Getting Familiar with the Different Types of Psychedelic Medicines

There's much talk about psychedelic “drugs”, thanks to how it's been portrayed in different forms of media. However, psychedelic medicines are substances that can be used to enhance and change sensory perceptions, energy levels, and thought processes, which could also affect one's spiritual experience. 

Initially, psychedelics were being researched as a means to mimic psychosis and better understand the pathology and to potentially trigger mind control, but the results weren’t effective. Research came to a halt in the 1960s due to political research, but in the last few years that has been an increase in psychedelic studies looking to utilize psychedelic medicine for treatment. 

Now that psychedelics are becoming more mainstream it is important to know some of the different psychedelic medicines and terminology that is out there. 

The Different Types of Psychedelic Drugs Used in Psychedelic Therapy

Acid or LSD

Acid or Lysergic Acid Diethylamide or LSD is a chemically synthesized hallucinogenic drug derived from ergot, a mold that grows in the rye grain. This psychedelic drug was widely used in the 1960s until it was made illegal.  LSD was utilized in a number of research studies in both psycholytic and psychedelic therapy styles. In more recent years, LSD microdosing has become popular in the tech industries to boost creativity, mood, and other benefits.

DMT or Dimethyltryptamine

A naturally occurring plant-based psychedelic that is derived from the bark and nuts of specific trees in Central and South America, DMT has a much shorter effect compared to other hallucinogens. Of note, DMT is also the active ingredient in Ayahuasca a brewed substance with intense, longer acting effects.  

A DMT trip often lasts for 20-60 minutes, getting the nickname, "businessman's trip" or "businessman's lunch". Although a short experience, it is a very powerful medicine and has a very rapid onset.  

Ololiuqui or Morning Glory Seeds

Ololiuqui is also a naturally occurring psychedelic that is found in seeds of the morning glory flower. This type of hallucinogen has similar effects to LSD, but has more undesired side effects that include vomiting, headache, high blood pressure, drowsiness, and nausea.  This medicine is not often used in a clinical setting.

Magic Mushrooms or Psilocybin

Another naturally occurring psychedelic that has psilocybin is magic mushrooms. These are found in a variety of fungal species. Because of this, their legal status is pretty vague since they're grown in different parts of the world. 

Mushrooms can be appealing to those wanting to experiment with psychedelics and assume because it is a natural plant they are safe and easier to navigate. However, psilocybin can be quite potent in high doses and care should be taken to make sure the experience is safe.

Ecstasy

MDMA or ecstasy is not like the other hallucinogens since its effects are not as pronounced. Besides that, its stimulant and mood-enhancing effects are not as noticeable either, but it does trigger hallucinations and delusions. 

With that being said, having a bad trip with ecstasy is quite easy and could put you at risk of different health problems, from overheating to dehydration. 

Mescaline or Peyote

Another type of hallucinogen is mescaline, which is found in different cactus species, and the most popular type is peyote cactus. When you take this, the effects are quite similar to LSD. Peyote is used in ceremonial settings of Native Americans and has been protected for use in these groups.

The Bottom Line: Why Should I Try Psychedelic Therapy?

We're not all wired the same, and with that alone, there is some therapy methods that would work well with some people and not others. For this reason, if you're thinking of trying psychedelic therapy, it's best to work with an experienced and licensed physician in psychedelics to ensure a safe experience.

With trained practitioners, you'll get the support and understanding you need to know if psychedelic medicine is right for you, how to prepare for a journey, know what to expect during the experience, and how to integrate the meaning of the experience.

How Can We Help You?

We focus on mental health and psychedelic medicine to help treat burnout, depression, anxiety and various mental symptoms. I am a licensed physician trained in traditional western medicine culture who believes in following a holistic approach to health through ketamine therapy. 

Want to learn more about psychedelic medicine and how it can help you? Book an appointment with us today!

Choose Carefully….

Psychedelic drugs had a bad reputation, but it’s slowly breaking away from its stigma and taking center stage in the health and wellness space as the next best therapeutic alternative for achieving mental soundness. 

Whether going on a psychedelic trip takes you on a curative, recreational, religious, or mind-bending journey, one thing is for sure: having a trained facilitator by your side can help you appreciate the steps you need to take to make progress in your life. 

The Basics of Psychedelic Integration: Taking a Deep Dive Into the Mind’s Locked Memories and Hidden Feelings 

Going to therapy is a leap already, but it can be challenging for many to open up the deep bowels of their anxious-driven thoughts. When one experiences some form of emotional resistance or has the sudden need to rely on their defense mechanism during a therapy session, psychedelic integration eases your chaotic mind and unweaves what you want to share. 

After all, psychedelics have the uncanny ability to bring to light concealed memories, emotions, unprocessed trauma, grief, and other repressed painful experiences. It strips the mind of its walls, allowing patients to let their feelings loose and make sense of their situation. With the help of psychedelic integration, people can let go of their gripes and take a step closer to accepting the things holding them back in some way or another. 

