Category: The Psychedelic News

Recent studies conducted by UC San Francisco and Imperial College London show that psilocybin causes increased brain connectivity and repair in the mind of depressed patients. The studies show that this repair of brain areas damaged by depression helps patients break free of symptoms associated with depression.

Researchers examined the fMRI scan of 60 patients who participated in two separate psilocybin trials. All participants were diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in the first trial. Researchers informed all patients that they would receive psilocybin.

The second trial was conducted with patients whose depressive condition was not as severe. Of these participants, roughly half were given psilocybin, while the others received a placebo, SSRI medication escitalopram. Both studies received psychotherapy using similar methods.

fMRI scans were conducted pre- and post-treatment. The scans clearly show that participants who received psilocybin had smoother, i.e., less rigid, brain landscapes. This smoothness shows increased connectivity in regions damaged by depression. The repaired areas of the brain are better able to carry novel thoughts, allowing patients to think in new ways, often breaking free of their depressive symptoms.

Researchers also reported that participants were less emotionally avoidant and showed increased cognitive functions. The improvement in their symptoms, brain function changes, and emotional states all correlated with the psilocybin treatment. The control group in the second study, who received only the SSRI medication, did not show as significant an improvement.

“In previous studies, we had seen a similar effect in the brain when people were scanned whilst on a psychedelic, but here we’re seeing it weeks after treatment for depression, which suggests a carry-over of the acute drug action,” said Robin Carhart-Harris, Ph.D., Director, Neuroscape Psychedelics Division at UCSF, published April 11, 2022, in Nature Medicine.

Psilocybin affects the Default Mode Network (DMN) in the brain, suppressing its function. It is thought that this, along with psilocybin’s ability to impact 5-HT2a, temporarily disrupts parts of the brain responsible for repetitive thinking and the retention of trauma. This disruption may allow patients to temporarily snap out of depressive symptoms, making them more open to exploring novel ways of dealing with their condition and more easily influenced by traditional psychiatric treatments.

“Baseline BDI scores indicated severe depression (mean BDI = 34.81, s.d. = 7.38). In line with our previous report25, rapid, substantial, and sustained reductions in depression severity were observed after treatment (Fig. 3a,b). Relative to baseline, significant BDI reductions were observed at one week.”
Daws, R.E., Timmermann, C., Giribaldi, B. et al. Increased global integration in the brain after psilocybin therapy for depression. Nat Med (2022).

(Image Source, Nature Medicine, 2022)

While the study does show promising results, it is important to note that research into psilocybin as a treatment for depression is still developing. Further research is critically needed to progress psilocybin as medication and overcome stigmas associated with the powerful psychedelic medicine.

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:
Daws, R.E., Timmermann, C., Giribaldi, B. et al. Increased global integration in the brain after psilocybin therapy for depression. Nat Med (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01744-z

Research conducted by Andrew Adamatzky and published by The Royal Society Publishing indicates that fungi may have hidden languages. According to Adamatzky’s report, mycelial networks, the roots of fungal colonies, create and transport spikes of electrochemical signals similar to those created in the human nervous system during speech.

Adamatzky and his team were able to group the electrical spikes into trains (words), providing them with a basis to build a linguistic model for the fungi. In other words, certain species of fungus are talking to each other. The team then constructed an algorithm and a Liz-Zempel complexity hierarchy to model the fungal sentences.

The algorithm that Adamatzky and his team created showed that fungal word complexity closely resembles that of human speech in both length and pattern. With one species, S. Commune communicates with the highest level of complexity. The team also found complex electrical interactions between mycelium and plant root networks.

One of the most interesting findings, aside from the possibility that the mycelial networks that we all walk across every day are communicating, was how fungal spikes and spike trains resemble human neuron activity. Their findings show that the fungi’s electrochemical spikes vary based on mechanical chemical, optical and electrical stimulation.

Some fungal languages may be more complex than European languages.

During the study, Adamatzky and his team made yet another shocking discovery. They compared the complexity of the fungal spikes (words) to those of certain European languages, primarily English and Russian. They found that some of the fungal counterparts may be more complex. To find this, they converted the speculative mushroom ruminations into binary sequences.

The team then adopted analogies from the English language and made some assumptions about the distance between spikes. They were able to make an interesting finding. In English, an average vowel has a duration of 300 milliseconds (ms), with a minimum and 70 ms and a max of 400 ms. Using this as a baseline, they calculated the spike intervals of the four species (C. Militaris, F. velutipes, S. commune, O. nidi formis). They found that all four species had similar word intervals.

