Psychedelics for depression

Psychedelics for depression

What Are Psychedelic Drugs – Psychedelics for depression – Psychedelics for Anxiety

You probably know that psychedelic drugs, also called hallucinogens, affect a person’s mind by altering perceptions, moods, and thoughts. Click here In fact, the word “psychedelic,” derived from Greek, literally means “mind made visible.” And while these drugs are well-known for their recreational uses, scientists are now looking at their potential for treating mental illnesses. Psychedelics for depression

“Psychedelic drugs offer new mechanisms to address mental illness, and some have shown promise where other treatments have been ineffective,” says Itai Danovitch, MD, a professor and the chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “This is a source of significant excitement.” Psychedelics for Anxiety

It’s important to note that Dr. Danovitch is referring to the medicinal use of psychedelic drugs administered in measured doses under the supervision of licensed medical professionals. Using the same drugs recreationally or without a prescription to manage mental health issues is not only illegal, but it’s also dangerous, as it can lead to the opposite effect — worsening symptoms instead of relieving them. Click here

Types of Psychedelic Drugs

Psychedelic drugs are taken recreationally in ways including smoking, snorting, injecting, and drinking them. In contrast, most research studies dispense psychedelics in pill form to ensure their purity and to allow for consistent dosing, both gold standards for clinical tests of treatments and drugs. Pill forms are also much safer than smoking or injecting psychedelic drugs.

Well-known psychedelic medicines currently being investigated include psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, ketamine, and peyote.Click here

Psilocybin (4-Phosphoryloxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine)

Psilocybin, sometimes referred to as “magic mushrooms,” comes from certain mushrooms found in the United States, Mexico, and South America.right up arrow It’s considered the most researched psychedelic substance and is being explored as a treatment for depression, cancer-related distress, and different forms of addiction.Click here

LSD (D-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)

Colloquially known as “acid,” LSD is a clear or white material made from lysergic acid, which is found in a fungus that grows on grains like rye.click here Like psilocybin, LSD is being studied as a therapeutic agent for depression, cancer-related distress, and addiction, says Matthew W. Johnson, PhD, a professor of psychedelics and consciousness research in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)

MDMA, often called “ecstasy” or “molly,” is a popular synthetic club drug that acts as a stimulant and hallucinogen.right up arrow Researchers are looking at MDMA as a potentially game-changing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Click here

Ketamine

Ketamine, known on the street as “special K,” has traditionally been administered intravenously as a surgical anesthetic in humans and animals. It has also been used in liquid, powder, or pill form as a date-rape drug that when added to someone’s drink without their knowledge can cause confusion, memory loss, and other symptoms that render that person more vulnerable to sexual assault.click here In 2019, a nasal spray form of ketamine called esketamine won U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval as medication for treatment-resistant depression.Click here

Peyote (Mescaline)
Mescaline occurs naturally in a small cactus called peyote, but it can also be synthetically made.right up arrow It’s being investigated as a possible treatment for depression, anxiety, and related conditions.Click here

Psychedelics for depression and anxiety

I’ve battled depression (and anxiety) off and on almost my entire life, so I understand the deep pains of depression. Additionally, I know what it feels like to catch yourself laughing and thinking, “wow, I don’t remember the last time I did that!” I work so hard to help each person I work with experience that moment when joy enters their lives again. Once it starts, we keep digging for more of those moments, which become easier and easier. Psychedelic mushroom dose can treat stubborn depression, trial suggests

Psychedelics for depression

As I’ve said on other pages, I don’t share my story for any other reason than to be transparent. To let you know that you aren’t alone. Depression, anxiety, grief, illnesses, stress, etc, happen to all of us. No one is immune from them and everyone needs help getting through them, even the professionals.

Psilocybin, the active hallucinogen found in psychedelic mushrooms — also known as “magic mushrooms” — can effectively alleviate a severe bout of depression when administered in a single dose and combined with talk therapy, a new clinical study found.

Adults with depression who were administered a single 25-miligram dose of psilocybin were more likely to experience significant improvements in their mental health — both immediately and for up to three months — than others who were randomly assigned smaller doses of the same drug, said the peer-reviewed study, which was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“There’s something about the psychedelic experience that leads to a rapid resolution of depression symptoms,” said James Rucker, a consultant psychiatrist at King’s College London who worked on the trial. “We don’t really know what that is at the moment, but it’s very different to standard antidepressants.”