Do ritual à terapia: a evolução do uso de psicodélicos no mundo

Abstract

his paper aims to investigate the evolution of psychedelic substance use in the Western world, tracing a historical, cultural, and social trajectory from the ancestral rituals of Indigenous peoples to their recent reintegration into the field of mental health. Through a theoretical and bibliographic review, the study explores how psychedelics—once regarded as sacred ritualistic tools and later criminalized by the prohibitionist policies of the 1960s and 1970s following the unfolding of the Psychedelic Revolution—are now being reconsidered as promising therapeutic tools for the treatment of resistant psychological disorders. The research covers key historical moments and central figures of the psychedelic movement, such as Aldous Huxley and Timothy Leary, while also addressing the ethical, social, and market-related dilemmas surrounding the current “Psychedelic Renaissance.” The analysis was conducted using hermeneutic and historiographic methods, aiming to understand the reinterpretations and disputes surrounding these substances over time. The study concludes that the future of psychedelics in mental health will depend on how scientific, commercial, professional, cultural, and political dimensions are articulated in shaping their use.