Psychadelics, Spirituality, and Helping MI

[lisa2712]

HI,

Unfortunately, I'm not good with meds, so I look to spirituality to help me. (Esp. non-duality ATM, but that's a whole other thing, which probably has nothing to do with spirituality.) 

An entheogen is, "is a class of psychoactive substances that induce any type of spiritual experience aimed at development.^[2] The term entheogen is often chosen to contrast recreational use of the same drugs." There is research going on in some universities to test if psychadelics (such as LSD, psilocybin Mushrooms, MDMA/Ecstasy, Ayahuasca, etc.) can help people heal from certain mental and emotional neurotic conditions. Some non-profits such as MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association of Psychadelic Studies - https://maps.org/ , and the Heffter Research Institute (https://heffter.org/) are researching the potential healing benefits of psychadelics. I find this interesting, because many people who use psychedelics say it has helped them overcome some kind of suffering in their life and/or increased their connection to life. 

 

I'm writing this post because I think it would be nice if one day (in my lifetime) it was found that psychadelics could be used as tools to help people, including neurotic people, especially if they're not good with taking meds (like me). And I know you're thinking, "Yeah, and it'd be great if I had a million dollars, but I don't." It's not a reality now, But some universities and non-profits are doing research on this, and many people who have done psychadelics illegally in the US or legally in other countries have testimonies on youtube stating that taking psychadelics have helped them. 

Edited January 12, 2019 by lisa2712

[Fluent In Silence]

There has been an unjustified prejudice to the medicinal potential of some illegal drugs, because drugs are bad and you should just say no to mind altering chemicals, unless properly prescribed by a medical professional. And you shouldn't try to self-medicate with such substances, but there is perhaps some potential there which has been ignored because these drugs are banned for recreational use. Medical marijuana has come a long way in some countries. In the UK a mother was eventually allowed to bring cannabis oil into the country to treat her epileptic son. But cannabis is evil and leads to crack and heroin and murder and prostitution so it should be banned. Or some such bullshit. Legalisation is a different issue.

I think there has been some research on the effects of these drugs on mental illness. There should probably be more but prejudice gets in the way, though legally prescribed drugs also come with side effects and withdrawl symptoms. I have used a few drugs recreationally and I wasn't all that keen on them (I only turned to prostitution for the money and because I was lonely. The meth was just a pick me up because there wasn't a Starbucks nearby. None of which is true. There was a Costa across the street. No! None of that was true.) But what I meant to say was that I've never got into drugs (just drunk lots of perfectly legal and safe alcohol), and while there may be compelling arguments to legalise some drugs, their medicinal potential shouldn't be confused with these arguments, as they often seem to be by law makers.

[Wooster]

MDMA assisted psychotherapy is currently in phase 3 clinical trials for PTSD treatment. I’m hoping o can connect with someone to learn more and see if it’s an option.

MAPS is a nonprofit that champions a lot of legitimizing psychedelics research.

[CrazyRedhead]

3 hours ago, crazybeebye said:

Well, there are researchers that I guess could use the dark-net to purchase MDMA as a medicine.

[link blocKed so as not to get Crazy Boards in trouble with the feds] as an example

Just be aware that if your pdoc, or employer, does urine drug screens on you, it could show up if you are using it:

https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/drugs/ecstasy/length-in-system/

Edited January 18, 2020 by CrazyRedhead

[CrazyRedhead]

On 2/20/2019 at 9:10 PM, Wooster said:

MDMA assisted psychotherapy is currently in phase 3 clinical trials for PTSD treatment. I’m hoping o can connect with someone to learn more and see if it’s an option.

I noticed now that this thread is from last year, but I'm happy to hear that research is being done.

Edited January 18, 2020 by CrazyRedhead

[echolocation]

i'm actually really interested to see in the future what comes of that research. i had an experience where taking mushrooms (unsure of the specific variety, it was dumb college experimentation) lifted me temporarily out of quite a dark depression. my mood was instantly and significantly brighter for at least a few weeks following that trip. the other two times i tried them, i took a lot less and didn't trip, but also didn't get any antidepressant effect. i've always wondered if the brightening effect from the first time was placebo or if something more happened there.

[Wooster]

Dark net purchase options... not ok on this site folks.

