Psychedelics: New Frontiers in Alternative Medicine
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vol. 5 no. 5 cannabissciencetech.com
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feature / research
during treatment sessions. No
clinically significant adverse
events were noted.
• The association between
psychedelic-induced mystical
experience and therapeutic
outcome when psychedelic
drugs are given under optimal
conditions provides a potentially
valuable therapeutic intervention
for disorders that are otherwise
difficult to treat.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Treatment with Psychedelic Drugs
The key takeaways from this study
were (10):
• 2013 study from the University
of South Florida (Hillsborough
County, Florida), supported the
hypothesis that psilocybin can
help break the traumatic cycle
that occurs in patients with PTSD
• Stephen Ross, MD, a psychiatrist
at NYU Langone (New York, New
York), conducted a study on
terminally-ill cancer patients, and
found that one-time treatment
with psilocybin very quickly
brought relief from distress that
had lasted more than 6 months in
80% of study subjects
• Patients noted that after being
treated with psilocybin, they felt
their quality of life improve.
• They noted that they wanted
to engage more with external
activities, had more energy,
experienced improved
relationships with their family
members, and performed better at
work (4).
Finally, we need to address micro-
dosing which has come to light as one
of the ways to engage in psychedel-
ic therapy without the full effect of a
hallucinogenic "trip." Microdosing is
the utilization or consumption of low
sub-sensorium, sub-hallucinogenic dos-
es of a psychedelic drug (3). In current
testing and trials, this is a safer, more
easily tolerated, and therapeutic meth-
od of using psychedelics when a deep
journey is not necessary. Research is
currently underway, exploring micro-
dosing as a means to increase the safety
profile of psychedelic therapy.
Conclusion
In summary, the therapeutic role of
psychedelics goes back thousands of
years, but new research and the appli-
cation of micro-dosing principles have
created renewed interest in the power
of psychedelics. Early research shows
success, but more studies need to be
done. The power to heal the mind with
psychedelics is real.
References
(1) https://www.psychologytoday.
com/us/basics/trauma.
(2) National Center for Biotechnology
Information, U.S. National Library
of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike,
Bethesda MD, 20894 https://www.ncbi.
nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207191/.
(3) T. Anderson, R. Petranker, and A. Christopher,
et al. Harm Reduct. J. 16, 43 (2019). https://
doi.org/10.1186/s12954-019-0308-4.
(4) J.M. Rootman, P. Kryskow, and K. Harvey,
et al. Sci. Rep. 11, 22479 (2021). https://
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01811-4.
(5) R. Carhart-Harris, B. Giribaldi, R. Watts,
M. Baker-Jones, A. Murphy-Beiner, R.
Murphy, J. Martell, A. Blemings, D.
Erritzoe, and D.J. Nutt, N. Engl. J. Med.
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Cosimano, N.D. Sepeda, M.W. Johnson,
P.H. Finan, and R.R. Griffiths, JAMA
Psychiatry 78(5), 481-489 (2021). doi:
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(7) T. Varker, L. Watson, K. Gibson, D.
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(8) M.C. Mithoefer, C.S. Grob, and T.D.
Brewerton, The Lancet Psychiatry 3(5),
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(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/
article/pii/S2215036615005763).
(9) Northwest Therapies Trauma Psilocybin
Study Compassionate Use Study
(NWTTPS), https://clinicaltrials.gov/
ct2/show/NCT05042466#wrapper.
(10) 2022 NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment
with Psychedelic Drugs, https://med.nyu.
edu/departments-institutes/population-
health/divisions-sections-centers/
medical-ethics/education/high-school-
bioethics-project/learning-scenarios/
ptsd-treatment-psychedelics.
(11) "How ecstasy and psilocybin are shaking up
psychiatry" Nature 589, 506-509 (2021)doi:
https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-00187-9.
(12) MIND Foundation gGmbH, Boxhagener
Straße 82ª 10245 Berlin, https://mind-
foundation.org/predictive-coding/.
(13) M.K. Madsen, P.M. Fisher, and D.
Burmester, et al., Neuropsychopharmacol.
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About the Author
J A M ES S C H W A RTZ, BSN, LNC is a graduate
student in Medical Cannabis Science and
Therapeutics at the University of Maryland
School of Pharmacy in Baltimore, Maryland
and the CEO of Cascade High Organics. Direct
correspondence to: james@cascadehigh.com
