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A recent study published in Scientific Reports suggests that individuals who have used traditional psychedelics may be at lower risk for cardiac disease. While these new findings are exciting, they serve to highlight the need for further research into the potential medical uses of psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine.

“In our previous research, we have found associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and lower odds of being overweight or obese as well as lower odds of having hypertension in the past year, both of which are risk factors of cardiometabolic disease,” reports study author Ottos Simonsson Ph.D., of Oxford University.

In another article published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology earlier in the year, research posited “that psychedelic substances such as psilocybin could be used to assist in promoting positive lifestyle changes conducive to good health.” Simonsson notes that the use of traditional psychedelics has been linked to spontaneous, positive lifestyle and health changes such as reduced alcohol consumption, lowered or eliminated the use of tobacco products, and increased exercise.

Simonsson’s study also indicates that traditional psychedelics may improve mental health conditions associated with cardiometabolic disease. When administered in a safe and supportive setting, these drugs can cause neurogenesis, which strengthens and creates new neural pathways in the brain. Neurogenesis can help users form new positive associations and engender new modes of thinking that can lead to the adoption of positive lifestyle changes.

During the study, Simonsson also reported that psychedelics have strong anti-inflammatory properties as well as immunomodulatory properties. These anti-inflammatory properties could be a factor in psychedelics’ purported ability to fight cardiac disease. Coupled with their known effects on the body’s serotonin systems, this could indicate that traditional psychedelics are a strong candidate for developing new heart disease treatments.

“Lifetime classic psychedelic use was uniquely associated with a 23% lower odds of heart disease in the past year and a 12% lower odds of diabetes in the past year. Among the three main classes of classic psychedelics, neither lifetime tryptamine use, lifetime LSD use, nor lifetime phenethylamine use was uniquely associated with heart disease or diabetes in the past year when simultaneously entered into the regression models, though the association between lifetime tryptamine use and diabetes in the past year approached conventional levels of significance.” — Simonsson, O., Osika, W., Carhart-Harris, R. et al. Associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and cardiometabolic diseases. Sci Rep 11, 14427 (2021).

While not concrete, these initial results provide an excellent argument for further study into the potential health benefits of using psychedelics. This research also aligns with results gathered by Dr. Steve Mandel, President of the American Society of Ketamine Physicians, who has treated over 600 patients with low dose ketamine infusions, nearly all of which have reported making positive health and life changes after treatment.

If shown to be effective, psychedelics could present novel new treatments for cardiometabolic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, which are among the leading causes of death in the United States and around the globe. Unfortunately, the current Schedule 1 Status of psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD make it difficult for researchers to conduct studies.

However, other traditional psychedelic substances such as ketamine have been approved for human use by the Food and Drug Administration and have been used everywhere from hospitals to battlefields since 1970. While there have been few studies directly linking ketamine use to reduced rates of heart disease, it is an exciting potential avenue of research given the relative ease with which researchers can obtain the drug.

David Connell is a U.S. Air Force Veteran writer and author of Cooking with Magic: The Psilocybin Cookbook. David holds a B.A. in Communications and Creative Writing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Connect with him about drug policy reform, his thoughts on research in novel psychedelic therapies, creative writing, and his unabashed love for Science Fiction on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Source:

Simonsson, O., Osika, W., Carhart-Harris, R. et al. Associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and cardiometabolic diseases. Sci Rep 11, 14427 (2021).
https;//doi.org/10,1038/s41598-021-93787-4

“Special K,” “Kitty Kat,” and “K” are all common street names for the prescription medication ketamine. Long used as a safe and highly effective anesthetic since the 1970s, ketamine gained popularity in the late 80s and early 90s as an underground club drug. This trend of adult recreational use has continued into today’s festival and rave scenes, where thousands of Americans use it annually as a “party” drug.

The drug’s popularity among recreational users stems from its entheogenic and hallucinogenic effects, which users say induce feelings of calmness, love, connection with the world and their loved ones, as well as euphoria. Ketamine has strong dissociative effects when abused and can be incredibly hallucinogenic in high doses. This psychedelic, dissociative state, popularly known as a k-hole, makes the drug attractive for some users.

However, adult use of ketamine can have a darker side. Ketamine abuse has been known to cause long-lasting damage to the central nervous system, dissociation, mental fog, and nausea. In some extreme cases, ketamine has also been responsible for users developing the extremely rare condition, hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD).

