Over the last decade or so, much has changed concerning the way the United States views specific drugs. For a long time, we have dismissed certain drugs for treatment because they were used recreationally. Now the science is catching up with the stigma and all kinds of new treatments are being created for patients in need. Whether it’s for a patient in physical pain or someone going through mental health issues like trauma, there are plenty of experimental drugs making big waves in the medical field. Below are five treatment programs that use these drugs in a new way.
Ketamine
Ketamine is a dissociative drug used for a wide range of purposes. Lately, there have been all kinds of new treatments using ketamine. It is used to treat depression, trauma, and other mental health problems. The dissociative properties of ketamine result in what people call the “K-hole,” which can allow the patient to view their mental state and issues in a new light. It helps them separate themselves from what is ailing them.
Ketamine has been used for years as a party drug, but now with guided sessions it can be used for much more benevolent purposes. For example, ketamine has shown promise to mitigate depression and alleviate suicidal thoughts. It also has shown that it can help people with trauma accept and live with it, enabling them to see the events clearly without emotion. The therapy isn’t all pleasant every time, but what ketamine therapy reveals is typically quite relevant. The treatment has been approved by several states, even in conservative ones like Arizona.
MDMA
MDMA is a psychedelic drug that was originally branded as ecstasy or “E.” At that time, the pure MDMA was usually combined with other drugs and powders. Now, with the science and research improving around MDMA, new uses have become known. MDMA is perhaps even better for trauma than ketamine.
MDMA results in patients viewing the world from a loving perspective. It allows people to see their abusers and trauma in a new light. They can accept reality and move on without letting it take over their lives. MDMA can cause euphoric feelings, but that’s not necessarily what the treatment is about. It helps patients accept and confront their past in new, healthier ways.
Psilocybin
Psilocybin, the chemical found in “magic mushroom” has shown incredible promise for terminal patients. It has been used in treatments for those struggling with cancer. With a guided treatment, patients can come to terms with their death. Psilocybin has also shown results in treating depression and anxiety, but ultimately what makes the chemical unique is that it has a startling impact on people’s view of death and the afterlife.
You might hear people talking about tripping on mushrooms in an intense way. It can be quite emotional, but it can also be transcendent. It can show the patient new ways to look at life and death. With psilocybin one can accept their own mortality and the unknown beyond this life.
Cannabis
Cannabis has become legal around the country, and abroad in countries like Thailand as well. Not only has cannabis shown incredible promise for alleviating pain, but it can also have mental benefits as well. The CBD chemical may lower inflammation and decrease stress, pain, and discomfort. Cannabis can also mitigate depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Overuse has its own side effects, but proper administration from a doctor enables patients to benefit from cannabis in all sorts of ways.
The acceptance of cannabis has spread. It is now widely being studied for various treatments and purposes. The stigma around cannabis has undoubtedly decreased. Cannabis delivery in Utah, California, Washington, and many other states is now even available. As time goes on, who knows what we will discover about the benefits of cannabis.
LSD
Synthesized in a lab by Albert Hoffman on accident, LSD became infamous quickly. It is stigmatized and written off for the “drop out” mentally of the 1960s. This didn’t help the cause. LSD is an incredible chemical capable of healing in all kinds of ways.
It is inherently non-addictive and has even shown the ability to help treat patients with severe addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Ironically, LSD is a drug that can be used to change consciousness for the better. Studies on LSD are still being conducted, but like the others it shows great promise for healing and understanding.
The five medications above were once dismissed as recreational drugs, but the lack of attention delayed the ability to use the healing powers that they offer. With treatments that can alleviate suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, PTSD, physical pain, fear of death, and more, there is no reason we shouldn’t be using these drugs for scientific medical research. We are just now getting started.
