Mental Health Performance - Psychedelics: A New Frontier In Sports
About the Author
Ben Foodman is a licensed psychotherapist & performance specialist. He owns his private practice located in Charlotte North Carolina where he specializes in working with athletes to help them overcome mental blocks (the yips), PTSD, ADD / ADHD and achieve flow states through the techniques of Brainspotting & Neurofeedback. If you are interested in services, use the link here! Enjoy the article below!
Disclaimer: The Training Report is presenting a theoretical concept to specifically advance discussions on this subject and should not be conducted without having consulted doctors and/or trained medical professionals.
Introduction: Psychedelics & Mental Health Treatment
When Prozac first became available it was considered by many professionals within the mental health community to be a significant advancement in psycho-pharmacology. Doctors working at VA hospitals were reporting incredible clinical breakthroughs with their patients and were seeing significantly increased positive treatment outcomes. While Prozac along with many other types of drugs are still prescribed today, there is growing interest in the possible benefits that psychedelics can have on patient mental health outcomes. Despite the fact that this is still labeled an illegal substance, there has been a concerted effort within the mental health community to advocate for clinical use for these drugs.
For this Training Report, I want to discuss some of the potential benefits of utilizing psychedelics that have been reported on by other healthcare professionals. I want to first explore the science behind psychedelics, the neuropsychological implications as well as the psychodynamic perspective of psychedelics. We will then review how therapy may potentially advance through the use of psychedelics, and explore sub-perceptual doses. Finally, I will cover potential treatment considerations such as whether some patients should seriously consider avoiding using psychedelics, and the importance of consulting licensed healthcare professionals with applied experience. Let’s first begin by reviewing psychedelic science.
Part I. Neuroscience Of Psychedelics
When we refer to the term psychedelics, there are obviously many different categories one could specifically investigate (e.g. Ayahuasca, LSD, DMT, the different types of psilocybin, etc.) For the purpose of this article, I am going to focus on Psilocybin (though I do plan to discuss the other previously mentioned psychedelics in future Training Reports). As I have previously mentioned in the Series 1 Training Reports, the neuroscience behind what is happening when our body interacts with Psilocybin is quite fascinating. The body breaks down psilocybin into psilocin which is the bioactive compound. The psychic activity that occurs is due to the interference with the neurotransmitter serotonin, which as a compound is similarly structured to psilocin. The psilocin then attaches to the serotonergic receptor 5HT2a, and functions as a partial agonist (a substance which initiates a physiological response when combined with a receptor).
According to Robert Rogers in The Fungal Pharmacy, the exact pathway from which the psychedelic experience occurs is not fully understood, but some would contend that “the sensor motor gating system of the brain is involved. This system normally suppresses the majority of sensory stimuli from conscious awareness, so we can operate at a normal level. The conscious mind is overwhelmed by sensory stimuli and cognitive processes normally hidden in the conscious part of the mind”. Another way to think about this is from a Freudian & Object Relations perspective when considering how our conscious and unconscious mind provide psychological structure for our personality along with our ability to interact with and recognize objects that are separate from individual self. But even with this knowledge on psychedelics and neurology, how can a psychedelic experience have a positive clinical effect on our mental health?
Part II. Psychoanalysis Of Psychedelics
There is reasonable skepticism within the mental health community that correctly points out that there are many individuals who have had negative psychological consequences due to the use of psychedelics. But the counter arguments for considering psychedelic interventions need to be evaluated as well. Dr. James Fadiman in The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide points out “To push psychedelics aside because they can be damaging when used badly is no wiser than to eliminate headache tablets because overdoses are harmful to the liver”. Looking at the positives associated with this potential intervention the author goes on to cite the following “patients with advanced cancer have been helped with psychedelic therapy. Current permissible research has proved successful in lowering excessive anxiety, perhaps by allowing patients to realize that death is neither as frightening nor as final as they had believed. Their ultimate prognosis remained the same, but their concept of their identity as greater than their body, greater in fact than their life, appears to have enriched their remaining time”.
