A pilot program on the benefits of synthetic psilocybin for mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is set to begin this summer at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
A study cohort will consist of 50 patients, mostly veterans and first responders, who are with mental health concerns like depression and addiction. Participants will take 25 mg of synthetic psilocybin, and after the psychedelic effects wind down, they will discuss issues and progress (or lack thereof) with trained therapists.
Connecticut Post reports that the goal is to fulfill the need for state data that has been lacking, according to state Rep. Michelle Cook (D-Torrington).
“We need to have the data to show that there is documented proof of what that therapy does,” Cook said. “We know that it has some incredible outcomes when it is done right, when it’s done by people that are trained in how to use it for treatment of PTSD and so forth.”
Researchers at Yale have been studying the “psychological, neurobiological, and therapeutic effects of psychedelic substances” like psilocybin for decades..
Using a Schedule 1 drug in a clinical setting creates a set of unique problems, including the inability to use insurance. “Even though it’s a research program, you are treating them clinically. And then, in order to treat them clinically, you need to have malpractice coverage,” said Yale researcher Ben Kelmendi. Kelmendi and his team are about to embark on a first-of-its-kind study, a pilot program at Yale.
Research on the medical benefits of psilocybin have been severely hampered due to legal restrictions, Kelmendi said. Only certain qualifying conditions are acceptable in this case. PTSD, for instance, is a complex issue that many people fail to treat.
“With veterans, they will not seek treatment right away,” Kelmendi said. “They will start turning to …
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Author: Benjamin M. Adams / High Times
