The Benefits of Ketamine, LSD, Magic Mushrooms, & Ecstasy.

Today’s mental health professionals are reviving the psychedelic era of the ’60s and ’70s and drawing from traditional medicines by experimenting with LSD, magic mushrooms, ecstasy, and other psychoactive compounds in search of better treatments for mental illness.

“These are not drugs you can take alone and not everyone can afford to go to the Amazon and see a shaman. We need to bring it into the medical system.” — Atai Life Sciences Chairman Christian Angermayer.

Psychedelics have demonstrated long-term beneficial effects against depression and anxiety with little to no side effects. Studies indicate that the mental health benefits of psychedelics for non-users are optimistic; however, those who currently use them excessively will likely suffer further mental health problems.

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Ketamine.

Ketamine rekindled the current interest in psychedelics when clinicians could prescribe Johnson & Johnson’s ketamine-derived nasal spray in the U.S for treating depression in 2019.

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic synthesized in 1962 for its anesthetic effects. Ketamine later showed hallucinogenic effects in lower doses which had a positive impact on treatment-resistant depression.

Ketamine has generated so much interest today because its effects on depression and suicide ideation are instant and can last a week or longer.

Ketamine alters consciousness, improving self-thoughts, emotions, and perceptions almost immediately, lasting a week after intake and up to 8 weeks following a micro-dose treatment schedule.

Clinical trials show that ketamine’s anti-depressant effects are fast with only mild psychoactive side effects and that it promotes neuroplasticity or the rebuilding and reorganizing of synaptic connections. Ketamine has demonstrated benefits for treating major depressive disorder, bipolar, PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, suicide ideation, and alcoholism.

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LSD.

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is produced in a fungus that infects rye called ergot. LSD was first synthesized in the 1930s; then, psychiatrists began trialling its use through the 1950s for neurosis, schizophrenia, psychopathy, and childhood autism.

LSD distorts the user’s perceptions of self, others, colours, sounds, touch, movements, time, and space. LSD has shown the best results in trials against depression, anxiety and alcoholism. Trials in the ’50s showed that results were still positive even years later, though prohibition in the ’60s prevented further research till more recently.

Researchers found that the mystical experiences felt using LSD are linked to treating depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. The degree of psychedelic side effects, especially psychosis, was relative to its therapeutic benefits.

Eleusis, a company dedicated to turning psychedelics into medicines, is looking into treating Alzheimer’s using LSD. Alzheimer’s and depression, and anxiety are responses to a loss in dopamine and serotonin receptors, specifically the serotonin 2A receptor, known to be responsive to LSD.

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Magic Mushrooms.

Magic mushrooms were discovered, for westerners, in 1955 when an ethnomycologist experienced mushrooms in southern Mexico during a shaman ritual. Chemists soon began trialling the use of magic mushrooms to treat mental health conditions.

Psilocybin, the main active ingredient in magic mushrooms, has shown positive results for treating depression and anxiety six months after treatment in 80% of participants. No conventional treatment has had this much success after a single dose.

Studies show that psilocybin has few side effects, with only some participants experiencing brief episodes of headaches or nausea.

The legal sale of magic mushrooms in the Netherlands show that recreational use causes fewer problems than alcohol and other drug use in terms of hospitalization and aftercare for psychiatric reactions or substance-use related injuries.

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Ecstasy.

Ecstasy’s major active constituent is 3,4 - methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and is understood to have been first synthesized in 1912, though trials for its therapeutic use didn’t begin until the 1970s.

Recreational use of ecstasy in the 1980s led to its prohibition. The medical community fought against the prohibition, knowing it would prevent further research on its use for treating psychological conditions stemming from emotional trauma.

Since then, MDMA has shown significant positive results for treating PTSD. Lori Tipton suffered considerable trauma and chronic PTSD symptoms before clearing her diagnosis after qualifying for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Researchers found 87% of subjects in MDMA trials no longer fit the diagnosis for PTSD in a one-year follow-up.

MDMA increases noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin levels and reduces amygdala activity, contributing to mental strength and receptivity. Patient’s under MMDA use are more open to communication and interaction, receptive to therapy, and free with their expression of thoughts and feelings.

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Conventional treatments for mental illnesses have mixed results and can take up to 8 weeks to start working. Many patients require several changes to their prescription and dosages before symptoms stabilize with some continuing treatment for years beyond expectations.

Psychedelics respond to these issues through treating chronic treatment-resistant mental health conditions, facilitating therapy, providing quick responses and long term solutions with few side effects.

It may be a while before the use of psychedelics is mainstream worldwide; most are only accessible through trials. Still, with such positive results for treating chronic mental health conditions, we must support ongoing investigations.

You can make donations toward continuing research on psychedelics for mental health through the following organizations:

Thank you for reading.