Furthermore, and even more strange, fungi have a relatively complex vocabulary. The researchers found S. Commune, the most linguistically complex of the four species studied, has a lexicon of 50 words. This complexity, combined with an average word length of 5.97 on the Liz-Zempel complexity hierarchy, made them incredibly similar to human speech. For example, the English language had an average score of 4.8, and Russian came in at 6.

What does this mean for human/fungi relations?

For the time being, not much, but it may not hurt to treat your local lawn and garden mushrooms with a little bit of decorum. In all seriousness, while the study is interesting and thought-provoking, it doesn’t mean much on its own. Adamatzky and his team freely admit that the studies of fungal languages via em. spike reading is in its absolute earliest stages, noting that “we don’t even understand the language of cats and dogs.”

The more we learn about the complexities of fungal, plant, and animal languages, the more we will have to think about our relationship with the rest of earth’s plant and animal life. As we discover more about fungal languages, we will inevitably develop a greater understanding of ourselves and our place on Earth. Also, if you happen to be a fan of the Stoned Ape Theory, this new information certainly has some interesting implications.
While mushrooms having language is exciting, there were some limitations.
Adamatzky and his team’s findings are incredible and should make humanity stop for a moment and reconsider what we think of as intelligence and consciousness. However, there are some limitations to the study and its findings.

The team admits that their findings are, for now, just speculative, and the models they used were limited. For instance, using binary is considered a primitive way of classifying and calculating language complexity. Furthermore, the team believes the study needs to be expanded to include more species. Lastly, the team would like to expand the study to look for grammatical complexity, lexicon, and word length.

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

Andrew, A., Andrew Adamatzky Andrew Adamatzky http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1073-2662 Unconventional Computing Laboratory, Adamatzky, A., & Andrew Adamatzky http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1073-2662 Unconventional Computing Laboratory. (2022, April 6). Language of fungi derived from their electrical spiking activity. Royal Society Open Science. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.211926

Electrical currents associated with … – Wiley Online Library. (n.d.). Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1995.tb04314.x

Fantastic Fungi. (2021, March 25). The Stoned Ape. Fantastic Fungi. Retrieved April 7, 2022, https://fantasticfungi.com/the-mush-room/the-stoned-ape-theory/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20%E2%80%9CStoned%20Ape,have%20profoundly%20changed%20their%20brains.

We all vent from time to time. We get stressed out, feel anxious, or maybe succumb to a hint of depression in our daily lives, and the influx of emotion becomes a whirling dervish of pain. To relieve that pain – and perhaps anger or frustration – we often turn to that time-honored practice of venting.

Why Do We Vent?

On the surface, venting – expressing pent-up emotions to someone else – should be a positive experience. The simple act of having an attentive or sympathetic ear by your side should be a kind of relief, empowering and satisfying.

What’s venting? You probably think you know the answer because people often perceive venting as a quick-release mechanism and an engine of good. But one of the official definitions offers a different take. Cambridge Dictionary says to vent is “to express a negative emotion in a forceful and often unfair way.”

But why do we vent, and does it always have to be negative?

According to Leon F. Seltzer, Ph.D., “Venting your frustrations alleviates tension and stress. You almost always feel better—and “lighter”—after sharing some perceived threat, indignity, misfortune, or injustice.”
Sharing our emotions is a part of what makes us human. The venting process is an essential addition to a psychological toolkit that helps us deal with the rigors of daily life. By sharing our emotions, we’re simultaneously reducing stress while making ourselves feel closer to the person we communicate with and creating a sense of belonging. There’s a fair amount of risk in showing our inner selves because we assume people will respond sympathetically. But if they do, there’s a rush of positivity because we’ve been seen, understood, and supported.

Bernard Rime said in 2009 that the act of disclosing stress is a means of coping but that venting is a 2-way street between you (the person venting) and someone on the receiving end (the person hearing the vent).

“Positive venting can reduce stress, but negative venting can lead to heightened stress and physical health concerns. It is not just about the person venting, but equally important, the person hearing the vent. Research has shown that the difference between positive and negative venting can be focused on how the person hearing the vent responds, both through speech and action (Bodie et al., 2015; Goldsmith, 2004). This research supports numerous counseling theories and models that focus on active listening, empathy, and safety.”

Venting to express our emotions serves another purpose, too. According to the experts at the University of Kansas Health System, “Just by doing that, we loosen the emotion’s grip over our well-being. Expressing our emotions brings about a lot more benefits, too. When we fail to express our emotions, our brain can often go into the fight-or-flight state. This is a physical reaction to stress that sets off a chain of events throughout our bodies.”

