While sometimes, even often mushrooms and LSD can relieve anxiety on some issues. They also have the potential to cause a great deal of anxiety, anyone who's had a bad trip(especially in normal state of mind at start) know this very well. Therefore it can be a gamble, can you imagine elderly peoples physical and mental reaction to bad trip? They even could die from that... Mushrooms raise blood pressure even as a normal effect. Basically due to the fact of possibility of a trip gone wrong, in my opinion giving psychedelics to elderly people is simply a bad idea. It's a gamble, even with proper set and setting. But of course if they are thinking "bring it on", I guess they'll take anything. But I would never suggest a trip to a person who's living their last years, simply out of respect. They'll see beyond this reality soon enough!
Quote:Sure thing, a mushroom trip can't fix a whole life of errors. But can't we give them at least some peace with the aid of psychedelics?
While it's possible that many will get peace after journeying, you must not forget that there are many kind of psychedelic experiences, some of which could drive elderly people to further despair... It's naive to assume people will get peace after taking hallucinogen, even if that would be the case for many or most people.
I think entheogens have a lot to give for people, but we must not forget how they can show you both heaven and hell. Therefore taking a first journey at your final years might be very problematic to some people.
Even if somebody would want to do that, it's extremely important to start from low dosage.