The Importance of Choosing the Right Psychedelic Integration Practitioner

No one wants to seek medical aid from unlicensed doctors, right? The same concept applies to psychedelic integration, though it may take more research since this approach is new to the industry. Taking psychedelics during sessions can leave people vulnerable, so it’s crucial to work with a therapist who can give you the support you need. 

Essential Questions You May Want to Ask

1. What are the qualifications of a reliable psychedelic integration practitioner? 

2. Do they have specialized training in psychedelic therapy, guiding, or integration?

3. Why did they choose to focus on psychedelic integration? 

4. Do they have first-hand experience in psychedelic journeying? 

5. What is their process and recommended number of sessions?

The Bottom Line: Freeing Your Mind with the Help of the Right Psychedelic Integration Practitioner

The right psychedelic practitioner will not only keep you safe during the experience, but also ensure your thoughts and feelings are redirected properly. It can be easy to get lost, so you may not transform your insights into something that fuels you to make a positive change in your life. 

Why Choose to work with Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman?

When it comes to mental health conditions, you must take the right approach to help manage your symptoms and experiences.  We treat a variety of mental health struggles and also symptoms related to burnout, chronic fatigue, and long hauler symptoms of COVID-19. Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman is a licensed physician trained in traditional western medicine culture but believes in following a holistic approach to health through ketamine therapy. 

Want to learn more about how psychedelic medicine can help you? Book a consult with us today!

I'm Toast!.........Ketamine and Burnout

We must always know our body’s limits, especially if we want to last amidst a high-octane environment. This is the reality most of us must deal with, whether it’s piles of projects or a stressful workplace. Unfortunately, many of us succumb to the dangers of overworking, causing severe damage to our physical wellness and psyche.

There are many ways to destress, but not all treatments will be equally effective. This is why it’s important to try which one fits you best. Nevertheless, you may reach the end of the road after trying out every available alternative. Thankfully, ketamine treatment may be the solution you’re looking for.

The Prominence of Burnout in Today’s Generation

Several reasons are to blame for why people are more prone to the dangers of burnout now more than ever. For one, the rise of technological advancements allows information to travel much faster to a broader demographic. This allows a person to feel drained from the burdens of a crisis halfway across the world. While this allows greater awareness of world events, it also leads to burdening a person’s psyche.

Besides being exposed to unfiltered stressors and conflicts, the reality of a fast-paced working environment is all too real for many Americans. Rising mortgage prices and cost of living expenses compel people starting their careers to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. For this reason, burnout culture becomes a hidden threat that affects everyone worldwide.

The Dangers of Succumbing to Burnout

Burnout isn’t a new term or trend that sprang overnight. In fact, it was first coined in the 1970s by Herbert Freudenberger. It’s classified as an official disease that leads to various neurological symptoms like depression, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Besides its neurological symptoms, chronic exposure to stress can lead to physical exhaustion or a sustained feeling of ineffectiveness. These mental and physiological states can last long after a person has received rest, compromising their ability to function well with social obligations.

Burning out due to overwork and societal expectations isn’t just a psychological issue. This state of demotivation can push your body past its limits while affecting your social relationships. For example, people who have burned out typically feel more pessimistic around their co-workers and even their loved ones. Because of this, people experiencing burnout are more prone to risking their relationships.

The Potential of Ketamine Treatment for Burnout

Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic that is traditionally was used to provide pain relief in an emergent setting or anesthesia. While its soothing effects are generally for preparations for surgical treatments, it also shows promise as a form of treatment to mitigate burnout.

Ketamine infusion can be delivered at the right dose to people with signs of burnout. It can be an effective way to improve mood and anxiety levels while enhancing concentration for practical purposes. Besides remedying burnout, some signs show ketamine treatment’s improvement to prevent it from occurring in the first place.

After intake, ketamine can work in hours and has an effectiveness of over 75 percent, shown in some studies treating depression. This already makes it twice as effective as traditional medication.

Conclusion

Just because burnout can affect everyone doesn’t mean that you should undermine its effects. Thankfully, you can try different solutions to remedy your condition. Through ketamine treatment, you can finally find the relief you deserve.

When looking for the right solution to your problems, it's important to look for answers from people who understand your pain. Sometimes, you should trust holistic medicine as a different approach to your dilemma. We utilize psychedelic therapy as a form of holistic medicine to help individuals heal in an empowering way and address the root causes of problems. If you're ready to give ketamine treatment a try, reach out today.

The Ketamine Journey

While many types of treatment are available for those suffering from clinical depression, not all patients respond to them. Interestingly, studies have observed that half of the participants suffering from this reported feeling relieved after trying ketamine treatment for the first time. After a few more sessions of ketamine treatment, 66 percent have shown improvement, according to a study in the International Journal of Transpersonal Studies.

Since these patients, who have treatment-resistant depression, have experienced relief from ketamine therapy, this could ultimately transform mental health treatment for many other people. However, many are still reluctant to consider ketamine therapy, as they naturally have many questions about what to expect. Here’s what you need to know about ketamine therapy:

Preparing for Ketamine Therapy

When you go into a clinic for ketamine therapy, you won’t get into it right away. You’ll first meet the team that will keep you comfortable during treatment. You’ll also receive a complete psychological and psychiatric evaluation, along with a personalized treatment plan that will meet your specific needs and goals. 