According to The Greater Good of the University of California, Berkley, and author Ethan Kross, sharing feelings may provide you with insight into what’s triggering complicated feelings and avoiding future upsets. The act of verbalizing what’s troubling you to someone else helps to elucidate the situation and give a name to the emotions you’re feeling. Or, if we get caught in an emotional whirling dervish of pain, the people we talk to in confidence may be able to offer new perspectives and practical advice.

So…Venting is Healthy, Right?

On the surface, the person venting earnestly appears healthy and productive, but that’s not always the case.

One of the things we need to recognize – which is hard to do when emotions are running hot – is that “emotional dumping” is often confused for venting, and it’s unhealthy.

If you’re “dumping” on someone, you or the other person could very well recognize why it’s problematic – perhaps long after the fact. Dumping your emotions tends to be toxic. It can be repetitious, directs blame at someone else without seeing your culpability, paints you as the victim, and can be overwhelming.

But genuinely healthy venting is communicative without being combative or aggressive. It has characteristics such as:

• Feels healthy
• Has limited scope, focusing on one thing at a time
• Recognizes time limits of the other person
• It doesn’t go around in circles
• There’s no blaming or self-victimization
• Assumes some level of accountability for your role in a perceived conflict
• Is receptive to finding solutions once the venting is complete

By venting in a healthy manner – which may take some preparation or even a few deep breaths – you’re doing justice not only to your own emotions but the emotions of someone willing to listen.

What Not to Say When Someone is Venting

One of the most recognized characteristics about venting is we normally wring out our emotions with people we trust: a partner, family member, friend, or co-worker. If the other person is known to be sympathetic or a captive audience (like a kind bartender or customer service representative), the process is all the easier.

But what if the shoe’s on the other foot? You’ve vented and confided in someone else for years, and now it’s their turn. How do you respond? Responding to someone venting can be a challenge, but there are some things you probably shouldn’t say at any point during the encounter. Remember, you had their attention. Now it’s their turn.

Don’t even think about saying anything close to the following.

“Let me play the devil’s advocate.”

This has deep-seated roots in Catholicism, and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary offers a two-part definition:

• a Roman Catholic official whose duty is to examine critically the evidence on which a demand for beatification or canonization rests
• a person who champions the less accepted cause for the sake of argument

Setting aside the religiosity for a moment, your train of thought should be copacetic with the second part of the definition – and mindful of why it’s a bad idea when someone needs to vent. People who vent feel wronged somehow, and by taking the other person’s side, you may be betraying their trust.

“Venting serves a specific purpose—and it’s usually to let the venter unload stress. You may add to your boyfriend or girlfriend’s stress when, by playing devil’s advocate, you express empathy for your loved one’s stressor instead of for your loved one. Or when, as devil’s advocate, you come to the stressor’s defense instead of to your boyfriend’s. Or when, also as devil’s advocate, you give away to her stressor what your girlfriend actually needs: your compassion.”

“Well, here’s something positive –”

No, the person venting doesn’t want your interpretation of any positives that can be taken away, mainly because you’re devaluing their emotions. Most people try and be optimistic and think spreading that concept is helpful, that finding a shred of a silver lining in a pot of lead can be beneficial and lower that person’s stress. But that’s beside the point. The other person isn’t looking for a silver lining or a golden pot at the end of the rainbow – their vent is a feverish request that you’ll let that person express their feelings.

“Listen, here’s what you need to do….”

The moment you start a monologue and turn the conversation back to yourself, do you know who you’ve become? You’re now Charlie Brown’s teacher, a weirdly monotone sounding person who rambles on and loses the other person after the first “wah wah wah …” What you need to do to help is simply be present, be there, be silently engaged yet supportive. You may think it’s virtuous to offer advice, but after hearing the other person’s issue for a short time – minutes or even seconds – you may simply come across as being audacious. You can’t solve their problem that quickly, and there’s a good chance the other person isn’t looking for a solution, anyway.

“How come …”

People are naturally curious, so it’s normal to want to ask, “How come you did that?” or “Why did you do that?” “Why? Why? Why?” can cause a lot of problems and invite defensive answers. The question itself isn’t bad, but it can do more harm than good when a loved one or someone else trusts you to let them vent. Instead of asking why the other person is bothered by this stressor or that stressor, let them express their emotions and be receptive to their needs.

Finally, saying nothing at all may be the worst thing to say when someone is venting. Silence isn’t always golden. In this case, it may be harmful. It can send the wrong message. By not communicating, even a simple “I understand,” you’re saying the other person isn’t important and you don’t have any sympathy or empathy to spare. It’s important to know that the wrong response can create an uncomfortable moment for you and the other person.

Final Thoughts

Lending an attentive, sympathetic ear can go a long way, and that’s often all the other person is looking for. Managing your own emotions while balancing the needs of others is never easy, but it is worth the challenge.

