Posted on Apr 13, 2022
Could a psychedelic trip help burned out health care workers cope? This scientist thinks so
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The stress of the pandemic has left many health care workers exhausted, depressed, and on the verge of quitting their jobs — or worse.
One scientist has proposed a radical solution for them: Taking psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms.
A survey of more than 700 U.S. health care workers and first responders found that the vast majority are in the clinical range for depression and anxiety, and many are in the clinical range for post-traumatic stress disorder. The survey, which is ongoing, asks health care workers if they’re having thoughts of self-harm or that life is not worth living — and one in four says yes.
Tony Back, an oncologist at the University of Washington, thinks he knows of something that could help: psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms. So he launched a study to do just that: to give psilocybin to health care workers who are struggling with burnout and depression in therapist-mediated sessions.
One scientist has proposed a radical solution for them: Taking psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms.
A survey of more than 700 U.S. health care workers and first responders found that the vast majority are in the clinical range for depression and anxiety, and many are in the clinical range for post-traumatic stress disorder. The survey, which is ongoing, asks health care workers if they’re having thoughts of self-harm or that life is not worth living — and one in four says yes.
Tony Back, an oncologist at the University of Washington, thinks he knows of something that could help: psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms. So he launched a study to do just that: to give psilocybin to health care workers who are struggling with burnout and depression in therapist-mediated sessions.
Could a psychedelic trip help burned out health care workers cope? This scientist thinks so
Posted from kuow.org
Medical
Health
Drugs
Stress
Depression
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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If it wouldn’t affect my UDS I’d love to go on a magical carpet ride to forget these past couple of years
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My wife has been a nurse the last 36 years and the last 22 has been in the OR. Antidepressants are in wide spread use in the healthcare workers. RN's especially suffer greatly due to hospitals treat them poorly as due many doctors due to the doctors arrogance. My wife is old school and she does not put up with crap from the doctors and many a times she has saved the doctors backside. She does put the young ones in their place, when dealing with the residents and the med students. For the med students she cuts them down to size by reminding them that they are not a doctor yet. The attendings love her blunt no nonsense approach. She has been a traveling nurse for last 15 years. Helping in only small hospitals. Most have been in cities 50k population and as small as 2500 population.
God bless all healthcare workers!!!!!!!.
God bless all healthcare workers!!!!!!!.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
MAJ Roland McDonald Nurses? Oh Yeah, Marvelous Folks! 2 Aunts, Couple Cousins and a Cousins Daughter. Also have a Cousin that is a Pharmacist Unfortunately One of My Favorites, Matriarch for the Nagel Clan is Not Long for this World at this Point. When I was a Toddler, She was Overprotective Of Me ("Playing with that Dirty Cat?") She Scrubbed Me with One of those Medical Plastic Brushers (You still want to Scare Me, Just Show Me One) From One Extreme She Went to the Other, The Daredevil Aunt Teaching Her Crew to Swim Exceptionally and Ensuring that I Could Too! Taught All Hers to Water Ski, Unfortunately I Lack the Coordination, Who Took My Youngest Child, Parasailing? Great Aunt Pat, From Stiff Nurse to One that "Consumed" Life Vigorously. Now as far as the Tale of the White Plastic Brushers? My Second Experience was after walking thru a CHT Spill having My Feet Thoroughly Scrubbed in a Decontamination Shower and Drowned in Mercurochrome CGN-36, The Last Time was after I Amputated the Top of My Left Thumb with a Razor Clam.
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SSgt Richard Kensinger
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel - For years now they are the most respected profession by far!
Rich
Rich
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Based on my 50 yrs. of clinical experience and research on trauma, this intervention is superficially effective.
Rich
Rich
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SSgt Richard Kensinger
And the clinician recommending this is a oncologist and is not an experienced clinician in the realm of psychology/psychiatry. I would never stray into the territory of cancer treatment and care.
Rich
Rich
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