Research into psychedelic drugs including psilocybin, ketamine, ibogaine, and LSD has been building momentum, and a recent executive order directing the FDA to fast-track review of these drugs has intensified interest and debate about their therapeutic potential and safety.
Interest in psychedelics for mental health treatment is not new; researchers were investigating their mind-altering effects in the 1940s. Within the past five years, research has suggested that psychedelics including psilocybin and MDMA may help treat common mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and certain substance use disorders. During a psychedelic session, the brain undergoes neuroplasticity, allowing neurons to communicate more effectively. Psychedelics also increase mood-boosting chemicals including serotonin and dopamine, as well as hormones such as oxytocin that promote calm and connection.
Some research shows rapid benefits; after just two doses of MDMA, people had reduced PTSD symptoms for up to 17 months. One or two doses of psilocybin improved depression for up to six weeks, and two doses reduced alcohol intake by 83 percent. When combined with talk therapy, psychedelics might open a “window” into the mind enabling people to think differently about themselves in ways that promote positive change.
However, psychedelics remain largely illegal at the federal level and in most states, though psilocybin has been decriminalized in Colorado, psilocybin therapy is legal in Oregon, and Missouri allows psilocybin for medical treatment of conditions including PTSD and end-of-life care for people age 21 and older. Safety concerns remain real; Massachusetts voters rejected legalizing psychedelics after news of increased emergency room visits and fatal car accidents due to drugged driving. The FDA denied approval for an MDMA-based drug despite 88 percent of PTSD patients showing improvement, citing concerns about insomnia, anxiety, and heart rhythm problems. Ibogaine has been associated with cardiac arrhythmias, and some psychedelics including MDMA can become addictive.
More than 60 million American adults deal with symptoms of depression and anxiety despite available medications. SSRIs such as Prozac and Lexapro do not work well for about one-third of people with depression and are ineffective for about 40 percent of people with PTSD, with no new PTSD medications approved since 2000.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.menshealth.com/health/a71077196/psychedelics-fast-track/