HPPD is a little understood and chronic mental health condition that causes sufferers to relive the psychedelic and dissociative effects of the drug in “flashbacks.” These flashbacks cause people with the condition to experience symptoms like visual distortions, audio hallucinations, whole body tingling, euphoria, and dissociative states. While this is concerning, HPPD is very, very rare, affecting less than 1% of all recreational substance users.

Unfortunately, this misuse of an otherwise legal anesthetic has led to ketamine developing a bad wrap with the general public. This bad wrap is particularly problematic for healthcare providers and researchers trying to expand ketamine’s FDA-approved usage from just anesthetic and analgesic treatments to depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health and chronic pain needs.

This push by medical experts to expand ketamine’s approved list of uses comes from research started in the early 2000s that indicates ketamine has significant potential to treat conditions such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, and their treatment-resistant counterparts as well as chronic pain and substance abuse disorders. Compared to common depression treatments such as SSRIs, which only have a 35% efficacy rating, ketamine commands an impressive 70% effectiveness in reducing patient symptoms.

While that alone is impressive and warrants further research, ketamine has also shown a similar efficacy for treating PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain. Ketamine is so effective that many providers have begun using it off-label to treat these conditions despite not having full FDA approval.

Despite ketamine’s vast array of potential uses, many stigmas and much misinformation about the drug continue to persist.

Stigma 1: Ketamine is Not Just an Animal Tranquilizer

One of the most common stigmas surrounding ketamine is its use as an animal tranquilizer. While it is true that ketamine is used in veterinary practices as an anesthetic, the dosages and best practices differ widely when compared to approved medical use for humans. For example, a common myth is ketamine was developed as a horse tranquilizer. This is not true.

Ketamine was originally developed by and tested by Corssen and Domin (1966) as a human anesthetic. It quickly moved through human trials and received FDA approval in the United States in 1970. From there, hospitals rapidly picked up ketamine as an alternative to other anesthetics. This quick adoption was due to ketamine’s low instances of side effects and the fact that ketamine does not suppress respiratory functions, a common problem with other types of sedatives.

Starting in 1971, ketamine was also deployed to the battlefields of the Vietnam conflict as both an anesthetic and an analgesic. The Department of Defense (DOD) adopted it for various reasons, including those covered earlier and ketamine’s low risk of dependency vs. opioid and opiate-based pain killers like morphine.

During the Vietnam conflict, morphine dependency became a significant problem for the United States military. With many service members developing crippling addiction to the potent opioid. These dependency issues among service members propelled ketamine’s adoption as a battlefield analgesic and an anesthetic used in field hospitals during the conflict.

Today ketamine is still widely used in hospitals across the U.S. Recently, it has also seen adoption among some providers to treat mental health and chronic pain conditions. For example, IV and nasal spray ketamine treatments for depression have gained widespread support, with a large and growing body of evidence showing the drug is both very safe and therapeutic.

Compared to depression medications such as SSRIs, ketamine has an efficacy rating of 70% vs. 35%. This astounding efficacy shows ketamine to be vastly more potent and effective at reducing depression symptoms. This potency also carries over to PTSD and anxiety treatments, as well as chronic pain conditions.

Stigma 2: Ketamine, Not a Highly Addictive Club Drug

“The medical benefits of ketamine far outweigh potential harm from recreational use.” —Marie-Paule Kieny, Assistant-Director General for Health Systems and Innovation at WHO.

While it is true that ketamine is used recreationally by thousand of people in the U.S. and possibly millions worldwide, it is not true that ketamine is only a club drug. The fact is that ketamine is a widely used and very popular anesthetic in hospitals across the globe. Ketamine is the preferred anesthetic for patients with respiratory conditions that put them at greater risk of breathing problems during surgery and is also favored for its low risks of dependencies vs. or drugs like opiates and opioids.

Ketamine is also the go-to anesthetic for use with children. Children are much more susceptible to the adverse respiratory effects of common anesthetic drugs, making ketamine the go-to choice in pediatric hospitals around the globe.

Compared to a wide range of other drugs among recreational users, ketamine users are significantly less likely to become addicted to the drug. Among regular recreational users, only 0.1 to 0.2 of adult users are likely to develop a dependency on the drug. This information aligns with medical community statistics that show similarly low instances of addiction from clinical and hospital use of ketamine.

