What Are Psychedelic Drugs, and How Can They Help Treat Mental Health Conditions?

A Greek word “Psychedelic” simply translated as  "mind made visible” defined as hallucinogenic drugs that are capable of changing thoughts, emotions, feelings, and perception. Beside being prominent in traditional rituals to gain spirituality, mental health treatment with psychedelics is also gaining much attention. Psychedelic  drugs show promising effects and are considered as the novel approach to treating mental problems where other therapies failed to prove a positive role. Keep on reading to find out how psychedelic drugs help to treat mental health problems.

What Drugs are Used in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy?

Benefits of psychedelic therapy depends on the type of drug used in mental treatment. Every drug has distinctive features and effects for mental health treatment with psychedelics. Psychedelic drugs and neuroplasticity are strongly connected. All of these drugs follow the same path to stimulate serotonin receptors except ketamine that targets glutamate receptors. The psychedelics mentioned below are used in clinical research and therapies frequently. 

• Psilocybin

• DMT, or dimethyltryptamine

• Ketamine

• MDMA / Ecstasy 

• LSD 

• Mescaline 

The Psilocybin

Psilocybin is the most used psychedelic substance in psychedelic-assisted therapy. It is actually extracted from magic mushrooms. Once consumed under the prescribed amount, psilocybin turns into psilocin and activates the production of serotonin. Like other therapeutic psychedelics, psilocybin also causes hallucinations and changes emotions. Just one psilocybin dosage has been shown to result in notable and enduring decreases in anxiety and enhancements in quality of life.

Ayahuasca or DMT 

 DMT is considered as the strong short-acting psychedelic drug, popular for hundreds of years under several traditions. DMT is another organic psychedelic for mental health, obtained from both animal and plant sources as well as synthetic form. One of the active substances in DMT is Ayahuasca which plays a pivotal role in mental health treatment with psychedelics. The therapeutic use of psychedelics such as DMT includes a sense of strong spiritual and emotional feelings and facing the engraved hidden painful memories.  

Ketamine

Despite the similar therapeutic use of psychedelics, ketamine is the one that is not considered as the classic psychedelic substance. However, ketamine plays an integral role in psychedelic mental health therapy. Therapists prefer ketamine therapy for anxiety and PTSD treatment.  Experimental study reveals that intravenous infusion of ketamine in prescribed amounts shows a significant impact in lowering PTSD symptoms that remained till one week. Ketamine therapy for mental health treatment proves to be responsible for memory reconsolidation, DMT activation, and work as a quick antidepressant.

MDMA

MDMA is another psychedelic drug used in mental treatment, also known as Ecstasy in non-clinical language. MDMA works as a mood enhancer and promotes the sense of self-worth, while strongly connected with the outer world. Patients experienced more energised after MDMA sessions. Research on MDMA-assisted mental therapy shows strong positive findings. 

LSD

A strong hallucinogenic substance, involves changes in emotional perception, sensory stimulation, and better cognitive abilities. These effects are often known as “Tripping” referring to the effects of LSD therapy. According to research, psychedelic therapy including LSD drug may be useful in the treatment of a variety of mental health issues including addiction, depression, and anxiety. 

In psychedelic-assisted therapy, LSD is provided under supervision. Under the supervision of qualified therapists, mental health treatment with psychedelics like LSD involves the feeling of new ideas, highetend emotions, and life-changing perceptions.  

Research-Based Findings of Therapeutic Use of Psychedelic Drugs

More countries are taking interest to decriminalize psychedelics for therapeutic purposes, thanks to the positive outcomes found from several researches. 

PTSD Treatment Using Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy

MDMA, ketamine, and the four "classical psychedelics"  including psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and mescaline have all been used in studies on the application of psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD. Post trauma stress disorder is one of the leading causes of severe mental problems if remain untreated. Therapists found positive results in treating PTSD with classical psychedelics. 

Research shows that 71% patients with severe depression experience reduced symptoms only after taking two psilocybin doses. While only less than 0.1% reported negative effects. Additionally, mental health treatment with psychedelics including psilocybin dosage shows promising role as an anti anxiety treatment.

Psychedelic Drugs to Treat Anxiety

Mental health treatment with psychedelics may be just as successful at lowering anxiety symptoms as current medications, according to data from multiple trials. The evidence that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may lessen symptoms over time, however, may give it an advantage over other types of treatment. Additionally, patients whose symptoms have been deemed resistant to currently approved medications may benefit from the treatment. Accordingly, people might be able to receive up to three doses of treatment and might not require it again for a very long period. In contrast, taking medication on a daily basis for extended periods of time is now required.

An Overview of Benefits of Psychedelics in Therapy

Psychedelics have been shown to have a therapeutic effect on depression, however the effectiveness of each form of psychedelic differs. Alter state of consciousness, and a major decrease in depressive symptoms are due to connection of psychedelic drugs and neuroplasticity. Psilocybin treatment may have antidepressant effects.  DMT or ayahuasca, a natural drink extracted from amazonian plants that cause hallucinations works as an antidepressant drug. MDMA therapy works to manage symptoms of PTSD and promotes feelings of empathy including heightened state of emotions. Additionally, LSD consumption shows beneficial effects for a number of mental illnesses including alcohol addiction, anxiety, and depression. Therapists are confidently turning towards mental health treatment with psychedelics due their promising effects.