First therapeutic study of LSD in 35 years finishes treatment of last subject

[babsbunny]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/06/09/first-clinical-study-of-lsd-in-35-years-finishes-treatment-of-last-subject/

By Eric W. Dolan
Thursday, June 9th, 2011 -- 7:01 pm

Psychiatrists in Switzerland have nearly completed their study of LSD-assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of anxiety associated with life threatening illnesses.

The study is the first of its kind to be undertaken in 35 years. Although most people associate the psychedelic drug LSD with the hippie counterculture of the 1960's, psychiatrists had been studying the use of LSD as an aid to psychological therapy before it was federally banned in the United States in 1968.

Peter Gasser, M.D., a psychiatrist and lead investigator of the study, said in a letter (PDF) to friends and colleagues that "all the 12 participants reported a benefit from the treatment." The study was begun in 2007 after being approved by Swiss legal authorities and the final LSD-assisted psychotherapy session was completed on May 26.

[Gabi Hayes]

1. heard about this treatment for terminal cancer patients on the radio the other day:

Drug to Reduce Anxiety and Depression: Psilocybin

By Thomas H. Maugh II
Los Angeles Times
Story posted 2010.09.0

The psychedelic drug psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” can improve mood and reduce anxiety and depression in terminal cancer patients, Los Angeles researchers reported Monday.

A single modest dose of the hallucinogen, whose reputation was severely tarnished by widespread nonmedical use in the psychedelic ’60s and ethical lapses by researchers such as Timothy Leary, can improve patients’ functioning for as long as six months, allowing them to spend their last days with more peace, researchers said.

The research was a pilot study involving only 12 patients, but it is viewed as a first step in restoring the drug to respectability.

“This is a landmark study in many ways,” said Dr. Stephen Ross, clinical director of the Center of Excellence on Addiction at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, who was not involved in the research. “This is the first time a paper like this has come out in a prestigious psychiatric journal in 40 years.”

http://heartcurrents.com/drug-reduce-anxiety-depression-psilocybin/

[drokhole]

3. Nice find. While I enthusiastically support the study, I think the person who commented...

...makes an important point:

"While I can understand the medical obligation to discourage people from taking them on their own, I just wanted to say you end up doing the drug more harm in the way this article raised that issue.

The paragraph in question -
The drugs “are, in fact, dangerous” – This is not true, and is being claimed as fact. The drugs themselves have no danger, it’s the people.

“and, under nonmedical conditions, people can have fearful reactions, panic reactions, engage in dangerous behavior and do great harm to themselves,” – Under nonmedical conditions people can also have the most spiritually enlightening experiences of their lives. And this is where the study is doing the drug yet more harm, because you are completely omitting this very important part of the experience. The reason people freak out is because psychedelics bring up things about yourself and make you confront your ego..but then they also show you true unconditional love, that life is all connected.
In the end, you come out a much more evolved person, who doesn’t actually want to do any of the violent self-destructive things they used to do.

“But the studies underscore the fact that we can screen people and prepare them in a way that minimizes any harmful effects.” – These are provided by nature for life to use as they wish, I’m actually quite sick of ‘medical experts’ attitude in thinking they know everything about health, when in fact they are just discovering the true healing power of nature, which has been known among the tribal cultures for many thousands of years (who, in fact, used a lot of psychedelics – psilocybin mushrooms and a medicine brew called ayahuasca being two of the main ones)."



People should read the book Food of the Gods by Terence McKenna for an amazing, comprehensive perspective on the matter:

http://www.amazon.com/Food-Gods-Original-Knowledge-Evolution/dp/0553371304

[Gabi Hayes]

4. heh....the very same show had an interview with McKenna's brother.

I think it was a CBC import.

their public radio is mostly vastly superior to ours

have you heard Wiretap? some amusing stuff on their podcasts:

http://www.cbc.ca/wiretap/

[drokhole]

6. Ha, how funny!

I'd never heard of Wiretap before, I'll have to do some exploring on their site - thanks for the heads up! Their public television seems that way as well - saw CBC's special on the financial collapse called "Meltdown." It was absolutely fantastic and incredibly in-depth; like "Inside Job" on steroids.

[annabanana]

5. "prepare them in a way that minimizes any harmful effects". .

Us old hippies know that you have to pack for a trip.. And it's important to have good company and be in a comfortable environment.

The trouble comes in bad planning, or thinking you can just "wing it".

[Warren DeMontague]

2. How dare they let those terminally ill people use their own nervous systems in an

unauthorized fashion.

SHAME! SHAME!

[Gman]

7. Wonderful... they're giving acid to people with anxiety disorders

I understand talking someone through a trip but acid can be unpredictable.

Maybe they play Moody Blues while they're doing the therapy.

Hendrix would be too much.

[saras]

8. MAPS has been helping researchers in the USA get studies through the government system for decades

They publish a nice journal of their accomplishments - boring financial stuff, and the results of new studies of psychedelics. Lots of PTSD research.