McAuliffe1

PsychedelicTherapy:
TheWorldofLSD,MDMAandPsilocybinMushroomsinTreatmentof
MentalIllness
By:JillianMcAuliffe

McAuliffe2

JillianMcAuliffe
5/12/15
HealthServices2
Toth

PsychedelicTherapy

Ofthe130,000veteransregisteredintheHoustonarea,9,695havebeentreatedfor
PTSD(PostTraumaticStressDisorder),accordingtotheDepartmentofVeteransAffairs.(In
study,ecstasyshowspromisefortreatingPTSD.
StarsandStripes
6May2014.
Opposing
ViewpointsinContext.
Web.12.May2015).
Uponhearingtheterms
LSD,acid,molly,ecstasy,e,mushrooms,mushies,
or
shrooms,
thoughtsofWoodstock,longhairedhippies,andgogobootscometomind.However,thefield
ofpsychiatryislookingtochangethatimage.Usedtherapeuticallyandinmoderation,LSD,
MDMA(ecstasy),andPsilocybinmushroomscantreatPTSD,depression,andcreate
longlastingpositiveeffects.Theuseofhallucinogenstotreatmentalillnesssoundsbarbaric
initially,buttheconnectionsyourbraincancreateare...radicallydifferentconnectivity
patternsbetweencorticalregions(thepartsthoughttoplayanimportantrolein
consciousness).(Bone,Eugenia.CanMushroomsTreatDepression?
NewYorkTimes
30
Nov.201410(L).
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.Web.12May2015)

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LysergicAcidDiethylamide
orLSD,is...themostpotentconsciencealtering
substanceknowntoman.("TheStraightUpGuidetoDrugs,Addiction,DrugAbuse,and
Treatment."TheGoodDrugsGuide.InternetBrands,2015.Web.18May2015)Itis
harvestedfromthefungusErgot,whichgrowsinryeandothergrains.Acidisusually
administeredindrops,athinpieceofjello,oronaquarterinchabsorbenttabofcolorful
paper.Acidcancausedilatedpupils,varying/multipleemotions,vividhallucinations/delusions,
alossofappetiteornausea,drymouth,tremors,sleeplessness,andsweating.Therecanbe
fearandparanoiawhenadministeringinanuncomfortableorunfamiliarenvironment.A
commonmythaboutLSDisthatitcanmakeyouwanttokillyourselforgoinsane.However,
whenusedclinicallyinthe1960's,psychiatristDr.SidneyCohensurveyedasampleof5000
individualswhohadtakenLSDtwentyfivethousandtimes.Hefoundanaverageof1.8
psychoticepisodesperthousandingestions,1.2attemptedsuicides,and0.4completed
suicides.Consideringtheenormousscopeofthepsychicresponsesitinduces,he
concluded,LSDisanastonishinglysafedrug."("TheStraightUpGuidetoDrugs,Addiction,
DrugAbuse,andTreatment."TheGoodDrugsGuide.InternetBrands,2015.Web.18May
2015)

Ecstasy,orMDMA(
3,4methylenedioxymethamphetamine
)isoneofthemostpopular
clubdrugstoday.However,thereissomedangerintakingit,sinceitisunnaturallyderived
andcanbecutwithother,more`dangerousdrugs.Itgetsitsnameif"Ecstasy"fromthe
euphoricsensationitcreates.Ecstasyisacombinationofamphetaminesandahallucinogen.
Itusuallycomesinawhiteoryellowishpowderinaclearcapsule,orinacolorfulpillstamped
withashapeordecoration.Whentaken,itcreatesfeelingsofwarmth,pleasure,empathy,
andsensitivity.Thefeelingscomeoninwavesthatstrengthenthelongerthedrugisinthe

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body.Theeffectsusuallylast46hours."Alongwithfeelinggood,apersonwhotakesEmay
findthatcommunicatingwithothersismucheasier.Theyaremoreopenandtrustingof
othersthanwhennotundertheinfluenceofthedrug"("TheStraightUpGuidetoDrugs,
Addiction,DrugAbuse,andTreatment."TheGoodDrugsGuide.InternetBrands,2015.Web.
18May2015).Thatbeingsaid,itisobviousthedrughastheabilitytomakeanenvironment
moretherapeuticandcomfortable.Thiscanbeveryhelpfulincoercingsomeonetodiscuss
theirPTSD.

