Healing Through Psychedelics

On this edition of Peace Talks Radio, we’re exploring the world of therapeutic psychedelic drugs. After a golden age of research in the 1950s and 1960s, research on therapeutic uses of psychedelics was grounded for much of the 20th century after they were classified as schedule 1 drugs. This classification means they have no medical use and a high potential for abuse. In recent years, scientists have challenged those assumptions and this line of research has started to gain new momentum, with particular focus on how these substances may relieve suffering for people struggling with trauma and PTSD. Scientists are still trying to understand exactly how they work therapeutically, but believe substances like MDMA, psilocybin and LSD help the brain rewire in a way that allows new perspectives on psychiatric problems. While these drugs may be better known for their recreational uses, researchers say they have huge potential to help people struggling with mental health conditions that are sometimes resistant to other treatments, or require indefinite use, like antidepressant medications. We’ll hear about this research and how therapists are integrating psychedelic use into their work with clients. Danielle Preiss talks with three guests who provide different perspectives on the therapeutic uses of psychedelic drugs. We’ll hear from Shannon Miller a therapist who works with people who are using therapeutic psychedelics and from Shawn, a humanitarian aid worker from the UK who tried a therapeutic mushroom trip herself. We will also hear from Dr. Jennifer Mitchell, a researcher working on this cutting edge science at the UCSF department of neurology and the San Francisco Veteran’s Administration.