But the expert added that for many people, “[They] can come to terms with others about personal problems… [and] feel they are complete.’
In early 2020, Prince Harry and his wife Megan Markle (left with Queen Elizabeth II) decided to retire from the royal family
What is Ayahuasca and Psilocybin?
According to Healthline, ayahuasca is an herbal psychedelic made from the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub along with the stems of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine.
“This drink was used by ancient Amazonian tribes for spiritual and religious purposes and is still used as a sacred drink by some religious communities in Brazil and North America, including the Santo Daime,” it explained.
“The main components of ayahuasca – Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis – both have hallucinogenic properties.
“When combined, these two plants form a potent psychedelic concoction that affects the central nervous system, leading to an altered state of consciousness that can include hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, and euphoria.”
dr However, Johnson has seen many positive cases in clinical trials. Sometimes a person finally understands a loved one and even breaks the estrangement to reconnect.
Magic mushrooms, or any mushrooms containing psilocybin, are illegal in most US states, but have been fully decriminalized in Oregon and partially in Colorado under medical supervision.
Psilocybin is thought to help fight depression by unusually stimulating a receptor in the brain called 5-HT2A.
This triggers a clinical state that “can best be described as a waking dream” that users can later recall, researchers said.
It also releases a surge of dopamine — which is involved in mood regulation — and a neurotransmitter called glutamate.
According to scientists, this puts the brain in a more flexible state and “opens a therapeutic window of opportunity.”
This can lead to positive changes in the consciousness of people suffering from treatment-resistant depression.
Meanwhile, ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic drink made by boiling vine stalks together with leaves of a chacruna bush—both native to the Amazon.
It is legal in most Latin American countries but illegal to manufacture, distribute or possess in the UK. It is illegal in the US except for religious purposes.
The psychedelic brew contains the compound N,N-dymethyltriptamine (DMT), which is one of the most potent known hallucinogens in the world.
DMT is also a Class A drug in the UK, with the same potential penalties as psilocybin.
Experts have warned of the potentially deadly consequences after it was revealed earlier this month that a young artist suffered a nervous breakdown and killed herself after taking ayahuasca.
Similar to psilocybin, DMT has proven its ability to increase connectivity between different brain networks.