Australia is now the first country to allow psychiatrists to prescribe certain psychedelic substances to patients with depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
    • JackFrostNCola@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      1 year ago

      I knew there had been trials amongst PTSD and extreme depression cases alongside therapy but this is a big jump to actually allowing prescription outside of studies/trials.
      Promising news for alternative treatments!

    • Nepenthe@kbin.social
      2·
      1 year ago

      It’s also been really promising in treatment for the schizophrenic spectrum because it activates the exact same receptors antipsychotics do. The current side effects of prescribed antipsychotics are the main reason I don’t want any of them, and I have very high hopes for this line of research.

      However, I don’t get to be in Australia. Currently the only FDA approved hallucinogen in the US is a more powerful form of ketamine that also doubles as an anesthetic. While it may have some of the same benefits, since it works slightly downstream of serotonin, it also carries the exact same disadvantages I was trying to avoid.

      Same sedation. Suicidal thoughts. It stands to somehow worsen the dissociation that already leaves me nearly qualified for disability.

      Because fuck me, I guess. Idk why the universe doesn’t think I can’t ruin my life on my own. I’m frustrated. The options handed to me by the government are to raw-dog several contradicting realities at once or to barely be in this one.

      Hopefully its efficacy will get the ball rolling elsewhere. Please.