Tag Archives: psychedelics

Exploring psychedelics for the treatment of Veterans

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“When it comes to mental health, all options need to be on the table.”

September 26, 2023 (news.va.gov)

By Hans Petersen

VHA News Editor and Air Force Veteran

An audio-only version of podcast can be found here.

VA is committed to safely exploring all avenues that promote the health of our nation’s Veterans. In line with this goal, VA conducts studies under stringent protocols at various facilities nationwide to identify if psychedelic compounds can treat Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and potentially other mental health conditions.

In the new podcast series, New Horizons in Health, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, VA under secretary for Health, leads a candid discussion on psychedelic assisted therapies for Veterans experiencing a number of mental health conditions.

A Marine and Army Veteran who participated in a research trial nine years ago describes the experience and his life after recovery from PTSD and suicidal ideation.

Elnahal is joined by VA subject matter experts who describe in detail the research experience for Veterans and the many safeguards in place to allow Veterans to participate in the programs.

Safety considerations

Research trials include medical monitoring with proper medical and psychiatric screening done in advance. The researchers also make sure Veterans have the necessary social support and structure around them during the trials.

The panel discusses some of the risks with the drugs used and how to manage expected side effects and the monitoring of Veterans during the therapy.

A very important issue discussed is self-medication with the drugs mentioned. The risk for serious injury or death from using drugs that are not prescribed under the care of a medical professional is too high. The research protocols also ensure a Veteran receives the essential psychotherapy component of the treatment needed to achieve positive results.

VA is excited about the potential of these treatments and getting the scientific questions answered. If the science supports it, we want to bring the best and most innovative therapies to Veterans across America.

If you’re a Veteran having thoughts of suicide or concerned about one who is, reach 24/7 crisis support through the new Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) number: Dial 988, then Press 1.

Psychedelics and the Soul with Rachel Harris

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New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove • May 14, 2023 Rachel Harris, PhD, a psychologist, is author of Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addictions, PTSD, and Anxiety. Her newest book is Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground. Her website is http://www.swimminginthesacred.com In this interview she shares insights gleaned from interviews with fifteen women who serve as spiritual guides during psychedelic experiences. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:13 Fearlessness 00:11:59 Apprecticeship 00:28:35 The western mindset 00:41:07 Psychotherapeutic lineage 00:55:41 The underground 01:09:02 Conclusion Edited subtitles for this video are available in Russian, Portuguese, Italian, German, French, and Spanish. New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in “parapsychology” ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). He is also the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Bigelow Institute essay competition regarding the best evidence for survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily death. (Recorded on May 5, 2023)

Psychoactive Drugs with [Terrence’s brother] Dennis McKenna

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New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove Feb 16, 2023 Dennis McKenna, PhD, is founder of the McKenna Academy for Natural Philosophy. He is coauthor, with his late brother Terence, of The Invisible Landscape and also Psilycyben: Magic Mushroom Grower’s Guide. He is author of Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss: My Life with Terence McKenna. He is also editor of the two-volume set, Ethnopharmocologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs. His website is https://mckenna.academy/. In this video he describes his evolution from a psychenautical pioneer to a scientist and educator in the realm of psychedelics. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:10:29 Hyperspace Teachers 00:18:34 La Chorrera Experiment 00:33:12 Time Wave Theory 00:46:54 Delusional Ideation 00:52:59 Psychedelic Tourism 01:00:57 Conclusion Also mentioned in this video are the following websites: https://iceers.org/ and https://www.imc.fund/. Edited subtitles for this video are available in Russian, Portuguese, Italian, German, French, and Spanish. New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in “parapsychology” ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). He is also the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Bigelow Institute essay competition regarding the best evidence for survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily death. (Recorded on January 29, 2023)