Chris Herbert holds a B.A. in Modern Languages and currently enjoys the Spanish lifestyle and lots of paella in Valencia, Spain. Connect with him about physical and mental wellbeing, business and entrepreneurship, and anything tennis-related on Linkedin.

Sources:

Suttie, Jill. (2021, June 21). Does Venting Your Feelings Actually Help? Greater Good Magazine. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/does_venting_your_feelings_actually_help

Seltzer, Leon F., PhD. (2014, April 2). 6 Virtues, and 6 Vices, of Venting. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-the-self/201404/6-virtues-and-6-vices-venting

Quick Guide. Why is Emotional Expression Important? Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/health-resources/turning-point/programs/resilience-toolbox/emotional-expression/why-is-emotional-expression-important The University of Kansas Health System

Kurz, Charity, PhD. (2017, March 16). Thought Hub. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF VENTING. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.sagu.edu/thoughthub/the-psychology-of-venting

Rime, Bernard. (2009, January). Research Gate. Emotion Elicits the Social Sharing of Emotion: Theory and Empirical Review. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241647192_Emotion_Elicits_the_Social_Sharing_of_Emotion_Theory_and_Empirical_Review

Definition of Venting. Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/venting

Orloff, Judith, M.D. (2017, September 8). Psychology Today. The Difference Between Venting and Dumping. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-empaths-survival-guide/201709/the-difference-between-venting-and-dumping

FoundCare, Inc. Emotional Dumping vs. Healthy Venting. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.foundcare.org/blog/385-emotional-dumping-vs-healthy-venting

Spenceley, Arleen. CatholicMatch. Here Are 5 Things NOT to Say When Your Significant Other Is Venting. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://plus.catholicmatch.com/articles/5-things-not-to-say

Definition of Devil’s Advocate. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devil%27s%20advocate

Kramer, Bryan. (2018, August 13). Forbes. The Critical Difference Between Sympathy And Empathy. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/08/13/the-critical-difference-between-sympathy-and-empathy/?sh=37a1e9d916a3

Tom, Pamela. (2016, Spring). BerkeleyHaas. The Advantage of Sympathy. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://newsroom.haas.berkeley.edu/magazine/spring-2016/the-advantage-of-sympathy/

Chang, Shawn. (2020, March 3). The University of British Columbia-Student Services. Emotional Intelligence 101: Empathetic Responses. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://students.ubc.ca/ubclife/emotional-intelligence-101-empathetic-responses

Waters, Brad. (2011, August 10). Psychology Today. Anger Management: The Five W’s of Healthy Venting. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/design-your-path/201108/anger-management-the-five-ws-healthy-venting

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as “molly,” has been found to be highly effective for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when used with conventional therapy and psychotherapy methods. The phase 3 clinical trial results were presented Tuesday at the American Chemical Society meeting in San Diego, California.

A review of data from the phase 3 results showed that MDMA was highly effective at treating PTSD when combined with psychotherapy. This efficacy carried over to participants who had the much more severe treatment-resistant form of PTSD (TR-PTSD) and those with substance abuse disorders.

The trials were conducted with 90 participants, all diagnosed with PTSD and some with TR-PTSD. The participants who received MDMA saw a reduction in their Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) of at least 20 points and a significant reduction of reported symptoms. In contrast, the control group, which received a placebo, saw a 14 point improvement.

While a six-point difference may not seem like a significant reduction vs. placebo, this is more than enough to move a patient out of the above PTSD categories. Representing a very positive change in their quality of life.

CAPS-5 scales from 0 to 80 points and is the Veteran Administration’s go-to standard for measuring the severity of PTSD symptoms. The scale uses a 30 line item questionnaire to assess the severity of a patient’s condition. Furthermore, CAPS-5 also measures the frequency and intensity of symptoms. Making it an invaluable tool for assessing a patient’s mental health.

Based on CAPS-5 scoring, a 20 point reduction represents a significant improvement for an individual’s mental health. While it is typically associated with military veterans, affecting 11-20 out of every 100 individuals, it can impact anyone who has survived a traumatic experience.

What methods did the clinical trial use?

Clinicians and researchers conducting the trial had a pool of 90 individuals with a CAP-5 score of 35 or higher. These scores place every participant in the chronic, severe, or extreme categories of PTSD symptoms. Participants received three 90-minute preparatory psychotherapy sessions, followed by the administration of three 8-hour active MDMA or placebo sessions. Nine 90-minute integrative psychotherapy coaching sessions then followed this.

This contrasts with the previous phase 2 trials, which only administered MDMA throughout two sessions. Researchers attribute the phase 3 trials improved efficacy to this 3rd MDMA session.