If we compare ketamine addictions to legal drugs like alcohol, we can see that ketamine is significantly less likely to cause addiction. For example, six percent, or 20,030,687 Americans, will experience alcohol dependency throughout their lives. In contrast, less than one percent of the one percent of Americans that use ketamine recreationally will develop a dependency.

This misconception around the risk of dependency from ketamine use both clinically and otherwise is partly driven by media sensationalism and lingering effects of lousy science developed for messaging efforts as part of the War on Drugs. Of course, none of this means recreational use is without risks or should be encouraged. Still, myths and misinformation around ketamine must be dispelled if research and adoption of the drug for mental health and chronic pain conditions are to expand.

It’s time to change how we think about ketamine.

Ketamine is a powerful new tool for providers around the nation and the world to use in the fight for better mental healthcare. In the United States alone, over 8,900,000 men, women, and children will be diagnosed with some form of depression. Of those, 30% will not respond to treatment, and nearly 840,000 will try to commit suicide. SSRIs and similar drugs are not as effective as needed, and it’s past time for a change.

Research shows that ketamine will help seven in ten patients experience rapid onset relief from the symptoms of major mood disorders in as little as a single ketamine infusion session. When paired with psychotherapy, ketamine is staggeringly effective at treating some mental health conditions like PTSD and has even shown potential use for treating substance abuse disorders.

While ketamine is not a panacea, evidence shows that it is a highly effective and relatively low-risk treatment option for depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other disorders that millions of us are living with. Unfortunately, research into ketamine’s uses, like many other psychedelic drugs, is hampered by negative public sentiment and misinformed elected officials. It’s critical that this status quo changes and rapidly.

Join the conversation about the clinical use of ketamine and other psychedelic drugs, and help end the stigma around these potent weapons in the fight against poor mental health.

David Connell is a U.S. Air Force Veteran writer and author of Cooking with Magic: The Psilocybin Cookbook. David holds a B.A. in Communications and Creative Writing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Connect with him about drug policy reform, his thoughts on research in novel psychedelic therapies, creative writing, and his unabashed love for Science Fiction on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Sources:

Carboni, E., Carta, A. R., Carboni, E., & Novelli, A. (1AD, January 1). Repurposing ketamine in depression and related disorders: Can this enigmatic drug achieve success? Frontiers. Retrieved December 16, 2021, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2021.657714/full

Green SM;Denmark TK;Cline J;Roghair C;Abd Allah S;Rothrock SG; (n.d.). Ketamine sedation for pediatric critical care procedures. Pediatric emergency care. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11493822/

Communications, N. Y. U. W. (2021, October 7). Recreational ketamine use has increased in recent years, but remains rare. NYU. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2021/october/recreational-ketamine-use.html

Hermle, L., Simon, M., Ruchsow, M., & Geppert, M. (2012, October). Hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder. Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736944/

Li, L., & Vlisides, P. E. (2016, November 29). Ketamine: 50 years of modulating the mind. Frontiers in human neuroscience. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5126726/#B41

Gores Landing, Ontario – Wellbeing Digital Sciences, formerly KetamineOne Capital Limited, has officially announced the successful launch of its first intravenous “IV” ketamine treatment at the Victoria Wellness Mental Health Residential and Addition Treatment Centre (also referred to as “VW”) in Ontario. This was able to happen through collaboration with iHealthOX, a powerful, data-driven healthcare platform that strives to transform the primary care experience for its members.

VW is making waves in the industry by being one of Canada’s first in-patient facilities to offer ketamine-assisted therapy. Wellbeing management shared that they hope to see an increase in successful IV ketamine infusions in the future thanks to the collaboration between VW, iHealthOX, and itself.

“The success of our first IV ketamine treatment in Canada in collaboration with VW and iHealthOX and Wellbeing is encouraged that ketamine-based treatments for mental health are becoming more commonplace. The Company has always wanted to make a positive and significant impact on mental health, and this brings us one step closer,” said Adam Deffett, Interim CEO of Wellbeing.

VW is a residential facility and mental health clinic that offer personalized therapy treatment programs for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Located at 5316 Lake Scenic Drive in Gores Landing, Ontario, VW has launched a first-class, best practice-based, six-week inpatient Ketamine Integrated Therapy Experience (“KITE”) program with the help of Wellbeing Digital Sciences.

