oregonspruce t1_itsisfx wrote
So, I have had a interesting life, mainly a lot of trauma. I live in Oregon and if understand correctly it is legal here for medical use. I have tried conventional therapy, and a slew of ssri medication. I do not do well with SSRIs and I'm currently weening myself off of them. My question is, how should I go about telling my doctor that I'm interested in psychedelic therapy? I know there is a stigma with these drugs and in the past I was labeled as a drug seeker by a former doctor. I can't express how bad that made me feel to be labeled as that and pretty much denied treatment. Thank you for the research you have done.
psychsafetyalliance OP t1_itslnpy wrote
So, the legal framework in Oregon for psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is actually still in development (and is experiencing some significant issues) - unfortunately, you can't count on having safe, legal access to professional resources there quite yet. Ketamine clinics have been cropping up in Oregon, however, which may be a useful treatment to consider in discussion with your mental health providers - many folks have found some relief from the symptoms of trauma, freeing up the capacity to work on the underlying issues in the long term.
We're very sorry to hear that you've been labeled as "drug seeking" by folks you've worked with in the past. That type of stigmatizing treatment by mental health professionals gives the rest of us a bad name, and we know you are not the only one who has not sought out treatment because of fear of the people who are supposed to be there to help them. Plenty of psychiatrists and others working in the behavioral healthcare field have not been exposed to all the excellent research that has been happening in this field in recent years, let alone received training that would enable them to have an even-handed, nonjudgmental conversation about their use. We would advise coming in prepared with your research before speaking with your doctor. If they are not prepared to treat your interest in exploring these other treatment modalities in a nonjudgmental, professional manner, that may mean identifying someone who has received more education and training on these subjects in your area.
oregonspruce t1_itsmbhp wrote
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to me with such a message. I actually was watching a pbs Nova special on this topic when I seen your AMA. Thank you for the work you do for people like myself, and I wish you well.
psychsafetyalliance OP t1_itso1ad wrote
You're welcome! Well wishes for you on your journey.
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