While some scholars strive to discover the real medical and therapeutic applications of these extremely controversial drugs, billions of dollars are spent every year to keep them illegal. Chances are that Ketamine or LSD will never be approved for legal use, however, the studies conducted over the past decades and their results show a growing need to have them introduced in the medical treatment system. At this point efforts are channeled towards making them safer by diminishing and, ultimately, eradicating their side-effects.
1. Ketamine Relieves Depression
A recent study conducted by psychiatrist and neurobiologist Ron Duman has revealed that Ketamine, the FDA approved anesthetic, can relieve severe forms of depression in a matter of hours without the help of any other medication or follow-up treatment. This drug has been found to improve mood and emotional balance through facilitating the forming of new synaptic connections between nerve cells in different parts of the brain. The most amazing finding is that Ketamine reverses the neural deficits caused by prolonged exposure to stress that, eventually, leads to major depression episodes. In many ways, scientists are confident that Ketamine might be the answer for patients with depressionwho have not reacted well to other treatments.
2. Ketamine Psychedelic Treatment for Alcoholism
Ketamine has been used by Russian psychiatrist Evgeny Krupitsky to treat alcohol addiction beginning with the 1980’s, having had more than 1,000 successful interventions ever since. His research has shown that KPT (Ketamine Psychedelic Treatment) is also an effective alternative treatment technique for a wide range of mental health problems: posttraumatic stress disorder, neurotic disorders, avoidant personality disorder and other drug addictions (heroin and ephedrine). Although it has a 69.8% rate of recovery, his treatment is still controversial and widely unaccepted by the medical community.
3. Ketamine used for further Research on Schizophrenic Patients
Taking into account that one of Ketamine’s primary effects is that of producing feelings of disconnection from the physical body, many scientists have wondered if there is any possible link between this drug and schizophrenia. Many studies were conducted over the years with this specific hypothesis in mind: If Ketamine mimics somesymptoms of schizophrenia, administering it to healthy subjects might help us better understand this complex disorder and could lead to findingan adequate treatment. Unfortunately, advances have been slow in this particular research area, but scientists are still confident that longitudinal studies will bring remarkable positive changes for future patients.
4. LSD and Transpersonal Psychotherapy
Stanislav Grof has pioneered the use of non-ordinary states of consciousness in the psychotherapy field by doing extensive research on the beneficial effects of LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) on the human psyche. His efforts have resulted in a transpersonal approach to treating prenatal, perinatal and childhood traumas in patients with attachment and communication problems. Nowadays, Grof is working on developing the Holotropic Breathwork by making use of the principles and theory drawn from LSD applied psychotherapy.
5. LSD Effects on Creativity
Therapeutic studies of LSD and its effects on creativity include a number of now well- known studies done in the 1950’s and 1960’s United States. Notably, at that time LSD had just reached the streets and everyone was taking it out of pure curiosity. After receiving positive feedback from the subjects of his first LSD study, psychiatrist Dr. Oscar Janiger continued to administer the psychedelic to various artists (writers, film-makers, painters, poets, musicians and actors). Many of his test subjects reported having experienced a sort of awareness expansion that ultimately led to the creation of highly valued artististic pieces. Although this study could be recorded as proof that LSD indeed has benefic effects on creativity and imagination, nowadays the interest has shifted more towards it medical applications.
6. LSD and its Possible Uses in Medicine
After being used in various clinical trials, LSD has been found to have many medical applications, although today you can’t find it as part of any approved medical treatment. For example, LSD was used to treatterminally ill cancer patients. Many of them reported having had an emotionally healing experience that helped them overcome anxiety, panic attacks, and chronic headaches. Overall,the results showed that patients often felt more relaxed or at peace with themselves and their lives after the introspective LSD“trip”.
After having gone through some of the least known facts about these highly controversial drugs, my question to you is: Would you be willing to participate in a clinical trial that studies the spiritual effects of LSD or Ketamine on your mind?