The KITE program offers a structure that allows clients a unique opportunity to benefit from the fast-acting and medically supervised IV ketamine administration. It’s believed that this process will help combat treatment-resistant mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

VW’s KITE program is possible through the collaborative efforts of both Wellbeing and iHealthOX. The latter was created to help give patients a customized digital tool specifically curated for mental health. Patients can access live coaching sessions, evidence-based material, 24/7 emotional support, and options for one-on-one therapy. The platform will be available to patients via both desktop and mobile versions, effectively extending Wellbeing’s services beyond just its clinic locations.

Kaeli Swaggerty holds a B.A. in English from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Connect with her about bringing awareness to mental health issues on LinkedIn.

Source:
Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc. “Wellbeing Digital Sciences Delivers Its First IV Ketamine Treatment under the Inpatient Kite Program.” GlobeNewswire News Room, Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc., 15 Feb. 2022, https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/02/15/2384871/0/en/Wellbeing-Digital-Sciences-Delivers-its-First-IV-Ketamine-Treatment-Under-the-Inpatient-KITE-Program.html.

A recent aggregate study on the effectiveness of ketamine treatments for depression conducted by Ezio Carboni, Anna Carta, Elena Carboni, and Antonello Novelli, and published by Frontiers in Neuroscience, shows ketamine has significant promise as a treatment option for chronic and treatment-resistant depression.

Ketamine, an anesthetic and analgesic drug first developed in the 1970s, has long been used in hospitals, clinics, and battlefields as a safe alternative to other anesthetics. Unlike other medications, ketamine does not depress the respiratory or circulatory systems of patients it is administered to; this factor has made it a go-to compound for surgical proceedings in hospitals worldwide.

Despite ketamine’s long and successful use as an anesthetic, it has only recently, within the last decade, started to gain notoriety as a breakthrough treatment for depression and substance abuse disorders. This recognition of ketamine’s potential for treating depression comes from its rapid onset and relatively low risk of severe side effects. Unlike traditional SSRIs that take several weeks or longer to begin working, ketamine has been shown to have a near-immediate impact on patients who receive the drug.

As reported by Carboni, ketamine and its derivative drug esketamine affect brain NMDA (glutamate) transmission. This impact on the available levels of glutamate is believed to be responsible for ketamine rapid antidepressant effects. However, research into this and other areas of depression treatment is hampered by a lack of available animal studies.

Carboni proposes that ketamine also significantly impacts other neural transmitters, such AMPA, BDNF, eEF2, and glycogen synthase kinase 3. All of which are thought to be partially responsible for depressive symptoms in patients. Furthermore, Carboni Et. Al. postulates that ketamine stimulating qualities also positively affect patients with depressive symptoms, particularly those with treatment-resistant depression.

This may be due to ketamine’s ability to alter background synaptic activity, changing how some synaptic pathways in the mind that have become locked into depression-related states transmit information. This rewiring of neural activity is thought to allow data to be processed in new ways, potentially relieving depressive symptoms.

Carboni shows that ketamine’s ability to break free locked in synapses was first noted in research conducted by Berman et al. in the early 2000s. Berman’s research showed that patients with depressive symptoms given ketamine showed significant improvement in as little as 72 hours. Notably, this rapid relief from depressive symptoms was not experienced by the control group who received a placebo only.

Furthermore, trials conducted by Yang et al., 2019a and Canuso et al., 2018 showed both esketamine (Spravato) and R-ketamine provide rapid relief to patients with treatment-resistant depression. Interestingly R-ketamine, while being less potent than esketamine, showed longer-lasting anti-depressive benefits and required less follow-up course of the drug to maintain its anti-depressive effects.

While research into ketamine and its derivatives is still relatively new, research and trials like those mentioned above show that the drug has strong therapeutic potential. Particularly for those with major mood disorders or treatment-resistant depression. One of the most critical aspects of research like that detailed in this article is its ability to inform the general public about these new tools in the fight against mental illness.

Unfortunately, the public has long viewed ketamine as a party drug, leading to widespread misinformation and stigma around its use. As knowledge about the benefits of drugs like ketamine and even other psychedelics grows, it will be critical that the people stay engaged and become part of the greater conversation around not just ketamine but mental health as a whole.

