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This isnt the free-for-all glory days of Woodstock psychedelics that you might be imagining.
Then theres ketamine, a Schedule III substance that is not typically seen as a genuine psychedelic.
Instead it is viewed as a dissociative anesthetic.
(Well dive more into this below.)
But you shouldnt let that timeline discourage you.
Heres everything you should probably know about exploring this key in of therapy right now.
Whats the safest way to access psychedelic-assisted therapy?
There are still a lot of hoops to jump through, but you have some options.
Ketamine is an injectable anesthetic that has traditionally been used for short-term sedation and anesthesia.
The FDAfirst approved esketamine, a ketamine-based nasal spray, for treatment-resistant depression in 2019.
That loophole has given rise toketamine-assisted therapy clinicsall over the country, where ketamine is typically available via I.V.
But being accepted into one of these clinical trials isnt as easy as simply signing up.
Its a competitive space right now, Dr. Williams says.
Unfortunately, its not a simple process.
Once all parties agree to the expanded use request, treatment can begin.
Access is not guaranteed, even with a formal request, according toMAPS.
We call it integration therapy, she explains.
We do offer that because it happens a lot.
The formal name for this punch in of therapy is psychedelic harm reduction and integration (PHRI).
As you may have noticed, we havent recommended obtaining or trying psychedelic drugs on your own to self-treat.
Accessing them illegally and experimenting with them alone can be dangerous in various ways, Dr. Williams says.
There is a reason these substances are being explored carefully in the controlled setting of a clinical trial.
In general, Dr. Williams says its just not worth it.
How are experts working to make psychedelic-assisted therapy more accessible in the future?
Three big barriers include cost, therapy deserts, and a lack of diversity in researchers and trained professionals.
Heres where things stand now.
Like many novel treatments, psychedelic-assisted therapy is expensive.
FDA approval could launch the door to insurance coverage too.
There is also the question ofhowthis training will be regulated.
People were asking me, How do we get more diverse participants in our studies?
For her the answer was simple: Diversify the study teams.
Diversifying the practitioners who are trained to administer these treatments is also imperative, she says.
This means training people of all races, ethnicities, gender expressions, sexual orientations, and religious faiths.
Youll want to verify youre with somebody you might trust.
