"Have you ever solved a problem not through linear reasoning, but through unexpected connections, vivid inner visions, or moments when a problem reorganized itself all at once? Psychologists have long called these experiences Aha! moments. They can be portals to a scientific breakthrough, an innovative business proposal, a hit song, or the plot of a best-selling novel. Or they may provide a life-changing perspective on a personal dilemma."
"From a neuroscience perspective, psychedelics appear to relax the brain's habitual patterns of prediction and rigid thinking patterns. Compounds such as psilocybin and DMT reduce the dominance of the default mode network (DMN), a system associated with self-referential thinking, narrative identity, and top-down control. When this network quiets, other brain regions communicate more freely, allowing unusual associations to form. Some have called this a "loosening of categories," or a breaking down of normal perceptual and conceptual boundaries, allowing for new insights"
Research is developing a science linking psychedelics to imagination, creativity, and problem-solving. Historical and contemporary evidence indicates altered states have contributed to major discoveries. Increasing complexity in society makes creating space for new ways of thinking important. Psychedelics can temporarily loosen entrenched cognitive habits and reduce dominant predictive brain patterns. They reduce default mode network dominance, enabling broader interregional communication and unusual associations. Loosening of categories can break down perceptual and conceptual boundaries, increasing the likelihood of novel insights and Aha! moments. This relaxation of habitual constraints does not automatically produce brilliance.
Read at Psychology Today
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