Woo and the Nature of Man
Why are men turning to psychedelics for wellbeing? And how can existing services adjust to this new approach? I’m finding out in an ongoing research project undertaken while studying psychedelic psychology at The University of Exeter, UK.
Woo and the Nature of Man is the title I’ve given to my research into mens’ mental health and psychedelic use. I’ve used the material for assignments and presentations on the Postgraduate Certificate in Psychedelics: Mind, Medicine and Culture course I’m studying here at the University of Exeter.
Scroll down for a snapshot of the research so far, including the details from my recent presentation ‘What can services learn from men seeking psychedelic treatment?’ at Exeter University’s Psychedelic Integration Conference.
Soon I’ll post highlights from ‘How psychedelics help men engage with spiriutality’ which I spoke about at Boston College’s Psychology and the Other in London.
I’d be delighted to talk at upcoming events – get in touch here.
If you came here via a direct link and you’re wondering “WTF are this guy’s credentials?” I’m Steve Langsford Beale, recently (MSc Psychol) (GBC). I’m a journalist and magazine editor: this has included working in what are considered ‘male spaces’ like magazines Arena, Homme Plus and FHM, menswear brands Stone Island and Ben Sherman, plus the sport of mixed martial arts. Here’s my website and work email plus a sample piece on how to talk to your boss about mental health in Mr Porter Journal. By all means hit me up on LinkedIn. The especially intrigued can read this interview with me by Harriet Sheperd in Resident Advisor.
I blog about my psychedelic studies here at newpsychonaut.com and via @newpsychonaut. All emails go to the same place but get in touch about psychedelic stuff via steve@newpsychonaut.com.
Why do men use psychedelics to improve wellbeing?
Therapy is for women
More men engage with talk therapy than ever before, but they remain cautious and unmotivated (Good & Robertson, 2010. Sierra Hernandez, 2014). For example: 44.8% of Australian men quit therapy within 1-4 sessions and never return (Spendelow, 2015; Hill, 2015).
Professional psychotherapeutic guidelines for girls, women, minorities, older adults, and sexually diverse clients exist (APA, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2007). Yet mens' recommendations remain conspicuous in their absence despite calls (Mahalik et al, 2012).
Men seek meaning
Men are equally aware of mindfulness programs known to enhance a sense of spirituality as women (Simonsson et al 2020) but more leave programs before completion (Landau & Jones 2021) and men benefit less overall from mindfulness programs in comparison (Ford et al, 2020).
Media reports though claim men are seeking to address spiritual needs (Men's Health, 2020; The Guardian, 2022; NHS, 2022; THEOS, 2022).
In contrast to official talk therapy and mindfulness services, ome surveys (EG Palmer & Maynard, 2022) show psychedelic ceremonies attracting men, possibly informing further discussion.
'Meaning-making', considered key to mens' mental health (Brown et al, 2023), is one of many benefits associated with psychedelic experience that are also generated by spiritual and religious practices (Park, 2013).
Diverse integration of influential 'mystical experiences' (Griffiths, 2006; Palitsky et al, 2023) offers potential for outreach to minority groups thought currently under-represented in psychedelic circles, and in mental health services (Kamboj et al, 2015; Sjöstedt-Hughes, 2023).
Hold space for the lads
What can services learn from men seeking psychedelic treatment?
1 Men and women in military and emergency service roles quit trauma therapies at similar levels
Moral injury, ontology & identity
Moral injury involves a rupturing of what an individual considers certain or true
(Molendik et al, 2022). Ontological shock, collapse of psychic reality in psychedelic harm reduction terms (Argyri et al, 2024) has similarities.
Studies show difficult choices and sustained, perceived, direct or indirect lack of support can contribute to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military, emergency services, and other professionals (Van Middendorp et al, 2018; Lentz et al, 2021). Psychedelics show promise for treating PTSD (Mithoefer et al, 2010; Burback et al, 2023).
Psychedelic experience and traditional indigenous wisdom provides space for new conversations around complex issues contributing to PTSD, such as family and belief system wounds (Healy et al, 2021; Healy, 2021; Vogt, 2013), including ongoing moral injuries.
Female ex-military and emergency service-people quit existing trauma therapies at the same levels as men (Blain et al., 2010 implying core limitations besides any gender bias (Lentz et al, 2021).
“Of nine core psychology texts only three mention power - and none money”
David Smail, Why Therapy Doesn’t Work
2 Emerging spiritualities inform new male identities
Decolonising Masculinity
Men's therapy initiatives lead to stereotyping of men and men's issues (Harding & Fox, 2014).
During psychedelic experiences, men can examine 'rigid, outdated male stereotypes' and develop new strategies on more autonomous terms (Petersen et al, 2022).
Emerging spiritualities encourage exploration of diverse masculinities, for better or worse (Feraro, 2022, 2023a & 2023b; Whitehead & Letcher, 2023).
Decolonisation intiatives among South African hospital workers led to higher self-reported rates of personal growth and self-knowledge (Matahela & van Rensburg 2023), both associated with improvement in men’s wellbeing.
Psychedelic decolonisation of the self is a lifelong learning process, where one works toward a personal vision aligning values and relationships (Jooste & Frantz 2017; Shields, 2008).
“For us, there is no spring: just the wind that smells fresh before a storm”
Conan the Barbarian
3 Men are Crap at Therapy
Complex Guys
Men claim clinician-patient power dynamics feel inappropriate (Benakovic et al, 2024). Psychedelics might help by increasingly enhancing therapeutic alliance (Levin et al, 2024; Murphy et al, 2022).
'Meeting them where they're at' is a key characteristic of mens' group facilitators. Most men lack the emotional literacy required for meaningful talk therapy exchanges, and would benefit from communication skills (Stewart et al, 2022).
For facilitators, relaying standards and managing interactions provides opportunities to model positive behaviour and encourage vulnerability (Stewart et al, 2022).
Emphasis on men's services can be impeded by gender conflict: tailored programs show promise (Cox et al., 2014, Kivari et al, 2016) but wider replication appears elusive (Seidler et al, 2026).
“Looks like Karen'll be alright. But I'm thinking about the mandem"
Darren 'Le Baron' Springer, Breaking Convention 2023
4 Shifts in success markers provoke discomfort
The Money Trap
Men pursuing decolonised lifestyles encounter othering: it is society that continues to insist on capitalist vocations for men and women, not men per se. Openly and successfully advocating for beneficial psychedelic use violates social norms supposedly intended to protect the vulnerable and/or less competent (Petersen et al, 2022).
Recent group LSD therapy research shows psychological interventions are often required before transpersonal elements can be examined, supporting Grof (1986) and verifying a continuing role for contemporary biomedical services (Oehen & Glasser, 2022).