David Connell is a U.S. Air Force Veteran writer and author of Cooking with Magic: The Psilocybin Cookbook. David holds a B.A. in Communications and Creative Writing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Connect with him about drug policy reform, his thoughts on research in novel psychedelic therapies, creative writing, and his unabashed love for Science Fiction on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Sources:

Canuso, C. M., Singh, J. B., Fedgchin, M., Alphs, L., Lane, R., Lim, P., et al. (2018). Efficacy and safety of intranasal esketamine for the rapid reduction of symptoms of depression and suicidality in patients at imminent risk for suicide: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Am. J. Psychiatry 175, 620–630. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17060720

Carboni, E., Carta, A. R., Carboni, E., & Novelli, A. (1AD, January 1). Repurposing ketamine in depression and related disorders: Can this enigmatic drug achieve success? Frontiers. Retrieved December 16, 2021, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2021.657714/full

Yang, C., Wardenaar, K. J., Bosker, F. J., Li, J., and Schoevers, R. A. (2019a). Inflammatory markers and treatment outcome in treatment-resistant depression: a systematic review. J. Affect. Disord. 257, 640–649. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.07.045

Maryland Senate recently filed a bill that, if passed, would create state funding for free access to psychedelics (psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, etc) for military veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The bill would also support the research of the therapeutic potential of psychedelics.

The purpose of the bill is to establish what’s known as the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Alternative Therapies Fund[1]. The money would fund research in psychedelics as well as provide “cost-free access to alternative therapies” for military veterans.

Additionally, the bill, sponsored by Sen. Sarah Elfreth (D), would require regulators to periodically “consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the John Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, Sheppard Pratt, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center” on the use of psychedelics for PTSD treatment.

If the bill goes through and is received positively, then it could set the groundwork for future legislation on providing residents with regulated access to psychedelics for therapeutic use.

The bill currently has nine senators as cosponsors and is scheduled to receive a hearing during the state’s Budget and Taxation Committee on March 2 of this year.

In order for the bill to pass, the Maryland Department of Health would need to submit a report of “initial findings and recommendations” to the governor and legislation by December 1, 2022[2]. In two years’ time would come another deadline for findings and recommendations based on the studies that were conducted specifically through the PTSD fund.

Maryland’s proposal is just one of many as states move towards the decriminalization of psychedelics.

In a recent Ketamine News article, we covered how Washington State Sens. Jesse Salomon (D) and Liz Lovelette (D) are pushing to legalize psilocybin.

The movement to decriminalize psilocybin in the US originated in the late 2010s, with Denver, Colorado becoming the first city to accomplish its goal in May 2019. Oakland and Santa Cruz, California followed closely behind, both successfully decriminalizing psilocybin by January 2020.

In November of the same year, voters passed the Oregon Ballot Measure 109, effectively making Oregon the first state to decriminalize psilocybin while legalizing it for therapeutic use.

These efforts come in the aftermath of the rapid onset of cannabis legalization in the United States, occasionally referred to as the Green Rush[3].

According to an article written by Dustin Marlan for The Appeal, titled, “The Movement to Decriminalize Psilocybin, Explained,” he writes, “Psilocybin reform is an important development for at least two reasons. First, psilocybin is a promising compound that, if studied and used appropriately, can provide benefits to many. Second, psilocybin reform may spur a radical rethinking of the prohibition on other Schedule I substances, and can thus be a catalyst toward ending the racist and draconian War on Drugs.”[4]

More and more states are pushing for the decriminalization of psilocybin as studies have shown that it is an effective treatment option for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.

Kaeli Swaggerty holds a B.A. in English from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Connect with her about bringing awareness to mental health issues on LinkedIn.

Sources:

“Maryland SB709.” TrackBill, https://trackbill.com/bill/maryland-senate-bill-709-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-alternative-therapies-fund-establishment-david-perez-military-heroes-act-end-22-a-day/2218272/#:~:text=Establishing%20the%20Post%2DTraumatic%20Stress,any%20other%20money%20from%20any.

Jaeger, Kyle. “Maryland Senate Bill Would Provide ‘Cost-Free Access’ to Psychedelics for Military Veterans.” Marijuana Moment, 9 Feb. 2022, https://www.marijuanamoment.net/maryland-senate-bill-would-provide-cost-free-access-to-psychedelics-for-military-veterans/.

