The Psychedelic Treatment

When you think of psychedelic drugs, you may think of hippies, bad trips or the fact that they are illegal and possibly dangerous. But you need to get hip to the fact that it is 2020 and the way we view psychedelics is starting to change. We are starting to understand that hallucinogenic drugs could have the ability to treat depression, anxiety and other mental and physical conditions. While so much more research needs to be done on psychedelic drugs, doctors and researchers are starting to offer them as a therapy tool. People are beginning to take studies about their efficacy seriously. Johns Hopkins even opened up a special center just for psychedelic research in September 2019.

Magic mushrooms or psilocybin, LSD, MDMA and Ketamine are the main psychedelic drugs that are being examined right now., Early studies have shown that these substances could have a strong capacity to treat mental health issues that have been resistant to traditional drugs. There is still so much that we don't know though, and there is still a possibility of negative side effects.

So how are psychedelics being used to treat mental illnesses? Well, studies have shown that there is a huge potential for psychedelics to be effective treatment for numerous mental health issues including depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD and addiction.

Each substance has its own area of focus. For example, Ketamine, a dissociative drug that has traditionally been used as an anesthetic, has been used to treat depression, with research finding a 60-70 percent success rate for treatment resistant and severe depression. It has also been used for pain relief. A recent study found that 76 percent of patients who experience chronic pain felt complete pain relief after receiving IV Ketamine infusions.

Experiments involving psilcybin, the hallucinogenic substance in magic mushrooms, have primarily focused on depression and anxiety. A 2016 study found that psilcybin-assisted therapy sessions improved mood and reduced anxiety in 80 percent of patients with advanced-stage cancer six months after the treatment. LSD has been also tested in individuals with life-threatening illnesses and it was found to reduce anxiety when used as an aid during psychotherapy.

There have also been clinical trials with MDMA, which is the main ingredient in ecstasy and is responsible for the euphoric feeling one feels when on the drug. A study found that when used as an addition to therapy sessions, veterans and first responders with severe PTSD experienced a significant reduction of symptoms after being treated with MDMA.

How do psychedelics work to treat mental illnesses? Many mental health conditions can sometimes be very resistant to conventional treatment because they vary based on a patients brain chemistry, personality and life experience. Psychedelics can help to "reboot" the brain in these cases.

Think of it like restarting a computer. When you restart it, everything gets reset and starts interacting again, and that can eliminate software problems. Brain chemistry can determine whether someone is "healthy" or not. Each of these drugs has a psychoactive component that tips a chemical balance to a more therapeutic setting.

But that doesn't mean that psychedelics will work for everyone. Much more research is needed, and the potential for misuse is high. No amount of hope should replace caution.

There are some risks associated with psychedelic drug treatments. Obviously, it is safer to use the under a doctor's supervision as opposed to attempting to self-treat. Ketamine can cause you to feel detached from reality and can give you the feeling that you are outside of your body looking in. It can also cause a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure and confusion. Negative side effects of MDMA are jaw tension, dehydration, overheating and loss of appetite. LSD and psilocybin can lead to anxiety, paranoia and nausea.

In addition to the side effects of the substance, you run the risk of having a bad trip. You could also experienced impaired judgment that could lead to dangerous decisions. So it is very important to be closely monitored by a doctor or other professional when you are using psychedelics. You should also share with your potential psychedelic therapy provider any health conditions you have or medications you are on because they could increase risks. For example, SSRIs (a class of anti-depressants) can be problematic with certain psychedelic. The combination can lead to an excess of the feel-good chemical serotonin in your brain. That may sound like a great thing but it really isn't. Psychedelics can also exacerbate mental health issues like psychosis and bipolar disorder. Also, you may want to pass on psychedelic therapy if you have certain physical issues like, unstable cardiac disease, certain cancers or severe kidney or liver problems.

Due to current drug laws, research on these psychedelic substances is still developing. But, research does show that the setting that you are in to take these substances really matters a lot. You should make sure that you are in an environment that feels physically and emotionally stable and safe to you. Furthermore, like I mentioned before, you should always be with a trained professional guide.

Since most psychedelic treatments are still in the clinical trial stage, you will need to sign up for a study in order to access the therapy legally. You can go to MAPS website or ClinicalTrials.gov to see what trials are currently recruiting near you.

Ketamine is the only psychedelic drug that is legally available in the United States and is not considered a Schedule 1 drug. Many major cities across the county have clinics where doctors or psychiatrists give patients Ketamine via IV to treat depression and other mental illnesses. Psychiatrists can also prescribe a Ketamine-based nasal spray called Sprovata for patients to use at home. The nasal spray is FDA approved, while the IV treatment is currently considered off-label but still legal.

There is a big responsibility that psilocybin will become more widely available very soon. The FDA recently fast-tracked psilocybin research for depression. Plus, Oakland, California and Denver, Colorado both voted to decriminalize the substance in 2019. Psilocybin could follow the same course as cannabis did years ago, but for now, it is not legally available outside of clinical studies.

Experts urge people to not self-medicate with these substances. The danger of adverse side effects increases dramatically when you go it alone. Instead of dosing outside of a professional setting, talk to your psychiatrist and consider first-line options.

So what do you think? Have you ever or would you ever consider undergoing psychedelic therapy for your mental health? Personally, I would absolutely consider it and am very excited about where the research will take us. I feel like having more treatment options available for mental health conditions will help more people in the long run. And that's a wonderful thing.