TGA psychedelics decision met with relief, cautious optimism and 'serious reservations'

[ZiprHead]

TGA psychedelics decision met with relief, cautious optimism and 'serious reservations'

Advocates welcome a surprise decision from Australia's drug regulator to approve two psychedelic drugs for mental health treatment, but some clinicians are concerned the decision may be premature.

www.abc.net.au

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on Friday announced it had approved the prescribing of MDMA and psilocybin for the treatment mental health conditions.

Authorised psychiatrists will be able to prescribe the drugs as medicine, under strict conditions, from July 1.

MDMA, the active ingredient in party drugs such as ecstasy, will be able to be prescribed to some patients experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Psilocybin, a compound found in psychotropic "magic" mushrooms, will be listed as medicine for for treatment-resistant depression.

I remember there was a guy that did TED talks about taking shrooms and how it changed his life and outlook for the better.

 

[Elixir]

As a person with experience with both drugs, I am not a bit surprised at the discovery of therapeutic qualities of psilocybin. But MDMA? Seriously? For PTSD? The stuff feels a lot like methamphetamine, with less of an edge and an ever-so-slight psychedelic tinge. I would have thought there’d be near equal chances of helping or exacerbating PTSD.

 

[Jarhyn]

As a person with experience with both drugs, I am not a bit surprised at the discovery of therapeutic qualities of psilocybin. But MDMA? Seriously? For PTSD? The stuff feels a lot like methamphetamine, with less of an edge and an ever-so-slight psychedelic tinge. I would have thought there’d be near equal chances of helping or exacerbating PTSD.

I've used it for exactly this reason (MDMA; PTSD) and it works swimmingly.

The model of use is specific: you can't just roll face and magically wake up cured of PTSD.
.you have to go through experiences which, even under the effects of MDMA, are not pleasant.

The point of MDMA is it shuts down trauma responses, including those linked to past trauma recollections, making aversion exposure therapy happen but at a drastically accelerated rate.

I have used the technique twice now and both times was able to peel back PTSD responses.

 

[Elixir]

I've used it for exactly this reason (MDMA; PTSD) and it works swimmingly.... you have to go through experiences which, even under the effects of MDMA, are not pleasant.

That's pretty awesome. I wonder how consistent that response is among PTSD sufferers.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Johns Hopkins has been working with this for years. I get the newsletter. Oddly enough it is legal to purchase the spores in nearly all states. And grow kits if so desired. This is at the top of my bucket list.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/research/psychedelics-research.html

 

[Jarhyn]

I've used it for exactly this reason (MDMA; PTSD) and it works swimmingly.... you have to go through experiences which, even under the effects of MDMA, are not pleasant.

That's pretty awesome. I wonder how consistent that response is among PTSD sufferers.

I used what I applied from an offhand comment from 2000 from my psych student councilor in his second phase intro course about chemicals removed from the pharmacopeia.

He explained that they used to use it in marriage counseling quite some time ago to make couples talk without arguing.

I put together the model from that: shut off the trauma responses, make progress.