How Psychedelic Drugs Are Helping Veterans and Others with PTSD, Depression

  When Army Ranger Jesse Gould came home from Afghanistan in 2014 after his third deployment, he was suffering, both physically and emotionally.

It took the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 2 years to process his disability claim and diagnose him with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Gould said that the VA’s treatments for PTSD simply weren’t working for him, and he was losing hope.

So, he began a search for something that could help him.

Ultimately, he discovered psychedelics, a class of psychoactive substances that can alter perception and mood and affect numerous cognitive processes.

These include lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), methylene dioxin methamphetamine (MDMATrusted Source), dimethyltryptamine (DMT), psilocybin (psychedelic mushrooms), ketamine, and ayahuasca brew.

Gould chose ayahuasca brewTrusted Source, which is made from the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub along with the stalks of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, although other plants and ingredients can be added.

“It saved my life,” said Gould, who in 2017 founded the Heroic Hearts Project, a nonprofit organization pioneering psychedelic therapies for military veterans.

Gould has partnered with the world’s leading ayahuasca treatment centers and sponsored psychiatric applications with the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Georgia.

He said that he’s now aware of thousands of veterans who’ve been helped by ayahuasca brew.

“In terms of direct connection, we have served over 150, and a clinic we work with has served 450,” Gould told Healthline.

Psychedelics are ‘misunderstood’

Thomas Bandzul, a legislative counsel for Veterans and Military Families for Progress and a longtime veterans advocate, said that what Gould is doing is becoming increasingly more common.

Bandzul explains that the reason so many veterans ultimately land on psychedelics is because they work.

“MDMA, for example, is one of the most misunderstood drugs that have huge potential for doing good,” he told Healthline. “Under controlled circumstances, used under medical professionals’ care, I think this can be, and has been, of great use for the good of people with stress-related injuries.

“Too many of the issues of the past have biased the public against this drug, but I have seen people with PTSD use this as a curative in conjunction with other therapies,” Bandzul added. “I believe it has great potential.”

How the VA sees it

Despite what some see as growing evidence that psychedelics can positively treat people with PTSD and other psychological conditions, VA officials haven’t given them much attention.

Gary J. Kunich, a spokesman for the VA, told Healthline that the use of psychedelic treatments such as MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy are “not part of the standard of care for treatment of mental health conditions at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and is not an approved clinical treatment.“

The use of psychedelics as part of a research protocol might be permissible, he added, “but this would require Institutional Review Board and Research and Development Committee approval at the local facility.”

He continued, “The Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention is closely monitoring the developing scientific literature in this area.”

When considering evolving scientific literature around innovative mental health treatments, Kunich said, the VA looks for outcomes from “rigorous and well-designed clinical trials” as well as things such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval or recommendations in clinical practice guidelines.

“When implementing a new, evidence-based mental health treatment, VHA puts safety of veterans first and foremost,” he said.

Traditional therapy – done online

Find a therapist from BetterHelp’s network of therapists for your everyday therapy needs. Take a quiz, get matched, and start getting support via phone or video sessions. Plans start at $60 per week + an additional 10% off.

New clinical trials beginning

While the VA hasn’t endorsed any psychedelics or funded any trials at the federal level, several individual VA hospitals have begun looking at psychedelics as a possible treatment alternative.

“The VA is lagging way behind with regard to psychedelics,” said Rick Doblin, PhD, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

“Most veterans believe that the VA should be the active voice for veterans. If there is some treatment that can help the veteran, they should be first to study it,” Doblin told Healthline. “But that is not the case. The vast majority of the funding has been from private donors.”

Doblin, who received his doctorate in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, wrote his dissertation on the regulation of psychedelics and cannabis for medical use.

His professional goal is to change the public’s perception of psychedelics. He supports the development of psychedelics as prescription medications but also for personal growth for otherwise healthy people.

Not just for veterans

Doblin believes that there are many applications and uses for psychedelics that extend beyond the VA — especially for depression and other psychological issues.

By 2025, Doblin said, we’ll see a ramping up of psychedelic clinics for PTSD, psilocybin clinics for addiction, and more that will go beyond veterans.

“Psychedelics will also play a major role in community-wide addiction treatment, he said. “It will be combined with psychotherapy, as well as for couples, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, and depression.”

By 2035, he said, “many people will be telling stories about having been to a psychedelic clinic. They will have legal access to these psychedelics.”

First priority is veterans

The VA Loma Linda Health Care System in California has initiated a single-site, phase 2 clinical trial designed to test the feasibility of administering MDMA alongside psychotherapy for combat-related treatment-resistant PTSD.

MDMA will be given in conjunction with structured psychotherapy in three single-dose psychotherapy sessions in a hospital setting over the course of 12 weeks.

The overall objective of the study is to evaluate the risks, benefits, and feasibility of MDMA used in conjunction with manualized psychotherapy, on reduction of symptoms, or remission of PTSD, as evaluated by standard clinical measures, in a VA healthcare system.

“So far, only one veteran has been enrolled and treated at the Loma Linda VA,” Doblin said. “The study is for eight vets. No other psychedelic trials at VAs have been conducted.”

Doblin said that the first veteran has been screened for a trial at the VA facility in the Bronx in New York City but hasn’t yet been treated.

“We just submitted a protocol to the FDA for a group therapy study at the Portland VA, which we anticipate starting about March 2022. There will be psilocybin PTSD trials at multiple VAs, but they haven’t started,” he said.

