How Psychedelic Therapy Could Transform Mental Health Care for PTSD Treatment? 

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Written By Juliet D'cruz

Mental health is as important for humans as their physical health is. Mental health affects our lifestyle because of its pronounced impacts on our thoughts, mood, and interactions with other people. Mental health also impacts our eating, sleeping habits, thus, affecting our overall physical health. Mental health is not always the same, rather, it involves changes with the associated changes in physical health or changes in social circles. 

Mental disorders are illnesses that are accompanied by changes in behavior, mood, and thinking capacity. People can experience mental disorders at any stage of life from childhood to adolescence and to adulthood. Mental disorders may include depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorders, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and many more. 

Variety of treatments are available for mental disorders that range from medication, psychotherapy, and alternative therapies like Psychedelic therapies to Brain Stimulation therapies like Saint TMS therapy. 

What Is PTSD and Its Available Treatment?

PTSD is an abbreviation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As the name shows, it is a complex stress order which usually arises in people who have gone through any kind of trauma, disaster, or any other horrible incident. PTSD was first diagnosed after World War II.

Symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Symptoms of PTSD are as follows: 

  • Severe Anxiety 
  • Flashbacks of the traumatic events
  • Horrible dreams similar to the traumatic events
  • Problem with sleeping and eating habits
  • Problem with concentration and thinking 
  • Physical sensations like increased heart rate, nausea, trembling, and headache. 
  • Intrusive reminders of the traumatic event 

Treatment Options of PTSD

People with severe PTSD symptoms can be treated with proper, suitable treatments. Simple Psychotherapy is not enough for the treatment of complex PTSD. Therefore, treatment may include biotherapies like Psychedelic therapies or Psychedelic assisted therapies. An infographic is showing how psychedelic assisted therapy helps in relieving the symptoms of PTSD.

Depending on the severity and complexity of PTSD, treatment options vary from patient to patient. PTSD treatment Boston may include Ketamine assisted psychotherapy, Saint TMS therapy, Ketamine infusion for anxiety, bipolar Ketamine, or other biotherapies. 

What Are Psychedelics and What Is Psychedelic Therapy?

Psychedelics are a group of drugs that are also called hallucinogens. They produce significant changes in mood, behavior, and perception. Psychedelics are hallucinogens; therefore, they are used in a specific way and in a specific amount. Psychedelic compounds are obtained from living organisms like mushrooms, seeds, and leaves. 

Psychedelic therapy is a type of biotherapy and also referred to as Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. It is a biological psychotherapeutic process in which a psychiatrist uses psychedelic substances in the treatment process. Psychedelic drugs are of immense importance because of their ability to reverse the impacts of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Commonly used Psychedelics include: 

  • Ketamine 
  • Psilocybin
  • MDMA
  • LSD

How Psychedelic Therapy Could Transform Mental Health Care For Ptsd Treatment?

The use of Psychedelics in the therapeutic process is immensely beneficial for PTSD treatment. Because Psychedelics have the capability to even cure conditions which are “treatment resistant”. Psychedelic treatment shows potential benefits for the treatment of many mental disorders and especially Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Effects of Psychedelic Therapy Are Long Lasting

Mental disorders like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD cannot be treated permanently simply by medication and psychotherapy. The symptoms of mental disorders are recurrent and arise again when the medication effects are gone. However, the impacts of psychedelic therapy or psychedelic-assisted therapy are long lasting. 

Psychedelic Therapy Is Fast and Effective

Other treatment options are not fast and effective and take their time to act. Medications do not give profound results on a single dose and require consistent doses. Similarly, Psychotherapeutic sessions do not give fruitful and immediate results in single sessions. However, Psychedelic therapy is fast and effective. For instance, the most commonly used psychedelic is “Ketamine”. Ketamine infusion for anxiety and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy are commonly used treatments. 

Psychedelic Therapy Is Beneficial in Treating Other Diseases as Well

Psychedelic assisted therapies have profound impacts in treating other disease conditions as well. For instance, Psychedelics have the capability of treating cancer-related anxiety, headache disorders, phantom limb disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

Psychedelic Therapy Can Be Used for Treatment of Alcoholism and Smoking Addiction

Psychedelic therapy or Psychedelic assisted therapy is extremely beneficial in treating alcoholism and smoking addiction. People who face difficulty in leaving their prolonged addiction habits like alcoholism and smoking addiction can take the help of Psychedelic assisted therapies. Psilocybin and MDMA have been used for treating the addicting habits of smoking and alcoholism. With professional help, people can leave their smoking and drinking habits efficiently and safely. 

Final Thoughts 

In a nutshell, it is concluded that mental health care is as crucial as physical health care. Mental disorders are common in all age groups and require immediate assistance. The early stages of mental disorders can be treated by psychotherapeutic sessions and medications. But chronic and complex conditions should be treated with professional psychedelic therapies. 

Because psychedelics have become the most important emerging class of drugs and have profound effects on the treatment of mental disorders. Psychedelics are the most effective drugs in treating disorders like Anxiety, depression, Postpartum depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, etc. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

1. Does Psychedelic Assisted Therapy have any kind of side effects? 

Psychedelic drugs are also known as hallucinogens, thus, can have a profound impact on the level of consciousness. Psychedelic Assisted Therapy can have side effects, but Professional Psychedelic therapies and managed levels significantly outweigh the side effects associated with Psychedelics. A clinical study has proven that MDMA assisted psychedelic therapy has a robust effect on PTSD symptoms without any minor effects.

2. Does the use of Psychedelics in Psychedelic therapy cause addiction to Psychedelics? 

Psychedelics are hallucinogens and hallucinogens are known for addiction. However, there is not any evidence that psychedelics have caused addiction for treatment purposes. 

3. Is Psychedelic therapy a legal treatment option? 

Treatment of mental disorders by Psychedelic therapy is a legal and valid option. Now Psychedelics have opened new avenues of research. Research is being carried out to find out the potential benefits of Psychedelics in the treatment of mental disorders. 

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