"Thereareover90speciesofmagicmushroomsworldwide"("TheStraightUpGuide
toDrugs,Addiction,DrugAbuse,andTreatment."TheGoodDrugsGuide.InternetBrands,
2015.Web.18May2015).Naturallyoccurringandnontoxic,magicmushroomsareoneof
thesafestroutesinpsychedelictherapy.TheycontainthechemicalPsilocybin,which
metabolizestoPsilocininthebody,andcausesmindalteringeffects.Theyareusuallybrown
orblackandcancomedriedorwhole,andcanbeeatenasisormadeintoatea."Simplyput,
italtersandexpandsconsciousnessbylooseningorathigherdosescompletelyerasing
thenormalfiltersandscreensbetweenyourconsciousmindandtheoutsideworld"("The
StraightUpGuidetoDrugs,Addiction,DrugAbuse,andTreatment."TheGoodDrugsGuide.
InternetBrands,2015.Web.18May2015).Atlowerdoses,mushroomscancausegiggling,
tingling,asenseofeuphoriaandcolorvibrancy.Musicwillsoundricher.Nomatterthe
amountofuse,Psilocybinhaslittletonoadverseeffectswhenendingthetrip."Withthese
filtersdown,moreinformationrushesinandyoubecomeawareofthingsnormallyfilteredout
byyourmind.Yousensemore,thinkmore,feelmorevisual,auditory,sensory,emotional
theintricatedetailsonsurfaces,therichnessofsound,thebrightnessofcolors,andthe

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complexityofyourownmentalprocesses"("TheStraightUpGuidetoDrugs,Addiction,Drug
Abuse,andTreatment."TheGoodDrugsGuide.InternetBrands,2015.Web.18May2015).

TreatingPTSDcanbeverytediousandtimeconsuming,consideringthevarietyof
optionsoffered.AttheUniversityofTexas,studiesontheeffectivityofMDMAonabuse
victimshavecommenced.Therewere21testsubjects,allwhohadbeen"...victimsofchild
sexabuseandrapewhohadn'tfoundreliefthroughothertherapies"(Instudy,ecstasyshows
promisefortreatingPTSD.
StarsandStripes
6May2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12.May2015).In83%ofthecases,accordingtoMithoefer,thesubjectswerefoundto
besymptomfreeforupto4yearslater(Instudy,ecstasyshowspromisefortreatingPTSD.
StarsandStripes
6May2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12.May2015).The3
subjectsthatsufferedarelapseweresimplybroughtinfora'boostersession'ofMDMAand
counseling,thatreturnedthemtoasymptomlessstate,accordingtoMithoefer.MDMA
decreasesactivityintheamygdalawherefeararises,andincreasesactivityintheprefrontal
cortexthesiteofhigherfunction(Instudy,ecstasyshowspromisefortreatingPTSD.
Stars
andStripes
6May2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12.May2015).Itmaybea
hitpartydrug,butwiththecorrectuse,canprovideahigherunderstandingofourthinking,
anddeeplyemotionalhealing.Althoughoriginallypatentedtocontrolbleedingin1912,by
1977,psychologistshadbeguntouseitfortreatmentofanxiety,PTSD,andevenchronic
pain(Instudy,ecstasyshowspromisefortreatingPTSD.
StarsandStripes
6May2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12.May2015).
Ecstasyisjustthebeginning.RolandGriffiths,apsychopharmacologist,isanexpertin
thefieldofpsychedelicsandtherapy.Hewonapprovaltoconductthefirststudiesofeffectsof
psychedelicdrugsin30years.HechosePsilocybinmushroomsandacid,whichlikemost

