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Psychedelics and depression

shirley_bassoshirley_basso Posts: 5,708
edited May 2021 in The cake stop
Did anyone else watch this programme on the BBC?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000w7bq/the-psychedelic-drug-trial?xtor=CS8-1000-[Homepage_Sidebar]-[Sport_Homepage_Sidebar]-[Sport_Homepage_Sidebar]-[PS_IPLAYER~N~m000w7bq~P_ThePsychedelicDrugTrial]

I have stayed at a resort in Jamaica who block a week or two out each year to host retreats serving magic mushrooms to help people with depression. The resort owners were really positive about it as a form of therapy.

I don't really know much about depression beyond what I have read (I don't really know anyone who suffers) but I found it fascinating.

Posts

  • webboowebboo Posts: 5,241
    What do they do with the guests who go on to develop permanent Psychosis.
  • shirley_bassoshirley_basso Posts: 5,708
    webboo said:

    What do they do with the guests who go on to develop permanent Psychosis.

    Dunno. What is the liklihood of that outcome?

    Even though it's Jamaica - they aren't just getting high and messing around - it's quite controlled.
  • webboowebboo Posts: 5,241
    When I worked in mental health there were a significant number of service users who had developed Psychosis/ Schizophrenia/ Bi Polar disorder following the use mind altering substances.
  • hopkinbhopkinb Posts: 7,129
    webboo said:

    When I worked in mental health there were a significant number of service users who had developed Psychosis/ Schizophrenia/ Bi Polar disorder following the use mind altering substances.

    I'm not sure that correlation = causation.
  • webboowebboo Posts: 5,241
    There is lot of evidence to support it, however you could also add that some people are more at risk to those conditions because of their life experiences. This in turn may lead them use drugs etc which in turn.
    It’s all bit there for the grace of god with mental health issues.
  • shirley_bassoshirley_basso Posts: 5,708
    The program itself also covered that they don't take people on who have a history of other conditions (such as pyscosis), even in their family, so seemed quite controlled.

    I do agree that to self medicate would be dangerous.
  • pinnopinno Posts: 48,629
    edited May 2021
    I think that a pre-assessment of an individual's mental state and history would be necessary before anything like this was undertaken.
    It may benefit some but it may not benefit others.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • TheBigBeanTheBigBean Posts: 18,158
    Ibogaine is quite interesting as a cure for addiction.
  • webboowebboo Posts: 5,241
    shirley_basso said:

    The program itself also covered that they don't take people on who have a history of other conditions (such as pyscosis), even in their family, so seemed quite controlled.

    I do agree that to self medicate would be dangerous.

    Depression does have a spectrum from mildly p*ssped off because you had a puncture to severe clinical depression with psychomotor retardation with psychotic symptoms. I wonder if this is a treatment for the rich worried well.
  • shirley_bassoshirley_basso Posts: 5,708
    pinno said:

    I think that a pre-assessment of an individual's mental state and history would be necessary before anything like this was undertaken.
    It may benefit some but it may not benefit others.

    The program addresses all of this.

    It's an interesting read into the physiology of is as much as the psychology.

    VERY basically, magic mushrooms reset the part of the brain that creates the dark thoughts.
  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 8,353
    There was an article in the Guardian a day or two ago about psychedelics helping people see things in new ways - by stripping away the preconceptions we all build up through experience.

    There was something about them allowing different parts of the brain to communicate with each other in a similar way to that seen in children.

    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • photonic69photonic69 Posts: 1,877
    Shrooms always made me giggle, especially the weird streaming effect on things that moved making everything seem like a Jackson 5 music video!
  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 8,353
    Ridiculous they are class A now.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • ddraverddraver Posts: 25,328
    Went to see one of my more hippie mates this weekend who has had a relaxed pandemic shall we say who was talking about how he conquered his fear of death on an acid trip last year and has been following up with Bodmin Moor's finest shrooms.

    It's not that I doubt him but he is one of those people who is 100% enthusiastic about something for...a month but then totally forgets about it the next.

    He's now signed me up for a free month on the Sam Harris Meditation app which I've come across before and find rather...hmmmm.

    Seems a lot of the US new-atheists are into taking a bunch of drugs to 'experience consciousness these days. Yeah, in the 90's we called that " 'avin' it large mate"


    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • akhakh Posts: 198
    Plenty of prescribable medicines are also controlled drugs, just being illegal doesn't mean it can't have therapeutic value.

    The stigma and politics around illegal drugs is probably holding back lots of medical research.

    Look at the way the idea of medical cannabis was rubbished, but it's now available on prescription in the UK, if you can find someone willing to brave the controversy around it and prescribe.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57098858
  • pinnopinno Posts: 48,629
    ddraver said:

    Went to see one of my more hippie mates this weekend who has had a relaxed pandemic shall we say who was talking about how he conquered his fear of death on an acid trip last year and has been following up with Bodmin Moor's finest shrooms.

    It's not that I doubt him but he is one of those people who is 100% enthusiastic about something for...a month but then totally forgets about it the next.

    He's now signed me up for a free month on the Sam Harris Meditation app which I've come across before and find rather...hmmmm.

    Seems a lot of the US new-atheists are into taking a bunch of drugs to 'experience consciousness these days. Yeah, in the 90's we called that " 'avin' it large mate"


    Did you hear about the dyslexic, insomniac aetheist?
    He was lying awake one night wondering if there really was a dog.








    I'll get my coat.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • webboowebboo Posts: 5,241
    akh said:

    Plenty of prescribable medicines are also controlled drugs, just being illegal doesn't mean it can't have therapeutic value.

    The stigma and politics around illegal drugs is probably holding back lots of medical research.

    Look at the way the idea of medical cannabis was rubbished, but it's now available on prescription in the UK, if you can find someone willing to brave the controversy around it and prescribe.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57098858

    Medical cannabis isn’t about getting off your face on it to change your perceptions.
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