It’s no secret that Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the greatest boxer of all time, has been interested in the magic of psychedelics for some time now. After several personal experiences and recognizing the therapeutic properties of various substances in this category, he is now joining an ever-growing group of celebrities advocating for the therapeutic use of magic mushrooms, LSD, and other psychedelic substances.
“I don’t use it for recreation; I’m not a recreational user,” he says. “I do this from a spiritual perspective. I wish I had known this when I was boxing, because I would never have stopped boxing.”
First Encounter with Psychedelics
Tyson’s career was once marked by professional success and a great deal of personal controversy, but the former world champion has found peace and healing in psychedelics. By his own account, Iron Mike is now ready to tackle the global mental health crisis with a personal investment in Wesana Health, a biotech company focused on medical psychedelics.
Tyson’s first experiences with psychedelics weren’t exactly positive. He first took LSD at the age of eleven, which was a very bad experience. Precisely because he took it at such a young age, he says he didn’t realize that the substance could potentially be therapeutic when used in the right context.
5-MeO-DMT
“As I got older, I was introduced to the toad and took various plant- and animal-based medicines,” he says, referring to 5-MeO-DMT, a highly potent psychedelic substance naturally produced by the Colorado River Toad. This substance, along with many others, is currently being clinically studied for various mental health indications, including treatment-resistant depression.
About five years ago, Tyson began using psychedelics therapeutically, and he claims that some of these experiences were so profound that he “will never be the same again.” After a life of excess, the boxer-turned-entrepreneur says that psychedelics have taught him a lesson about the value of moderation. “Do you see how my life has changed over the past five years? Five years ago, I was a junkie. I didn’t even think I’d survive. Then I was introduced to animal and plant medicine,” says Tyson.
It’s important to note that Tyson doesn’t use these substances purely for pleasure. “It’s hard to really put it into words from my perspective, but psychedelics have helped me embrace my relationship with God,” added Tyson, who described himself as a Muslim who “embodies the characteristics of many religions (...) “I don’t use it for recreation; I’m not a recreational user,” he says. “I do this from a spiritual perspective. We go to ceremonies, you know, we confess our sins and have to be humble.”
Investment in psychedelic research
It is precisely these personal successes with psychedelics and plant-based medicines that have now led Mike Tyson to decide to invest his own capital in the growing psychedelic industry, some of whose companies are already publicly traded.
Tyson is now becoming an investor and advisor at Wesana Health, a company conducting research on psychedelics such as psilocybin for the treatment of traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, two serious conditions often experienced by combat athletes. To date, there are few to no known treatments for these conditions—and Tyson hopes his investment will change that.
Last May, the company, led by former NHL player Daniel Carcillo, announced a joint project with the World Boxing Council to study the therapeutic potential of psilocybin to reduce the effects and symptoms of traumatic brain injury in boxers. “There are a lot of companies to work with, but only the right one would be right for me. And I think Wesana is the right one; I think it just felt right for me,” Tyson said ahead of his participation in Wonderland:Miami, a psychedelics industry event taking place in November.
Tyson’s advice
While Tyson was once known for his controversies, that image seems to have completely changed today. The 55-year-old athlete says he deeply regrets some of the choices he’s made in his life. Now he urges people to take control of their own lives, whether that’s with or without psychedelics.
“This is my medicine. I don’t tell people what to do. I’m telling you what my experience with it was,” he noted. “Sometimes someone doesn’t have to see you to be inspired by you. Your actions alone can inspire someone without them even seeing or knowing you, as long as they know what you’ve done.”
That said, Tyson wishes he’d known about the power of psychedelics back when he was boxing. “I wish I’d known this when I was boxing, because I would never have stopped boxing. I just think it varies from person to person. A boxer should have the right to choose whether or not to use it. (...) Fight your fears and don’t be afraid to try it. You can only be free once you free yourself from fear.”