What do these results mean?

PTSD affects 11.8 million Americans, with many of them suffering from debilitating symptoms that disrupt their lives. Veterans, in particular, are twice as likely to develop PTSD. PTSD can compound other underlying conditions, including suicidal ideation, which veterans are also significantly more likely to be experienced.

This study and a review of six phase 2 clinical trials conducted by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) showed an overall reduction of 54.2% for patients to meet the criteria for having severe PTSD during follow-up sessions.

That over 50% reduction in symptom severity greatly improves patients’ lives. If given FDA approval and implemented on a wide scale, researchers estimate it could save $103.2 million in treatment costs for 1000 patients over a 30-year scale (for patients that meet treatment criteria).

While saving costs and improving patient outcomes is always a positive. This study and others currently being run by MAPS represent something more. They show that MDMA and other psychedelics are safe and highly effective potential treatments for some of the worst treatment-resistant conditions. The number of lives that novel treatments like MDMA could save is unknown. Still, it is safe to say that these results represent real, positive change for how America treats entrenched mental health conditions.

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:
Marseille, E., Mitchell, J. M., & Kahn, J. G. (n.d.). Updated cost-effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in the United States: Findings from a phase 3 trial. PLOS ONE. Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0263252
Va.gov: Veterans Affairs. Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5). (2018, September 24). Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/adult-int/caps.asp

Dr. Bronner’s, a well-known liquid soap company that has evolved into a household name, is making waves in the industry. A new campaign is coming that promotes the benefits of psychedelics.

The brand is famous for its bottles with tiny-font labels that line the shelves of supermarkets across the country. Often, it lists the ingredients of the product and preaches peace and love, and now–for a limited time–special editions of the famous soap will include the pros of mind-altering drugs.

“Let’s face it, the world would be a far better place if more people experienced psychedelic medicines,” said David Bronner, one of the company’s top executives and grandson of the company’s founder.

Keeping to his word, the company’s employee health care coverage became one of the first in the United States to cover ketamine therapy in January. More than that, according to corporate documents, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps has donated more than $23 million to drug advocacy and research organization since 2015.

Ketamine treatment for depression isn’t new by any means, but Dr. Bronner’s is one of the first major companies to normalize its use for employees who struggle with their mental health.

Other companies, like Open Society Foundations, have steered quietly towards drug policy changes, but Dr. Bronner’s is rare in their boisterous tone, speaking to news sources like The New York Times about psychedelics and ketamine therapy for employees.

Moves are being made around the country for drug reform, with Washington State lawmakers introducing the Psilocybin Wellness and Opportunity Act and Maryland attempting to pass a pro-psychedelics bill that would create a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Alternative Therapies Fund, but its well-known companies like Dr. Bronner’s that help move the cause forward in the eyes of the public.

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:
Jacobs, Andrew. “Dr. Bronner’s, The Soap Company, Dips into Psychedelics.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 Feb. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/health/ketamine-bronner-bros.html.

The post Popular Soap Company–Dr. Bronner’s– Plans To Explore The Psychedelic Space appeared first on ketamine.news.

By David Connell, Ketamine News
Thursday, March 17, 2022

John Hopkins University has always been a leader in the research and development of novel new psychotherapy treatments. Now their prestigious Center of Psychedelics and Consciousness Research will be at the forefront of research into the possible use of the classical psychedelic compound Psilocybin to treat depression.

Psilocybin, for those unfamiliar with the drug, is a chemical found in the Psilocybe family of mushrooms (aka magic mushrooms). While not psychoactive on its psilocybin is the precursor to psilocin, the psychoactive drug responsible for inducing altered states of consciousness in those that consume it.

While psilocybin has been well known and used in Native American cultures for millennia as a sacred and spiritual medicine, its use in the 1960s by the counter culture movement saw it outlawed under the Nixon administration in 1970 as part of the Federal Controlled Substances Act. Along with other classic psychedelics like LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), DMT (dimethyltryptamine), Peyote, and later MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine).

The ban effectively halted research into several of these drugs, which Psychiatrists of the time saw as breakthrough treatments for various mental health conditions. Until its passage, disorders like post-partum depression, bipolar disorder, and treatment-resistant depression had seen a significant quantity of experimental treatment using both LSD and psilocybin.

John Hopkins Receives $4 Million in Federal Grants to Research Psychedelic-Medicine.

Fortunately for researchers at John Hopkins and across the nation, it seems that the Federal Government is slowly beginning to shift its stance on at least a few of these compounds. By awarding $4 million in funding to John Hopkins, the fed takes its first tentative steps towards what researchers hope will be the eventual rescheduling and legalization of certain psychedelic compounds for therapeutic use.

