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Gregory Otzinger

Instructor Mrs. Peltier

Psychology 30

20 June 2017

Can the Use of Psychedelic Drugs in the Treatment of PTSD and Cancer Related Depression be benificial?

People have used psychedelic drugs for recreational use for many years. These drugs go by

many names, Molly, Magic Mushrooms, Ecstasy, to name a few. More recently health care professionals

have recognized the benefits of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of psychiatric illness. Recently there

has been a real interest in scientifically demonstrating the benefits of the drug psilocybin, and

methylendioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) for depression related to cancer and for post-traumatic

stress disorder (PTSD) (Marrian). In January 2017 author Anna Marrian wrote on this subject matter and

recognized that the Journal of Psychopharmacology in December 2016 was devoted to the clinical use of

psychedelic drugs.( Marrian) The idea that the drug associated with “magic mushrooms” may be of

medical or psychiatric benefit, may seem foreign to some, but in fact there a case to be made for its use.

The studies associated with psilocybin and MDMA are very interesting and promising.

Before exploring the use and efficacy of these drugs, an understanding of the disorders being

treated is necessary. PTSD is a debilitating disorder that affects between 1.3%-37.4% of people globally.

(Van) While good data on rates in Canada are not well researched, the global rates are significant and a

lifetime risk of PTSD in Canada is around 9%.( Van) PTSD occurs after prolonged exposure to trauma, or

can be triggered by one major traumatic event.(Passick) The most common form of trauma being the

unexpected death of a loved one.( Passick) Depression is a well-known disorder, and is very prevalent in

people diagnosed with Cancer. Both PTSD and Depression are linked and can share similar symptoms.

Some symptoms are low energy, obsessive thoughts, altered sleep patterns along with a distortion on
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how someone see’s themselves.(Passick) All of these symptoms can interfere with daily life and make it

hard to function. Depression in cancer patients is very common affecting up to 25% of all patients.

(Passick) Depression in cancer patients is both debilitating and disruptive. Treating depression in cancer

patients helps promote an improved quality of life, and can help to improve pain management. ( Passick)

Traditionally both PTSD and Depression are treated with counselling or therapy along with the

use of medications. This current form of treatment is widely known and accepted by the average person.

The medication of choice for both is often serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs.( Selective serotonin

reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) For many the medications used to treat depression and PTSD work well, but

for others they are not useful or have serious side effects.( Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

According to the Mayo clinic’s website the Side effects can include, drowsiness, nausea, insomnia,

agitation, sexual dysfunction, headache and blurred vision. It is easy to see why some people are looking

for alternative ways to find improvement from the very serious effects of PTSD and Depression.

The use of Psilocybin for cancer related depression has been studied several times in recent

years. Two of the more prevalent studies were conducted through New York University and John

Hopkins University.(Marrian) The New York study released in 2016, was a double blind, placebo

controlled study involving 29 patients. A single dose of Psilocybin was administered along with

psychotherapy. The study concluded that there was a "rapid and sustained symptom reduction following

psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life threatening cancer".(Ross) The

study saw a decrease in cancer related demoralization and anxiety.(Ross) There was a follow-up at 6.5

months which concluded that there was a significant association between psilocybin and a reduction in

anxiety and depression.(Ross) While researchers are not positive on how the drug works, they did find

that the effect of the small dose lasted up to eight months, with no serious side effects.( Marrian) One
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can see why this drug while possibly controversial is an exciting prospect when compared to the lasting

side effects of SSRIs.

MDMA for PTSD has recently been approved by the FDA for phase 3 clinical trials in the USA.

Approval could be as early as 2021.(Marrian) In an unpublished study patients were given MDMA and

psychotherapy or a placebo and psychotherapy during two eight-hour sessions.( "A Visual Overview."

Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy) The sessions were five weeks apart.(A Visual Overview."

Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy ) The result was that at the two month follow-up 83%

of patients in the MDMA no longer had PTSD.( "A Visual Overview." Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted

Psychotherapy) The group receiving the placebo saw only a ¼ reduction in PTSD.( A Visual Overview."

Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy ) Considering the number of people who suffer from

PTSD this is a promising study.

It is believed that MDMA increases the release of oxytocin and prolactin, hormones related to

bonding and trust. (A Visual Overview." Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy) MDMA

decreases activity in the left amygdala which is associated with fear and traumatic memory. ( A Visual

Overview." Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy) “MDMA can make it easier for people with

chronic, treatment resistant PTSD to confront their traumatic memories.”( A Visual Overview." Treating

PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy) Where current treatments have patients taking drugs daily

often for years, MDMA is only administered a few times, but the benefits can last up to 4 years. ( A Visual

Overview." Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy) The recent studies showed few side effects.

For many, the use of these unconventional drugs may seem scary. Sometimes people forget that

all drugs are, well they are drugs. It is people that attach good and bad to drugs. It is interesting to see

how some drugs are widely accepted and others not. Sometimes it appears that the acceptance is based

on social norms not always science. For people suffering PTSD or depression the drugs currently
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available are often full of side effects and sometimes are taken for very long periods of time. The

advances in the use of MDMA and psilocybin are exciting and promising. The recent studies show

promising relief from very debilitating disorders, and with the high numbers of people suffering

psychiatric diagnosis, these studies cannot happen fast enough.

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Works Cited

Steven Passick, PhD, Margaret MacDonald, MSW, William Dungan, MD, and Sara
Edgerton. Medscape . N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2017.

"A Visual Overview." Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy -

Infographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2017.

Anna Marrian. "Psychedelic Drugs for Treating Depression, Post-Traumatic

Stress (PTSD)?" @berkeleywellness. University of California, n.d. Web. 20 June
2017.

"PTSD: National Center for PTSD." Depression, Trauma, and PTSD - PTSD:
National Center for PTSD. U.S. Department of Veterans Afairs, 01 Jan. 2007. Web.
18 June 2017.

"Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation

for Medical Education and Research, 24 June 2016. Web. 20 June 2017.

Stephen Ross, Anthony Bossis, Feffery Guss, Tara Malone, Barry Cohen,
Alexander Besler, Krystallia Kalliontzi, James Babb, Zhe Su, Patricia Corby, and
Brian Schmidt. "Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin
treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a
randomized controlled trial." Journal of Psychopharmacology. N.p., n.d. Web. 18
June 2017.

Van, M., C. Mancini, B. Patterson, and M. H. Boyle. "Post-traumatic stress disorder

in Canada." CNS neuroscience & therapeutics. U.S. National Library of Medicine,
2008. Web. 19 June 2017.