John Hopkins 2020 Research and Review of Psychedelic Psilocybin Reveals Therapeutic Potential
The psychedelic drugs were once very important and promising research subjects. In the past, they were the stuff of forbidden experimentation in secret hideouts. Their research secluded in places away from the prying eyes of the authorities. Over the decades, the research has been slowly going back to the lab. Today the research has this 21st century-style look.
Scientists are rediscovering the substances’ extraordinary therapeutic potential. Issues such as depression, drug addiction, and acceptance of mortality can be treated. A new generation of researchers and investors have been captivated by the therapeutic potential. This has triggered some doubt over promises that could sound a little too good to be true.
But, when reputed institutions like John Hopkins University stepped in, many uninterested groups took notice. John Hopkins University is one of the oldest and credible research universities in the U.S. The university launched a dedicated center for psychedelic studies, which is the first of its kind in the nation. They could even be the world’s largest. The center is hoping to uphold the strictest standards of scientific rigor. In a field that many skeptics see as closer to mysticism than actual science, strictest standards are necessary. So far, early results have been promising, and by the look of things, the research is progressing as it should.
Active Research In The Past
Psilocybin(a psychoactive compound found in some types of mushrooms) and LSD were researched in the 1950s and 1960s as treatment options for alcoholism and other conditions. They became popular until they were labeled as dangerous and became associated with the counterculture. Several states banned their use in 1966. Come 1968, LSD became illegal nationwide. Congress passed a Controlled Substances Act in 1970 that classified the drug and psilocybin, along with others, as having a high potential for abuse and prohibited for medical use. However, in recent years, a growing number of studies had reported positive results when it came to treating conditions such as depression, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). Such studies have brought LSD and psilocybin back into the limelight. This has influenced positive media coverage.
With John Hopkin’s Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research making research milestones, the field has experienced a significant boost. The research center explores the use of psychedelics, especially psilocybin, for problems that range from smoking addiction to anorexia and Alzheimer’s disease.
“One of the remarkably interesting features of working with psychedelics is they’re likely to have transdiagnostic applicability,” says Roland Griffiths, head of the new facility.
Rolands Griffiths has led some of the most promising studies evaluating psilocybin for the treatment of depression and alcoholism. The various applications suggested for the drugs may be why they sound like snake oil for those who don’t understand.
“The data is very compelling,” Griffiths says.
Psychedelics has excellent potential for treating mental disorders. According to Griffiths, they provide an opportunity to “peer into the basic neuroscience of how these drugs affect brain activity and worldview in a way that is ultimately very healthy.”
Skeptics of psychedelics may think the research a waste of resources. Once they look at the progressing research, they might have a different view. The future is bright for this field. Like the medical cannabis field, it is making progressive steps. If there were nothing to it, then a major research university like John Hopkins would not have spent resources establishing a research center focusing on the studies.