Psychedelics hold promise for primary care research
Family Practice January 24, 2022 James Bailey Sanford
A renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of psychoactive drugs such as psilocybin, mescaline, and lysergic acid diethylamide is underway, termed the 'psychedelic renaissance.' These substances were initially greeted with exuberance in the mid-20th century for their apparent panacea-like effects on conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and existential grief in terminal cancer patients. However, their association with the counterculture movement led to research suppression by political forces aligned with the 'War on Drugs.' The field has now reached a watershed moment, with psychedelic research becoming mainstream and psilocybin receiving 'Breakthrough Therapy' status.