It’s completely normal to feel nervous or a little apprehensive when trying a new mental health treatment, which is why our team takes care to ensure you feel heard and understood before officially beginning your first session.

What Occurs During Treatment

A doctor will be present the entire time during your medicine session to resolve any medical concerns you have and to ensure safety. They’ll administer the ketamine and provide you with a few items, like music, blankets, pillows, and eyeshades that will help you feel comfortable during your first session.

Ketamine’s effects, which most patients find soothing, last for around 45-60 minutes. You may feel like you’re far from your body and experience changes in your perception, feeling, and cognition. Your vision and motor skills may also be different during the session and recovery, and you may have a hard time expressing your thoughts and feelings during the height of its effects. Once these have subsided, your doctor and therapist will work with you to integrate your experience for the rest of your appointment. You may also feel dizzy or drowsy after, so it’s essential to have someone drive you to and from your session.

What Happens After Treatment

The effects of your ketamine therapy session can last from 2 days to the rest of your life. However, you’ll also have to integrate other things into your treatment, such as self-care, family history, life circumstances, and other factors. Our team will help you after the session by providing you with individualized maintenance based on your experience and our clinical input. 

What Role Does Ketamine Play in Mental Health Treatment?

Ketamine produces dissociative effects that can help people with treatment-resistant depression recover. When combined with a beyond personal and therapeutic approach, therapists can work with patients to initiate the expansive, spiritual experiences that highlight parts of the psyche that require extra attention to heal.

Our team takes a client-focused approach, helping patients process their inner conflicts, resulting in their current emotional distress. For this reason, we encourage our clients to provide space for both negative and positive feelings and thoughts when they come up, as they are keen opportunities for healing. Ketamine therapy may induce a wide range of emotions, which can be used to help the patient heal and address different issues that prevent them from living their desired life.

Conclusion

Ketamine therapy offers incredible relief to those who weren’t able to experience progress with more traditional mental health treatments. It can help you unlock a spectrum of emotions that will bring you closer to managing your depression and improving your quality of life.

Stephanie Lyn Coleman, MD, is a licensed physician trained to offer holistic medicine through ketamine therapy. As a specialist in psychedelic medicine Dr. Coleman supports clients in treating various mental health issues, including burnout and mental symptoms related to COVID-19. Contact Dr. Coleman today to book an appointment.

A Holistic Approach

Everything You Need to Know About Holistic Medicine

Medicine has come a long way. This isn’t really surprising as medicine is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the times. One of the most important iterations of medicine nowadays is holistic medicine.  Indeed, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it has completely redefined how we approach wellness in the modern age. In fact, a third of Americans use alternative medicine to help boost their overall health and wellbeing. Considering how popular it is, it’s rather surprising how much people actually know about what holistic medicine is and what it entails. 

This is why we thought it would be useful to break down important details about this unique approach to healing. If you’ve always wanted to learn more about holistic medicine, then this is just what you need. Read on as we discuss everything that you need to know about holistic medicine!

What is Holistic Medicine?

Before we talk about anything else, it’s important that we define what holistic medicine actually is. As its name implies, it is an approach to health and wellness that actively involves a person’s physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health.

To put it simply, this form of medicine is all about treatment and prevention. Instead of just treating the symptoms, holistic medicine seeks to address the underlying causes of sicknesses and diseases in hopes of preventing them from reoccurring. It does this by taking into account every aspect of a person’s life that could be affecting their health. This can range from but is not limited to their diet, stress levels, and lifestyle.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Holistic Medicine Doctor?

Contrary to popular belief, there are holistic medicine doctors that have medical degrees. This is because having experience as a medical professional can be extremely beneficial when it comes to improving the overall treatment. With that being said, there are practitioners that are not board-certified physicians. This is why some practitioners falsely call themselves “doctor” even if they don’t have an actual license.

However, what makes these doctors different from other doctors is that they are focused on prevention as well. If a patient comes in with a stomach ache, it is the doctor’s responsibility to help the patient address the source of pain and to address the underlying reasons why the stomach ache happened in the first place. 

How Does Holistic Medicine Work?

To understand how holistic medicine works, we have to take a look at the core idea behind it. At its most basic level, this form of treatment focuses on the mind-body connection. This means that how a person is feeling emotionally, mentally, and spiritually has an effect on their physical well-being. A doctor that practices this form of treatment takes this into consideration when providing aid.

Now, this doesn’t mean that they’ll be completely ignoring the science behind the medicinal practice. Instead, holistic medicine is geared towards supplementing the scientific approach to medicine in order to provide the best treatment possible.

Conclusion

While all of this can be rather intimidating in the beginning, a little research goes a long way. We hope this information has helped shed some light on holistic medicine. As you can see, this approach to medicine can be incredibly beneficial. This is especially true if you are struggling with recurring illnesses.

If you’re interested in a holistic medicine approach to your mental health, Stephanie Lyn Coleman MD is providing ketamine therapy and holistic health. Get in touch with us today.