Sorry to say.

Let's keep discussions above board.

There's a place in Philly that has just been approved for expanded access by the FDA. This is good news!

The primary issue is not access to MDMA, but to the therapeutic protocol that's been developed to support PTSD around use of MDMA.

 

ETA: microdosing of mushrooms is on the table for treatment resistant depression. Keep looking and researching!

[Blahblah]

1 hour ago, Wooster said:

Dark net purchase options... not ok on this site folks.Sorry to say.

Let's keep discussions above board.

There's a place in Philly that has just been approved for expanded access by the FDA. This is good news!

The primary issue is not access to MDMA, but to the therapeutic protocol that's been developed to support PTSD around use of MDMA.

ETA: microdosing of mushrooms is on the table for treatment resistant depression. Keep looking and researching!

Anyone know how to find out or sign up for clinical trials for this?   Probably won't be long until you start hearing more about it. Look at Ketamine which is now cropping up everywhere. It was a very well-known recreational street drug that causes hallucinations / dissociation,  also used as an animal tranquilizer..

[Wooster]

Ketamine is available on a cash basis in the us, not covered by insurance, as outpatient infusion.

i tried to get signed up for mdma trials in NYC but they were only accepting candidates from NYC. Expanded access like the clinic in Philly is getting is my next best bet.

try poking around at MAPS.org for more info

[dancesintherain]

forgive my ignorance, but why is inducing hallucinations a good thing?  I feel like it would start inducing flashback-like crap.

[Hopelessly Broken]

15 minutes ago, dancesintherain said:

forgive my ignorance, but why is inducing hallucinations a good thing?  I feel like it would start inducing flashback-like crap.

I believe the aim of it isn't anything related to hallucinations, it is moreso that certain psychedellics have shown capacity to help with blockages in the brain that are barriers to trauma work, and MDMA especially has additional potential for helping with developing connections and moving past emotional blockages because of its empathogen properties chemically. But I could be wrong. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by Hopelessly Broken

[Wooster]

Microdosing explicitly tries to maintain a dose below that which causes a significant hallucinogenic experience. Several of these substances (MDMA, LSD, psilocybin, ayahuasca and psychoactive component DMT) work on serotonin. Ketamine interacts with glutamate and NMDA receptors. MDMA also works on some other things like oxytocin and cortisol.

 

MDMA assisted psychotherapy is a protocol that uses the enhanced sense of well-being many people experience from MDMA as a way to improve self acceptance and processing/consolidation of traumatic memories. The theory goes something like traumatic memories cause the problems of PTSD (avoidance, hyperarousal, intrusive recollection) when they remain "unconsolidated" or "unprocessed". Some people can access and process traumatic memories through talk, cognitive/exposure, EMDR, or somatic-based approaches. Other people's stress response gets tripped such that there's no window of opportunity to actually process anything. The MDMA protocol has been showing promise in helping this process happen in ways that contribute to long-term recovery for people who have otherwise not had success treating PTSD with psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy available to date.

Notice I'm emphasizing this is a process. It's not just going out and taking some molly. It's working with a clinic that has been trained, developing relationship with clinicians, tapering off ALL other psych meds for a period of time (this concerns me quite a bit), and participating in all sessions pre and post MDMA-facilitated sessions, as well as aftercare to integrate the experiences.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31065731

 

Ketamine and microdosing LSD have been showing positive effects on depression.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketamine-for-major-depression-new-tool-new-questions-2019052216673 (ketamine)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31288862 (LSD)

 

Psilocybin, particularly microdosing, has shown some benefit for depression and substance  abuse

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28481178 (psilocybin)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28540034 (ayahuasca/DMT)

 

Honestly, I think the utility of any of these approaches will continue to be limited by lack of community support and social integration. But I do know that getting one's ass kicked on the daily by depression and PTSD surely makes it more difficult to find community support and social integration. I think it's worth exploring in ethical ways that creates access to everyone... not just white people with money who can afford to travel to Peru and culturally appropriate indigenous knowledge and ceremony.
 

[Wooster]

Since we've sort of segued from the spirituality aspect into the "alternative treatments" zone, I'm moving this post over to "What the Hell is THAT?!?" section