Overland, Martha Ann. “The Green Rush Begins: Investors Get in on Pot’s Ground Floor.” NPR, NPR, 16 Feb. 2014, https://www.npr.org/2014/02/16/277691480/the-green-rush-begins-investors-get-in-on-pots-ground-floor.

“The Movement to Decriminalize Psilocybin, Explained.” The Lab by the Appeal, https://theappeal.org/the-lab/explainers/the-movement-to-decriminalize-psilocybin-explained/.

KETAMINE MEDIA (LLC). is proud to announce the launch of their Psychedelic Therapy Network (PTN), a digital ecosystem linking psychedelic medicine providers to individuals seeking innovative new treatment options in the world of mental healthcare.

Psychedelic Therapy Network (PTN) is the culmination of a long endeavor to provide patients looking for alternative care with a single point of reference and comprehensive resource for finding psychedelic medicine providers in their regions. The collection of digital assets will effectively reach potential candidates in virtually every zip code across North America.

Ketamine Media felt that creating the network was not just something that would make patient lives easier but also a critical tool for spreading awareness and education about psychedelic medicine. With the nation facing the worst mental health crisis in its history, new methods and modalities of treating mental health conditions are needed.

“The Psychedelic Therapy Network was designed to assist our partners in effectively raising awareness at scale. But it’s really designed with patients in mind. When we created it [the Psychedelic Therapy Network], we wanted to take a patient-first approach. The psychedelic medicine space can be confusing, and our team wanted to build something that helps people learn more about psychedelic medicine and unites them with qualified, passionate providers once they decide that this approach is right for them.”
Chris Walden, CEO and Co-founder, Ketamine Media

Novel new drugs derived from compounds like psilocybin, MDMA and more will soon join existing therapies like ketamine-assisted psychotherapy to combat the country’s crippling mental health problems. Psychedelic therapies like ketamine have shown the potential to be more effective than standard medication such as SSRIs, with psilocybin and MDMA showing similar or greater efficacy. With that in mind, creating a single comprehensive network was seen as an essential part of laying the groundwork for the future.

Currently, the PTN primarily serves as a hub for patients to find providers specializing in various forms of ketamine-assisted therapy and infusions. However, as medications continue to gain approval, like MDMA (currently entering phase three trials conducted by MAPS) and psilocybin (entering phase two trials with COMPASS Pathways), the network will expand to cover medical providers offering those services as well.

Expanding access to novel mental health treatments can provide significant benefits to the general public but is vitally important to the nation’s veteran population. Military veterans and first responders are 52% more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health condition associated with traumatic experiences. Veterans and first responders are also significantly more likely to experience depression and have much higher rates of suicide than the general population.

“As a veteran who’s dealt with PTSD and depression first hand, I can say that treatments like psilocybin, ketamine, and MDMA do work. Unlike many veterans, I’ve had the opportunity to experience the healing potential of psychedelics firsthand at retreats in legal countries. If veterans here at home (The United States) had access to this sort of therapy, we would likely see a significant reduction in veteran suicides and depression rates across the board.”
David Connell, Author, Cooking with Magic: The Psilocybin Cookbook and Senior Copywriter at Ketamine Media.

The potential benefits of psychedelic medicines go beyond veteran mental healthcare. End-of-life care, treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders are just a few of the conditions that psychedelic compounds have shown promise for treating.

Tools like the Psychedelic Therapy Network will be an essential part of growing the reach of psychedelic medicine providers as therapies such as ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, MDMA-assisted therapy, and psilocybin treatments gain notoriety. Patients and providers will benefit from the suite of tools, connections, and educational resources offered by the PTN, furthering public awareness and knowledge regarding these potent tools for combating mental health conditions.

ABOUT KETAMINE MEDIA (KETA MEDIA, LLC)
Ketamine Media is a full-service multi-media marketing and advertising agency headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Specializing in raising awareness about the clinical use of ketamine and other psychedelic medicine, Ketamine Media is the nation’s oldest and highest performing ketamine-focused advertising agency. Ketamine Media’s team offers a wealth of experience communicating with and connecting to individuals interested in exploring novel treatments for their mental healthcare. This specialized know-how is invaluable for their partners within the space, who need to reach patients in critical need of specialized care. If you are interested in partnering with Ketamine Media, the company can be contacted at:

Ketamine Media
611 King St NW
Suite 200B,
Knoxville, TN 37917

Phone: (800) 975-2291
Online: https://ketaminemedia.com