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psychedelics,ashehadlearnedinhispreviouswork,wasnotaddictive().Thedrugwas
administeredto36people,morethan70%ofwhomselfratedtheexperienceas...oneofthe
fivemostimportantintheirlives(Shroder,Tom.AcidTest:thecaseforusingpsychedelics
totreatPTSD,depression.
WashingtonPost
5Sept.2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.
Web.12May2015),andnearlyathird...rateditthesinglemostimportantexperienceoftheir
lives(Shroder,Tom.AcidTest:thecaseforusingpsychedelicstotreatPTSD,depression.
WashingtonPost
5Sept.2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.Web.12May2015).What
hewasnotpreparedfor,hesaysispeoplewouldcomeintwomonthslaterandIwouldsay,
Well,sowhatdoyouthinkoftheexperience?AndtheydsayItwasoneofthemost
importantexperiencesinmylife(Shroder,Tom.AcidTest:thecaseforusingpsychedelics
totreatPTSD,depression.
WashingtonPost
5Sept.2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.
Web.12May2015).InthecasesofbothEcstasyandPsilocybinmushroomuse,whenused
appropriatelyandundersupervision,theycancreatefeelingsofsafety,comfort,andwarmth,
andcanopentheconsciousbarriertoallowcriticalevaluationofoneslifeandchoices.This
typeofcriticalthinkingcanhelpinduceinnerpeace,allowingonetoacceptthetraumaand
growfromit.

...brainsonPsilocybinshowedradicallydifferentconnectivitypatternsbetween
corticalregions(thepartsthoughttoplayanimportantroleinconsciousness).The
researchersmappedouttheseconnections,revealingtheactivityofnewneuralnetworks
betweenotherwisedisconnectedbrainregions(Bone,Eugenia.CanMushroomsTreat
Depression?
NewYorkTimes
30Nov.201410(L).
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.Web.12
May2015).Afteringestion,PsilocybinmetabolizestoPsilocin,whichissimilartoserotoninin
chemicalconstruct.Serotoninregulatesmood,appetite,sleep,memory,learning,andfeelings

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ofpleasure.ThechangeinneuralbehaviorundertheinfluenceofPsilocybinmaybe
medicallysignificantintreatingdepression.Griffithsbeganhissecondstudywith
psychedelics,withtheideainmindthatPsilocybincouldeaseanxietyanddepressionof
thosewithlifethreateningcancer.Using44testsubjects,Griffithsfoundthat,...the
experiencesignificantlyreducesthesubject'sfearofdeathandtendstochangetheirfocus
fromaggressivemedicaltreatmenttoenhancingthequalityoftheirremaininglife(Shroder,
Tom.AcidTest:thecaseforusingpsychedelicstotreatPTSD,depression.
Washington
Post
5Sept.2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.Web.12May2015).ClarkMartincaught
windofthestudy,andhadbeenbattlingvariouscancersfornearly18years.Therewasno
experienceofanythingsandthemindseemedlucidandalert.Itwasverycomfortableand
somehowfamiliar.Therewasnodruggedfeeling,Iftherewereanywordstodescribeit,they
mightbecuriosity,orawe.(Shroder,Tom.AcidTest:thecaseforusingpsychedelicsto
treatPTSD,depression.
WashingtonPost
5Sept.2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.
Web.12May2015).Inthenextfewweeks,theexperiencekeptworkingonhim.Hewrote:
'"Therehasbeenashiftfromtryingtomicromanagelifetotrustingintuitionandspontaneity.
...I'mmorefocusedonvaluesandprocessandlesslikelytofeellongrangegoalsaresetin
stone.Iamagaininvolvedprofessionallyandsocially.Mostsignificantly,lifehascontinuedto
openup,amoveawayfromthedepressionandwhatfeltlikeadownwardspiral.Somehow,
thePsilocybinreengagedafullnessoffunctionthathadbeenlost"'(Shroder,Tom.Acid
Test:thecaseforusingpsychedelicstotreatPTSD,depression.
WashingtonPost
5Sept.
2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.Web.12May2015).AfterusingthePsilocybin,Martin
feltemotionallycloserwithhisdaughterandhisfather.
"Asthedrugworeoff,Iwentindoorstotakeahotbath.ForamomentIthoughtthatit
mightnotbeaverygoodidea,asbathtimeiswhenwomeninmiddleagecanbevery