This example of gaining new perspectives through transcending experiences during a psychedelic trip could be a potential explanation as to how breakthroughs in therapy can occur with psychedelic use. We develop different constructs and models to help us navigate and effectively understand our environmental surrounding but can face plateaus and dysregulation that inhibit us from being able to further advance our self-awareness due to either previously stored trauma or an inability to creatively communicate internally within our mind. Because psychedelics theoretically remove psychological structures within our mind temporarily, this could be the mechanism that allows us to gain new insight into how we understand both our past and our current ability to cognitively process on a deeper level. Psychedelics can potentially ‘go to places’ within the mind that mental health clinicians cannot access no matter how effective our therapeutic techniques are. With that being said, let’s explore reports on how individuals access this new mode of thinking through sub-perceptual doses.
Part III. Micro-Dosing, Psychedelics & Mental Health
Micro-dosing is the process of ingesting sub perceptual doses of a psychedelic, which can range from one tenth to one twentieth of a normal dose. Researchers and other influential figures within the field of psychedelic science postulate that by ingesting sub perceptual doses compared to taking a full dose, users will potentially reduce the risks associated from a full dose while also receiving what many would consider still significant benefits from psychedelic use. According to some research, ‘some of the benefits reported include improvements in mood, focus, and creativity. However some null reports and a minority of people have also described selective negative consequences such as increased anxiety and physiological discomfort’. With that being said there are many considerations that should be examined when evaluating these reports and other expert advice on this subject matter.
In The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide by James Fadiman, PhD, the author cites individuals who describe their subjective experience with sub-perceptual doses “Be conservative in following the protocol, including the amount and the days between doses. Stick with your normal patterns, especially eating, working and sleeping. Be very discreet as to whom you let know. So first, be conservative in how much you take and how often you take it. It’s best to start small. The goal isn’t McKenna-size heroic dose or even the standard 80- to 120 microgram ‘effective’ dose, but something one-tenth the size of that, that is, 10 micrograms, or somewhere between 6 and 12 micrograms.” It’s imperative for individuals to recognize that while there may be many potential benefits and reasonable protocols that one could follow on this journey, there are many individual considerations that need to be honestly discussed before engaging in this process.
Part IV. Consulting With Your Physician On Psychedelics
There are undoubtedly many people who have benefited from the use of psychedelics, but individuals need to be honest and thoughtful about their own unique considerations. For instance, patients with a family history of severe mental illness need to give considerable thought as to whether or not their psychological health could be worsened by the use of psychedelics. Individual genetic factors, current physical health status, life circumstances, current medications and other variables need to be factored into whether or not this is the appropriate treatment intervention. Patients should consult with medical experts who specialize in prescribing psychedelics and have advanced knowledge on human neuroanatomy & psychology. It is imperative to have honest conversations as to whether other treatment options need to be explored first. Individuals may also need to take certain tests first to see if they are at risk for using these substances.
Finally, should individuals come to the conclusion with their doctor that this is an appropriate intervention, additional safety measures should be established. For instance, some healthcare professionals suggest that a guide be present during this procedure as well as making sure that the environment is both secure and safe. This should be done with individuals who have considerable experience guiding and supporting individuals using psychedelics. Wherever an individual is on their journey towards deciding to use psychedelics, it is imperative that they conduct thorough research as well as consult with licensed healthcare experts who have applied experience. It’s important to remain critical and recognize that more clinical research trials need to be explored. With that being said, these potential breakthroughs and renewed interest from the mental health community will undoubtedly have a positive effect on the discussions for healing trauma.
Note To Reader:
If you are an athlete reading this segment of the TRAINING REPORT, hopefully this content was helpful! I put the Training Report together because I felt like many of the discussions on issues such as the Yips/mental blocks, strength training & other subject matter on athlete performance concepts were really missing the mark on these ideas (e.g. how trauma is the direct cause of the Yips). If you are interested in learning more, make sure to subscribe below for when I put out new content on issues related to sport psychology & athlete performance! Also, if you are looking to work with a mental performance specialist, you are in the right place! USE THIS LINK to reach out to me to see if my services are the right fit for your goals!
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