The historical importance of this grant is monumental,” says principal investigator Matthew Johnson, Ph.D., Susan Hill Ward Professor in Psychedelics and Consciousness in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Dr. Matthew Johnson of John Hopkins University School of Medicine believes that this shift was bound to happen. A growing body of research accumulated over the last 20 years has repeatedly shown that psilocybin and, thus, psilocin is incredibly safe and has significant potential for treating conditions such as depression and end-of-life anxiety, PTSD, and addiction.

Findings from research conducted by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the National Institutes of Health, The Imperial College of London, and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelics Studies support these studies.

Although John Hopkins Center of Psychedelics and Consciousness Research is the first organization to receive a federal grant for psychedelics research in 20 years, many other organizations continue to add new studies to a growing roster of work indicating psychedelics could provide novel treatments for psychological issues.

MAPS, for example, is entering Phase 3 Clinical trials for the treatment of severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In 2018 Compass Pathways, NASDAQ: CMPS, received an FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for their use of psilocybin therapy to combat treatment-resistant depression. They are currently in Phase 2b of their clinical trials. Other companies like Revitalist, CSE: CALM now offer ketamine infusions and injections paired with therapy to treat depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and others.

With the dizzying number of companies entering the psychedelic-medicine front, it is no wonder that experts like MAPS founder Rick Doblin believe that FDA approval and legalization of drugs like MDMA and Psilocybin will happen in the next several years.

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:

Gabay, M. (2013, June). The Federal Controlled Substances Act: Schedules and Pharmacy Registration. Hospital pharmacy. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3839489/.

Johns Hopkins Medicine receives first federal grant for psychedelic treatment research in 50 Years. Johns Hopkins Medicine Newsroom. (2021, October 18). Retrieved Nov 8, 2021, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/johns-hopkins-medicine-receives-first-federal-grant-for-psychedelic-treatment-research-in-50-years.

Phase 3 program: MDMA-Assisted therapy for PTSD. MAPS. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://maps.org/research/mdma/ptsd/phase3.

Robhern. (2020, March 2). Treatment-resistant depression study: Depression clinical trials. Compass Pathways. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://compasspathways.com/our-research/psilocybin-therapy/clinical-trials/treatment-resistant-depression/.

By David Connell, Ketamine News
Thursday, January 27, 2022

A pair of state legislators in Oklahoma recently filed a bill that, if enacted, would decriminalize adult use and possession of psilocybin and other psychedelics while also encouraging and regulating research into their possible therapeutic benefits.

Reps. Daniel Pae (R) and Logan Phillips (R) introduced the legislation last week. Their proposed bill is designed to give the state legislature various options to expand scientific and medical studies in the state. Furthermore, Pae’s bill would also decriminalize possession of up to one and a half ounces of psilocybin. Possession of these amounts would be punishable by a fine, vs. the current criminal charges that possession carries

Pae’s bill also streamlines studies using psilocybin and other psychedelics. Specifically, it would authorize research into psilocybin’s potential use and efficacy for treating ten different conditions, including treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as substance abuse disorder.

“Even for Oklahoma—a place that people traditionally consider us extremely conservative Republican(s) — we’re not above helping,” he said. “We want to see measures and methods, even for those non-traditional medicines, if it brings peace of mind mental health to our communities, our citizens. We’re going to be for that.”

Rep. Daniel Pae (R)

These proposed changes to how Oklahoma handles psychedelics have the potential to be beneficial for the state’s veteran population. U.S. military veterans have a nearly 50% greater risk of developing PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideation vs. the countries’ non-veteran population.

Decriminalization and streamlining the research process for substances like psilocybin present caregivers with new and better avenues into medical research around psilocybin’s efficacy in treating PTSD, depression, and substance abuse disorder. That said, there are some strings attached for individuals interested in participating in potential studies.

Individuals who participate in any studies that would occur if the legislation passes would be required to obtain a written certification. Researchers would also be required to obtain a license. At the same time, any studies conducted without the proper licensing and authorization would carry a maximum fine of $400 but would pose no risk of jail time.

Oklahoma is Just One of Many States Proposing Psychedelic and Drug Policy Reform.

The Sooner State is just one of the many states where legislation pushing drug policy reform has been proposed. In late January, a committee of the Virginia state senate discussed and reviewed and bill to decriminalize psilocybin. This measure, like others, has some bi-partisan support, and like the Oklahoma bill, it would decriminalize possession of small amounts of psychedelic mushrooms and some other naturally occurring psychedelics.

