THE 30,000 ATTENDEES OF THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS WERE GREETED WITH TRIPPY-LOOKING ARTWORK IN THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER. PHOTOGRAPHER: TIFFANY KARY/ BLOOMBERG
At the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas, speakers discussed how VR and psychedelics could be the perfect pairing to treat mental health.
The SXSW Interactive program has become a platform for cannabis and psychedelics advocates, allowing for a wider audience despite federal drug prohibitions, Bloomberg reports.
- More than a dozen panel sessions at SXSW discussed psychedelic-assisted therapy, which combines drugs with classic talk therapy.
- Some academics and entrepreneurs pitch VR to optimize the malleable brain state while avoiding risks of improper influence or psychosis.
- Several panelists said VR experiences could guide a person through a psychedelic experience, making the therapy more effective.
- Putting a patient into a psychologically malleable state in a VR scenario raises legal and psychiatric concerns, including sensory overload and storing sensitive health information.
Zoom Out:
- VR technologies are emerging as a powerful adjunct to support psychedelic therapy, according to Walter Greenleaf, a neuroscientist and medical technology developer at Stanford University.
