When seeking a treatment for a pathology or disorder, medical researchers typically look for an effective substance that is neither toxic nor addictive. Things get even more complicated when trying to treat an aspect of one’s consciousness.
But after decades of stigmatization and criminalization, a number of psychoactive substances, including MDMA, psilocybin, LSD and ketamine, have shown significant therapeutic benefits in clinical trials to address post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and alcoholism, along with end-of-life anxiety in cancer patients.
The controlled use of these substances, coupled with therapy sessions led by trained guides, are set to become a legitimate treatment alternative. Top U.S. academic institutions have already set up psychedelic research centers, with Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Yale and Berkeley investing heavily into this new line of research.