Elsewhere, both Utah and Kansas have seen state legislators introduce bills that would either decriminalize possession of a small amount of psychedelic drugs or set up task forces to study the potential benefits of therapeutic uses of psychedelic drugs. These bills wouldn’t just cover psilocybin. A proposed bill in Michigan would also decriminalize mescaline, and other plant-based psychedelics, including psilocybin.

Further west, California Sen. Scott Wiener (D) has proposed a bill to legalize the possession and adult use of psychedelics. Wiener has stated that his bill has a good chance of being passed, believing its chances to be around 50/50. If passed, the bill would be one of the most progressive pieces of drug reform legislation passed in any state in decades. The bill has already passed through two state Assembly committees in the last twenty-four months.

Other states with significant psychedelic drug reform bills on the table include Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Colorado. In Oregon, voters passed an initiative in 2020 to legalize psilocybin treatment for mental health. Neighboring Washington State currently has a similar bill on the books, while Seattle, WA, has legalized psilocybin for supported adult use.

State Drug Reform Efforts Match up With Shifting Public Opinion regarding Psychedelics and Psychedelic Based Medicines.

Efforts by state legislators to reform drug control and criminalization policies closely follow a trend of shifting public opinion. A recent survey conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) polled 800 respondents. The survey showed that 83% of respondents believe the war on drugs to be a massive failure. 82% percent of all respondents, including independents, democrats, and republicans, supported federal drug policy reform.

Recently a survey of Americans with major mood disorders like depression showed that 53% of respondents would be interested in trying psychedelic-based medications as an alternative therapy to treat their conditions. 73% of Americans feel that medical psychedelics should be legalized on a federal level.

Past Drug Criminalization has Been Political in Nature and Has an Outsized Impact on Minority Communities.

Unfortunately, drug criminalization policies are often politically motivated and often have the heaviest impact on minority communities. This has long been the case in the U.S. since Nixon and the early days of the War on Drugs. Policies that criminalize marijuana, psilocybin, ibogaine, and peyote disproportionately impact people of color, particularly African Americans, who are significantly more likely to face jail time for possessing similar amounts of drugs as their white counterparts.

At the same time, these policies have served as a way to effectively criminalize the religious practices of a swathe of Native American tribes, who have used peyote, ibogaine, and psilocybin as central pieces in spiritual and shamanistic practices for thousands of years.

“A different reality—one where we treat people who use drugs with dignity and respect, and one where drugs are no longer an excuse for law enforcement to surveil, harass, assault and even kill Black, Latinx, and Indigenous people—is 100 percent possible, and these results clearly prove that. Fifty years later, it is no secret the devastation the drug war has caused to our communities, and yet drug possession remains the most arrested offense in the United States. And so, it should come as no surprise that Americans are ready for a drastically different approach, one where drugs are no longer used as an excuse to hold us down.”

Kassandra Frederique, the executive director of the DPA

This inequity carries on into the U.S. veteran population. Military veterans face significantly higher risks of developing a mental illness or committing suicide when compared to the nation’s civilian population. The criminalization of psychedelics continues to rifle research into potentially life-saving medicines that could radically benefit veterans.

One Legal Psychedelic Showcases the Medical Potential of This Class of Substances.

Among psychedelics with promising medical applications, only one is currently legal and actively used to treat mental health conditions. Ketamine, an anesthetic with psychedelic-like effects, is now used off-label to treat many mental health conditions. While a derivative of ketamine, SPRAVATO ® is FDA approved for the treatment of depression.

First developed in 1950, ketamine was given FDA approval for anesthetic use in the mid-1970s. From there, it was rapidly adopted by the U.S. military as a battlefield anesthetic and would become one of the most widely used psychedelic compounds in the U.S. and abroad.

Ketamine is also the preferred anesthetic for pediatric use due to its safety profile. Unlike other common anesthetic medications, like propofol, ketamine does not have a depressive effect on the respiratory system, making it relatively safe for use with children and at-risk populations such as the elderly or those with breathing conditions.

In the early 2000s, ketamine gained popularity as an off-label treatment for depression, treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Studies have shown that ketamine is 70% more effective at combating treatment-resistant depression (TRD) vs. traditional treatment options like SSRIs.

Ketamine serves as an excellent example of the potential that psychedelic medications have, with psilocybin, MDMA, and even LSD showing similar and, in some cases, greater efficacy for treating the above conditions.

As opinions around psychedelic medicine continue to shift towards the positive, the public must be educated on the reality, safety, and efficacy of psychedelic medicines. There are various ways readers can learn about, support, and track drug decriminalization and legalization efforts in their states. Marijuana Moment offers a live tracker of state-level drug reform proposals and organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Open Society Foundations (OSF), Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), American Psychedelic Practitioners Association (APPA), and the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) offer a range of ways to support state and federal efforts to change the U.S. approach to drug control.

