There is growing research on the benefits of psychedelics for a myriad of psychological conditions. From boosting mood, alleviating depression or anxiety and even treating PTSD, psychedelics give new hope to people unable to find relief. Though there is limited research regarding psychedelics’ effects on sexual health, sexual specialists believe that psychedelics could be helpful tools in helping couples regain their sexual connection. So, let’s take a look at the correlation between psychedelics and sex.
How Can Psychedelics Improve Your Sex Life
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, sexual wellness didn’t fall high on too many priority lists. Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of studies and noted a decrease in sexual activity across the board. This is partially due to the isolation of single people, but even within couples, sexual activity decreased. Stress negatively affects sex drive and with plenty to be stressed about many people need something to spice up their intimate lives.
Sex is simultaneously a taboo and a topic of extensive social discussion. This mixed messaging can make it challenging for people to understand their own sexual needs and therefore have positive sexual experiences. The societal discussion surrounding what sex should look like can be heteronormative, puritanical and at worst dangerous. The misconceptions surrounding reproductive function due to lack of sexual education can make sex a confusing and frustrating challenge for people of all genders and relationship statuses.
For those in long-term relationships, what once was an exciting exploration with a shiny new person can sometimes shift towards routine and away from connection. If a person is not participating in partnered sex they can still struggle with shame surrounding their own personal sexual practices. Something as natural as sexual expression can get bastardized by dialogues pushing the spectrum of sexuality into a defined box.
Research shows that cannabis can be a helpful tool for cis-gendered women’s experience of sexual arousal. Aside from cannabinoids, there are powerful psychedelics that may help improve the sex lives of couples and individuals. Psychedelics give people the opportunity to process experiences without the hindrances of ego and shame. The dampening of ego can allow people to let go of their insecurities surrounding sex and instead focus on the heightened sensations.
Whether or not psychedelics are an aphrodisiac is not backed by experts. However, psychedelic experiences can act as a tool for personal development and therefore aid in the understanding of one’s own sexual needs. Most people go into a sexual experience with some sort of sexual schema. Generally, a schema is a neurological pattern of thought and behavior that creates the brain’s understanding of a situation or concept. Schemas help people make sense of the world but can hinder people by keeping them stuck in thought patterns already existing in their minds. Sexual schemas are people’s frameworks of understanding based on previous sexual experiences manifesting in current sexual behavior and understanding.
Psychedelics may allow people to shatter the schemas they find themselves stuck in. While less focused on how things should go based on preconceived ideas, sexual partners can instead focus on the now.
Which Substances Help During Sex?
What feels good for one person may not for another, in both sex and psychedelics. When curating a psychedelic experience it is important to consider setting and safety, especially when mixing in sexual exploration. Let’s go over how a few psychedelic substances can spark things up in the bedroom.
MDMA
MDMA is a popular stimulating psychedelic known for users’ intense experience of euphoria, empathy and heightened physical perceptions. Before its criminalization, MDMA was a cornerstone of couples therapy in the 1970s. MDMA helps dampen activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain responsible for fear processing and allows users to open up and solidify bonds of trust and love. The flood of oxytocin is incredibly pleasant and people on MDMA are very responsive to touch and affection. What better time to get physical with a lover in need of connection?
Some anecdotal observations state that high doses of MDMA hinder the ability to perform sexually. Psychologists report people peaking on MDMA will enjoy cuddling, kissing and dancing but may not want to partake in penetrative sexual behaviors. This can change as they come down. Some say that MDMA makes any activity pleasurable, whether it be having sex or rubbing a blanket, but for couples in search of ways to reconnect it can be a valuable tool.
Psilocybin
Psilocybin is the psychoactive compound found in mushrooms. At high doses, it is known for its mystical properties and at low doses, it can elevate mood and boost energy. In recent years, psilocybin treatments provide relief for many chronic disorders like depression, addiction and PTSD. Research on the benefits of psilocybin for veterans with PTSD yielded information on the potential benefits to sexual intimacy. Participants in the study reported less anxiety and improved sexual connection with their partners. Though the study did not intend to look at psilocybin as a tool for sexual couples, the substance reduced anxiety and amplified physical sensitivity; two components of a positive sexual experience.
LSD
LSD, commonly referred to as acid, is a chemical compound associated with vivid hallucinations and elevated mood. LSD can help couples reconnect sexually in a variety of ways. Acid causes boundaries between consciousnesses to thin, allowing people to connect deeply and without hindrances of ego. The dissolution of self allows people to free themselves from selfish mind states and tune into their partner’s pleasures. Anecdotally, sex on LSD can make people into more selfless lovers and better romantic partners. A huge part of relationships, whether romantic, sexual or platonic, is the ability to empathize with partners. Sex can be a purely physical act or it can be a spiritual and emotional one. While experiencing LSD, people can empathize with their partners in new ways, hopefully carrying this understanding into their everyday lives
The best case scenario is a sexual experience so engrossing that the participants lose track of time and space. Stuck together in a mutually beneficial pleasurable experience the anxieties surrounding timing or perceived flaws can dissolve. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and people find themselves painfully aware of the duration of their sexual experiences.
LSD distorts perceptions of time allowing people to forgo their worries of stamina or sexual schemas and remain in the present moment. Suspended together in physical union, egos and worries dissolve leading to a blissfully disembodying experience.
Final Thoughts on Psychedelics and Sex
Sexuality is one of the many facets of life humans have the opportunity to explore — together and individually. A person’s journey combines amorphous desires and changing biology meaning the need to regain the spark from time to time is inevitable. Psychedelics can provide mind-expanding and healing experiences that some can carry into their sexual lives. For some couples stuck in a sexual rut, taking MDMA or microdosing psilocybin and fooling around together can provide a novel intimate experience.
Conversely, psychedelic trips can help individuals process sexual shame or trauma on their own, better allowing them to experience sexual pleasure. Entering into a sexual psychedelic scenario is best practiced with intention and can begin with guided psychedelic therapies. When mixing sex and psychedelics it’s important to keep an open dialogue, maintaining that all parties are safe and consenting.
Do you think psychedelics can be part of someone’s journey towards sexual wellness? If you have any thoughts on the subject we would love to hear them in the comments below.