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selfcriticalandunforgiving,andIdidn'twantthesightofmywaistlinetoveermeintoabad
trip.ButwhileinthetubIenvisionedmybodyasashipthatwastakingmethroughlife,and
thatmadeitbeautiful.Istoppedfeelingguiltyaboutgrowingolderandregretfulaboutlosing
mylooks.Instead,Ifeltoverwhelminggratitude.ItwasatremendousreliefthatIstillfeel"
(Bone,Eugenia.CanMushroomsTreatDepression?
NewYorkTimes
30Nov.201410(L).
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.Web.12May2015).Sufferingfrommentalillnessisvery
common,butnotallsufferfromit.Thosewhodonotmaystillsufferfromselfesteemissues.
Theauthorofthis
NewYorkTimes
articletookPsilocybinmushroomsaspartofresearchfor
abook.Shedescribesexperiencingnumeroussmallepiphaniesandfeelingasymbiosiswith
nature.InstudiesperformedbytheImperialCollegeLondon,Dr.CarhartHarrisbelievesthat
"...thedrugsmayunlockemotionwhile'basicallykillingtheego,'allowinguserstobeless
narrowmindedandletgoofnegativeoutlooks"(Feltman,Rachel.Psychedelicmushrooms
mayhavepositivelongtermeffects.
WashingtonPost
4July2014.
OpposingViewpointsin
Context.
Web.12May2015).Theeffectsofmushroomscreatebrainactivitycomparableto
dreaming,butdreamingdoesnothavethesamelongtermeffects.Infact,whenadministered
duringsleep,thedrugpromotedhigherlevelsofactivityduringREM(RapidEyeMovement)
sleep.Dr.CarhartHarrisishopingtoseemoreofthiscompoundinmedicine,seeingtherelief
itprovides.'"Thewaywetreatpsychologicalillnessesnowistodampenthings.Wedampen
anxiety,dampenone'semotionalrangeinthehopeofcuringdepression,takingthestingout
ofwhatonefeels"'(Feltman,Rachel.Psychedelicmushroomsmayhavepositivelongterm
effects.
WashingtonPost
4July2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12May2015).

Itiseasytoconcludethatalthoughillegal,somedrugscanbetherapeuticandnurture
themind.LSD,MDMA,andPsilocybincanbeadministeredandsuccessfullyusedtotreat

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chronicmentalillnessandcreateallaroundbetterwellness.OtherthanPTSD,and
depression,specificallymushroomscanbeusedtotreatOCD(ObsessiveCompulsive
Disorder)and...byreducingsymptomslikerepetitivecounting,orhandwashing(Bone,
Eugenia.CanMushroomsTreatDepression?
NewYorkTimes
30Nov.201410(L).
OpposingViewpointsinContext
.Web.12May2015).Throughmoderateduseandtherapy,
therearenowmoreoptionsforpeoplewithPTSD,depression,andselfesteemissuestofind
solaceandcomfort,andtobettertheirmentalhealthallaround.

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Instudy,ecstasyshowspromisefortreatingPTSD.
StarsandStripes
6May2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12.May2015.
Bone,Eugenia.CanMushroomsTreatDepression?
NewYorkTimes
30Nov.2014
10(L).
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12May2015.
Shroder,Tom.AcidTest:thecaseforusingpsychedelicstotreatPTSD,
depression.
WashingtonPost
5Sept.2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12
May2015
Feltman,Rachel.Psychedelicmushroomsmayhavepositivelongtermeffects.
WashingtonPost
4July2014.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.12May2015.
"TheStraightUpGuidetoDrugs,Addiction,DrugAbuse,andTreatment."TheGood
DrugsGuide.InternetBrands,2015.Web.18May2015.