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.

“A single dose of psilocybin generated a rapid response that lasted up to 12 weeks,” explained primary trial investigator Dr. David J. Hellerstein.

Compass Pathways eagerly awaited trial results are out, and the findings are impressive. With their COMP360 psilocybin therapy drug, Compass Pathways’ trial has shown that psilocybin-based therapy rapidly reduced the severity of depressive symptoms for patients with treatment-resistant depression.

As the largest psilocybin therapy trial the world has seen, Compass Pathways pulled together 233 patients from 10 countries in North America and Europe. All participants ceased using their antidepressants before the study began, and 94% of them had no prior experience with psilocybin, a psychedelic compound produced by the psilocybe family of mushrooms.

The trial compared two doses of the COMP360 psilocybin derivative, a 25mg dose and 10mg dose, with a 1mg dose used as a control. The dose administration was paired with psychological support from trained therapists on hand throughout the study.

Participants who received the 25mg dose of COMP360 showed a -6.6 difference on the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at the third week compared to the participants who received just 1mg of the compound.

A single dose of psilocybin generated a rapid response that lasted up to 12 weeks, Hellerstein reported. Remission rates appear to be higher than seen in traditional medication studies. These findings suggest that COMP360 psilocybin therapy could play a major role in psychiatric care.

While the study was successful, some patients did experience minor symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and insomnia. These side effects aligned with those commonly reported by other psilocybin users and passed relatively quickly. Twelve patients also reported more severe side effects, including suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation. These events were nearly all associated with the 25mg dose.

Despite some side effects, the study results were overall positive and represent a new potential treatment avenue for depression. The study results are especially notable for the 100 million people suffering from treatment-resistant depression. Treatment-resistant depression is a condition where patients fail to respond to two or more anti-depression treatments.

Psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds such as Ketamine, in use by organizations such as Revitalist and Field Trip Health, represent exciting and novel new treatment options. Compass Pathways expects to enter Phase 3 research for the COMP360 psilocybin derivative in 2022.

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:

Compass Pathways plc announces financial results and business highlights for the second quarter 2021. COMPASS Pathways plc. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2021 fromhttps://ir.compasspathways.com/news-releases/news-release-details/compass-pathways-plc-announces-financial-results-and-business-1.

Washington State citizens can rejoice to know their elected officials are making waves in the mental health world. Last month, a pair of Washington State lawmakers introduced new legislation that would legalize “supported psilocybin experiences” in those who are 21 years old and older.

If it goes through, the Psilocybin Wellness and Opportunity Act will make it legal for Washington residents to consume products that contain psilocybin and psilocin under the supervision of a trained and state-licensed psilocybin service administrator.

Psilocybin and psilocin are two of the main active ingredients in psychedelic mushrooms. In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in the potential therapeutic uses of psilocybin in a controlled environment.

Various medical institutions, both national and international, have shown that psilocybin can help treat “a variety of behavioral health conditions,” per Senate Bill 5660 that is sponsored by Sens. Jesse Salomon (D) and Liz Lovelette (D), “including but not limited to addiction, depression, anxiety disorders, and end-of-life psychological distress.”

Hope is possible for those who have otherwise believed themselves to be “treatment-resistant.”

When asked about the “magic” mushrooms in question, Salomon said, “It sounds kind of ‘magical,’ but the research is pretty positive. It’s pretty amazing and hard to believe the long-term success for addiction recovery, depression, and anxiety that we’re seeing.”

The way it works is that psychedelic drugs break down barriers in the brain, allowing for new communication networks. This neuroplasticity makes it easier for people to understand and break bad habits and opens their minds to new ways of learning.

Washington State isn’t new to the innovative treatment field for mental health conditions. Psychedelic ketamine use has already been legal for some time in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, etc.

Bill 5660 would differ from the state’s ketamine use, however. If this bill passes, it would mean that residents would not need a doctor or licensed counselor to prescribe psilocybin.

“Native, Indigenous societies have been doing this for thousands of years,” said Salomon. “We have to give them a way for their traditional shamans and practitioners to do this. We don’t want the barrier to be too high because asking someone to be a traditional healer and a Ph.D. is asking a lot of anyone.”

The bill is expected to appear before the legislature’s health care committee soon. Check back for updates.

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:
Wilkinson, Eric. “Bill to Legalize Psilocybin for Therapeutic Use Introduced in Washington.” king5.Com, 25 Jan. 2022, https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/state-politics/psilocybin-magic-mushrooms-legalization-bill-introduced/281-3849f67f-0695-483b-8353-6b2d09afce2d.