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Patient overcomes childhood trauma through psilocybin therapy, easing her anxiety and fear of death

B.C. health researchers harness the ‘magic’ of psychedelic mushrooms

After beating cancer, Mona Strelaeff suffered from crippling depression and anxiety rooted in childhood trauma and a fear of death. She tried several anti-depressants with extreme side effects before receiving approval for psilocybin-assisted therapy. The experience allowed her to come to terms with childhood demons. “When [the doctor] gave me the treatment and I came out of it in a place of peace,” she said. “My anxiety was basically gone. And to this day I still feel at peace. I’m not afraid of death.”

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Why access to psilocybin therapy is still limited despite proven effectiveness

Why Is Ottawa Stalling Proven Magic Mushroom Therapy for the Dying?

After two psilocybin-assisted therapy sessions, a terminal cancer patient, Thomas Hartle, says that “ I can’t emphasize enough how much of my life it has given back. Even months later, it’s much easier for me to be able to clear my head of those useless, anxious thoughts.” While many patients like Hartle are having great success with psilocybin therapy, Canada’s bureaucratic application process is limiting the number of patients who can access it, with 119 exemption applications awaiting review. In order to administer psilocybin therapy effectively, it is crucial that medical professionals experience the drug for themselves, yet only 19 medical professionals have been granted access to it. CEO of TheraPsil, Spencer Hawkswell, says Health Canada is pushing for clinical trials before granting more exemptions, but these trials are incredibly labour-intensive, have strict criteria, and cost millions. Dr. Pam Kryskow of the Canadian Psychedelic Association is advocating to include psychedelic therapy as a palliative care option under Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying legislation, which would allow terminal patients access to psilocybin without going through the slow application process. Krysow believes “that given their safety profile, given their efficacy, given how cheap they are… at this point it’s unethical to not be doing this.”

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Cancer patients with suicidal ideations saw substantial and long-lasting improvements in wellbeing after psilocybin-assisted therapy

Psilocybin May Reduce Suicidal Thoughts in Terminally Ill Patients, Suggests New Study

A recent NYU study found that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy significantly reduced suicidal ideation in advanced cancer patients. Patients saw improvements in existential distress as early as 8 hours after the first dose, and the positive effects lasted over 6 months after the second dose.

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The ATMA Urban Journey Clinic became the first clinic in Alberta to use psilocybin-assisted therapy and will become a Canada-wide training center for mental health professionals

Psychedelic drug therapy now offered at Calgary clinic, the first of its kind in Alberta

The ATMA Urban Journey Clinic in Calgary began psilocybin treatment for a terminal cancer patient, making it the first clinic in Alberta to use psychedelic therapy. Clinic CEO David Harder explains that psilocybin treatment brings out suppressed emotions, allowing patients and therapists to work through them together, whereas typical medications numb down the emotions. The cancer patient claims that he “couldn’t be more at peace” during the treatment, giving hope that psilocybin-assisted therapy will continue to gain traction. The clinic will become a training center for mental health professionals across the country.

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Helping 92% of cancer patients

Cancer patients in drug therapy experience

If cancer patients have the right to end their suffering through assisted suicide, shouldn’t they have the right to end their suffering through psilocybin therapy?

In a Johns Hopkins study, 92% of cancer patients saw significant reductions in depression and anxiety 5 weeks after a single high dose of psilocybin. After 6 months, 78% still had significant reductions in symptoms.

Many of the 51 participants described a sense of infinite love, peace, and oneness, and several were able to come to conquer their fear of death.

“It was so powerful and so profound that it just took my breath away… I feel like it changed my life”, said one participant, Anthony Head.