The History of Psychedelic Therapy
The history of psychedelic therapy dates back to the 1950s. Scientists such as Albert Hofmann and Timothy Leary experimented with psychoactive substances such as LSD and psilocybin and explored their potential for therapeutic applications.
In the early 1950s, psychedelics such as LSD were first synthesized and researched by Albert Hofmann, a chemist at Sandoz Laboratories in Switzerland. In 1943, he accidentally ingested a small amount of LSD and had an intense experience that inspired him to pursue further research into the substance. Hofmann’s research led to the discovery of LSD’s psychoactive properties and the development of several uses for the substance, including therapeutic applications.
In the 1950s and 1960s, LSD was used in psychotherapy, often in combination with other techniques such as talking and introspection. However, much of the early research was not well controlled and there were few systematic studies of the effectiveness of the treatments. In addition, the substance was also used recreationally at the time, leading to concerns about the safety and legality of its use.
In the 1970s, psychedelics were banned by the US government and many ongoing studies were halted. However, it was not long before psychedelic therapy research revived, especially in the 1990s and 2000s. Since then, several studies have shown that psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA have potential therapeutic applications for the treatment of various mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and addictions.
Also check out the video below about psychedelic therapy. It explains in a comical way the history, the difficulties and the possibilities of psychedelic therapy.
Psychedelic therapy in the present
In contrast to the video, we can offer psychedelic therapy in the Netherlands at a reasonable price. In the Netherlands a lot of therapists work with a lot of experience because some form of psychedelic sessions could always be done because the law was not conclusive. Psychedelic therapies are also increasingly accepted abroad and clinical studies are underway in various countries into the effectiveness and safety of these treatments. There is also a growing interest in the development of new psychedelics and their potential therapeutic applications.
It is already possible in the Netherlands to do a psychedelic session with MDMA, LSD or Psilocybin. How these sessions are done and how it works can be read through the pages below.
The future of psychedelic therapy
For future forms of psychedelic therapy, much research is still being done into the mechanisms of action and the best forms of application of psychedelics in therapy. Some pharmaceutical companies are even looking for substances that mimic the properties of LSD, psilocybin or MDMA. In the Netherlands, however, health insurers are slow and there is no reimbursement for psychedelic therapy. We expect that this might start in 2024 with reimbursements for MDMA sessions initially and only in 2025 for psilocybin sessions.
See also :The future of psychedelic therapy