MAPS Looking for Clinical Psychedelic Research & Medicine

[jn51]

Hi everyone, I have been struggling with mental illness (severe depression, PTSD, anxiety, drug addiction/alcoholism) for over 25 yrs. In and out of numerous programs and detox/rehab facilities, 12 step programs, anti-depressants, counseling. Abstaining at times (up to four yrs recently without self medicating) but the severe depression, anxiety, and cravings return even though I was taking 150 mg of Effexor a day and going to meetings. The suicidal thoughts and rage at others returned during the depression before going back to the old stand by morphine. I just out of detox again for the 6th time. They increased the Effexor to 225 but I'm still using low doses of morphine every other day to cope. I have done a lot of reading about Psychedelics (esp. Ayahuasca and San Pedro (Huachuma) ) and their effectiveness for these illnesses. Any information would be helpful, I'm running out of resources, materially, physically, emotionally, and the most fearful, Spiritually. Thanks jn

(I would be willing to work for my treatment no matter where or what or how long the labor might be.)

 

[casual1]

Are you seeing anyone about your mental problems? I would suggest getting the suicidal and rage thoughts under control first before trying any intense psychedelics. Are you still taking Effexor and how long were you on it? Suicidal thoughts and rage against others are known side effects of this drug - you might want to consider tapering down or off the drug completely. Talk to your therapist about this. SNRI's can "poop out", that is their efficacy can wear off with extended use.

As I understand it, using effexor above 220mg induces the norepinephrine reuptake inhibition (below that it is just a serotonin reuptake inhibitor) which may put you more on edge. There are other anti depressants which are far more calming, effexor is more like a stimulant to get people motivated.

Try to communicate with your therapist what your aim re mental health is. It sounds conflicted if they put you on a stimulant like effexor and you are continuing to use morphine to cope. You might be able to come to a more healthy compromise. Maybe a more mellow antidepressant (and no morphine) or stay off drugs and try a different way of life. It will take some time to recover from the effexor if you quit. Just be patient, focus on the improvements each day and then consider psychedelics when you are in a better place mentally. Psychedelics are not an automatic cure all - you still need to put in the work mentally and make lifestyle changes to gain real benefits.

I am recovering from the horror of venlafaxine myself. I don't have all the answers but life is getting better nearly every day, with the odd setback every now and then.

 

[dopamimetic]

Hey,

I am personally very interested in this topic too due to various reasons, including numerous failed treatment attempts with meds that did not work but overall general (huge from time to time) differences with the psychiatry as a whole. We have such exciting and intriguing science available now, it seems like they really caught up in the last two decades or so, but literally nothing gets applied to the day-to-day-practice and the gap becomes wider every day seemingly. We're still living in the dark ages somewhat. All this war on drugs shit.

With the dissociatives, especially MXE, I've really found a miracle cure for many of my mental / neurological problems, this is much more than just relief of anxiety and depression - true relief, not sedation or whatever, but extends to giving me true insight, extending my cognitive abilities away from that chattered inattentive ADD mess towards a nice lucid flowing state where I could process more information in one day sometimes than otherwise in a whole week ... my personality really and truly changed to the better, I was able to be more like 'me', less introverted, less negative, more creative, positively thinking and feeling, more empathic and less anxious, and so on ... the times I was on it really were life-changing.

At first I thought it has to be just drug-induced euphoria, delusions and addiction. Stopped. Things went away, I gradually became that shade of my old self again. Now we have all the science really proving that NMDA antagonism actually makes superior antidepressants for some, is indeed protecting the neurons and all what I was experiencing was just the reality. Every time I got on it again, the experience repeated.

But MXE is banned now, worldwide, due to intentionally exaggerated media coverage and kiddies unable to handle it along with reckless capitalistic vendor bastards 8). I'm searching again. Ketamine doesn't work and it's too expensive.

Very interested in things like Ayahuasca, but especially Ibogaine therapy!

--

To the OP, I'd somewhat agree to that you shouldn't rush into psychedelics with acute mental problems. Most problematic is anxiety, fear of loss of control, general emotional lability etc... this is hard to describe and I'd certainly argued otherwise earlier in my life, and in a good set and setting it can well go good, but it can also go bad.

SSRI & psychedelics (any drugs) don't mix well for sure. They're prescribed far too often all over the world.

Love to read your thoughts about all!