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Medicine
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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4
Uploaded by ChefElkMaster351
Caden Robbins
Should the use of certain hallucinogenic/psychedelic drugs be federally decriminalized and medically destigmatized for the use of mental wellness and pain management?
Bogenschutz, M.P., Forcehimes, A.A., et al. (2015). Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study. Journal of Psychopharmacology
, 29(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881114565144.
This study, authored by Bogenschutz et al., presents a proof-of-concept investigation, conducted a pioneering investigation into the use of psilocybin, a naturally occurring hallucinogenic compound found in certain mushrooms, as a potential treatment for alcohol dependence. T
en participants with alcohol dependence, were given psilocybin in supervised sessions alongside Motivational Enhancement Therapy and preparation and debriefing sessions. The participants' reactions to psilocybin were like those in other studies. While abstinence from alcohol dependence didn't notably improve during the initial 4 weeks without psilocybin, it significantly increased after psilocybin treatment. These positive effects were maintained for up to 36 weeks. The intensity of the first psilocybin session at week 4 strongly predicted changes in drinking behavior from weeks 5-8 and also reduced craving and boosted abstinence self-efficacy during week 5. No significant negative side effects were reported. These initial results support the need for larger controlled trials to further explore the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of this approach. The research also delved into the psychological and emotional experiences of participants during the psilocybin sessions, shedding light on the mechanism by which psilocybin might facilitate positive changes in behavior and addiction patterns.
In the broader context of the ethical debate over the medical use of hallucinogenic drugs, this study furthers the argument in favor of their decriminalization for specific therapeutic applications. It underscores the importance of responsible, clinical administration to harness their therapeutic potential.
Di Virgilio, V., Minerbi, A., Deol, J. K., Aggerwal, S., Safi, T., & Gupta, G. (2023). A Retrospective Study to Determine the Impact of Psychedelic Therapy for Dimensional Measures of Wellness: A Quantitative Analysis https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.05.10.23289787
This source explores the impact of psychedelic medicines on wellness, using a dimensional approach to measure treatment effects more broadly. The study recruited 65 civilian and military veterans who had used psychedelic medicines for non-recreational purposes within the last 3 years. Participants completed standardized questionnaires assessing their well-being in terms of pain, function, and mood scores, including the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scale, Pain, Enjoyment of Life and General Activity (PEG) scale, Anxiety and Depression scale (ADS), and Disability Index (DI) scale. The analysis focused on reported PGIC outcomes and correlations between subscales. The source begins by defining wellness according to the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighting the limitations of diagnostic criteria in mental health. It introduces the concept of a dimensional approach to assessing wellness and discusses the potential of psychedelic medicines as an emerging therapy. The study found that participants reported improvement in the categories of: pain, mental health, function, and overall quality of life. After using psychedelic medicines, the highest improvement seen in mental health and overall quality of life. This source calls for more research needing to be done because of such a small sample size. Overall, this study points
toward the need for exploration into the legalization of medical use psychedelics. It also shows there is a necessary benefit to the building of a system that endorses the use of psychedelics for mental and physical health problems. From an ethical standpoint any treatment that would better the mental health of society should be investigated observing the principles of utilitarianism, beneficence, autonomy, non-maleficence, and justice.
Kurtz, J. S., Patel, N. A., Gendreau, J. L., Yang, C., Brown, N., Bui, N., Picton, B., Harris, M., Hatter, M., Beyer, R., Sahyouni, R., Diaz-Aguilar, L. D., Castellanos, J., Schuster, N., & Abraham, M. E. (2022). The Use of Psychedelics in the Treatment of Medical Conditions: An Analysis of Currently Registered Psychedelics Studies in the American Drug Trial Registry. Cureus, 14(9), e20132. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9567237/
The article provides an overview of the historical context of psychedelics in medical research. From their initial introduction in Western science to their criminalization in the 1970s. Highlighting the increase of research in the last two decades that focus on substances like psilocybin and MDMA and their potential therapeutic applications for: depression, addiction, and PTSD. The study identified 105 clinical trials that met the criteria of psychedelics in medical research. The clinical trials consisted of psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD in 24.8%, 13.3%, and 3.8% of studies, respectively. There were seven clinical trials that investigated all or a combination of psychedelic substances, and in this psilocybin was commonly administered alongside other drugs. The results of the trials demonstrated an increasing trend in psychedelic clinical trials over time stemming around 2017. Many of these trials were in the early stages of the studies. The article noted that the United States is where the majority of clinical trials are being done 70.5%, with the rest in Switzerland 9.5%, Canada 4.8%, and several other countries.
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The article acknowledges limitations of current studies being the inability to evaluate patient attitudes toward these treatments. This source points out the current state of how stigmatization is limiting the possible medical use and treatment of PTSD and depression in the United States.