Psychiatry might need some psychedelic therapy

Matthew W. Johnson, one of the leading researchers in psychedelics, gives a historical overview and encouraging editorial (2018) on the need for psychedelic therapy in psychiatry.

Abstract of Psychiatry might need some psychedelic therapy

“In historical and modern-day studies, psychedelic drugs have shown promise in managing a variety of psychiatric disorders, but their medical use has often raised controversies. The controversies have related to social, political, and legal challenges.“

Author: Matthew W. Johnson

Notes on Psychiatry might need some psychedelic therapy

In the editorial, he argues for the urgent need for psychiatrists to do more than they currently do. Although he recognizes the importance of SSRIs, he stresses the need for better tools to combat a mental health crisis.

“The present author holds that psychedelics may be poised to make fundamental advances in a mechanistic (both biological and psychological) understanding of psychiatric disorders. It should be curious, and indeed, raise suspicions of ‘snake oil,’ that psychedelics are showing promise for supposedly distinct and wide-ranging psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety, and addictions across a variety of drugs. However, an emerging biological narrative might be unfolding, related to the ability of these drugs to acutely increase global brain network synchronization, and to disintegrate default mode network activity, a biological pattern of connectivity that may underlie the sense of self.”

“Importantly, the mechanisms underlying psychedelic efficacy might be both biological and psychological.”

Here Johnson links the more esoteric phenomena such as ‘ego death’ and the underlying brain structures that we’re starting to understand.

In a look at the legal classification, Johnson argues to see psychedelics (e.g. psilocybin) as akin to dronabinol (THC) that is being used as a medical tool (e.g. for weight management in HIV patients) and at least recognise that there may be some medical benefit/applications.