PTSD expert changes her mind

Rachel Yehuda, PhD, a PTSD expert and a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, is director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research and director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

Yehuda told CBS News last week that she was previously skeptical about psychedelics being of any benefit to patients.

“When I first heard about this, I thought to myself, ‘How could this possibly be a good idea?’” she said. “Psychedelics were illegal and designated by our government as being of potential harm and no medical benefit.”

However, in 2016, the FDA authorized phase 3 trials of MDMA, and Yehuda has since changed her view.

Yehuda told CBS that the results from MAPS’ first phase 3 trial “were just astounding.”

“Two-thirds of the people that were treated with a course of MDMA no longer have PTSD,” she noted.

The FDA now recognizes MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as a breakthrough approach, which could help lead it to full approval.

How safe are psychedelic trials?

Are psychedelics clinical trials safe? Doblin gives an emphatic yes.

“We have medical screening to keep people safe from physical complications,” he said.

“We have lots of preparation and integration sessions, and we administer a suicide severity rating scale at every meeting with a patient to try to keep people safe from psychological complications.”

Doblin said that therapists have a code of ethics and two-person therapy teams. They videotape all therapy sessions, whether they involve medications or not.

“We have monitoring and oversight from our clinical research team to keep the data safe from mistakes,” he explained.

Source: Healthline.com/health-news/how-psychedelic-drugs-are-helping-veterans-and-others-with-ptsd-depression#How-safe-are-psychedelic-trials?

Surprising Health Benefits of Quilting

You know that quilting makes you feel good, but now there's scientific evidence to back up what you've always suspected-not only does quilting make you happy, it's actually good for your health. Researchers at the University of Glasgow published their findings in the peer-reviewed Journal of Public Health after conducting qualitative research using a local quilting group as their source. The end result? "Quilting seemed to possess some distinct properties for enhancing well-being that would not be replicable through outdoor/physical activity." In other words, that's dry research speak for saying quilting gives you a workout you're not going to find in your local step class.

The biggest perk? When you're happy and doing something you love, your brain gets saturated with dopamine and serotonin, otherwise known as happy chemicals-especially when you're doing "meaningful work" using your hands. According to Kelly Lambert, PhD and a member of the neuroscience department at Randolph-Macon College, quilting complements these conditions perfectly.

Get Healthy and a Stunning Quilt

Next on the health benefits list is a decrease in stress levels. Dr. Lambert says quilters "feel a sense of accomplishment that increases your 'reward chemicals' and decreases the chemicals related to stress or anxiety." Of course, lower stress levels are linked to a variety of good things from a lower risk of heart attack and stroke to lower body fat. In a time when stress levels are breaking through the roof for most people, who wouldn't benefit from a little cultivation of mindfulness?

If you're more into quantitative proof, a clinical psychologist published research in the Journal of the American Medical Association showing evidence that quilting leads to decreased blood pressure, heart rate and perspiration. Finally, according to Harvard neurologist Marie Pasinski, MD, quilting is a soother for the brain. The Glasgow research echoes these sentiments, with the participants saying that quilting was a (relatively) easy way to embrace creativity, and the use of different colors and textures gave them a "sense of wellbeing."

Straight from the Source

The Glasgow participants specifically cited, time and again, bright colors and how they elevated their moods-particularly during those dreary British winters. Most of the group also said there was something captivating about quilting and that they got into a flow, much like a runner's high. It's relaxing and at least for a little while, their anxieties were put on the back burner. However, quilting also requires problem solving skills, like when new patterns and shapes are required. From newbies to quilt masters, everyone said that at some point they always find a new challenge.

Finally, getting that tangible end result is a built-in reward that offers plenty of satisfaction and the feeling of achievement. During the social aspect of quilting as a group, the women said they felt inspired and all those compliments don't hurt when it comes to getting a self-esteem boost. Quilting is "uniquely good for you" concluded researchers-a sentiment that's obvious for quilters, but it's quite the rush to get a nod from the world of academe (kind of like nailing that tumbling blocks pattern on your first try).

Jillynn Stevens, Ph.D. is a writer with a vast array of subject matter expertise. Along with publishing articles for large and small businesses, she researches, writes and publishes reports on various public policy issues.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8297639

 

The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.
~ William Osler

Mini Dental Implants Vs Regular Dental Implants

Do you hide your smile because you have unsightly gaps between your front teeth? Or are some of your teeth badly damaged or decayed? If so, then dental implants may be the only permanent solution to your dental miseries.

Dental implants are fake dental roots, usually made of titanium (a metal that is well-tolerated by the human body), inserted into the jawbone to support a prosthetic tooth or bridge.

Implants can restore any number of teeth, from a single tooth to a full arch, helping you regain your smile, and enabling you to speak, eat and laugh again with comfort and confidence.

If you are seriously considering implants for your missing teeth there are two types, based on the diameter of the device - Traditional implants and Mini dental implants. Each type has its own size and diameter.

Traditional Implant Devices
Implants have long been used as a sure shot way to replace missing teeth over the last three decades. This type of implants is used to replace a lost or decayed tooth, multiple teeth or a bridge or full denture. It is also used to hold removable dentures in proper place. Endosteal (in the bone), Subperiosteal (in the bone) and Plate form are the four main types of implants commonly used in implant dentistry today.

In this type of teeth implantation a tiny screw is fixed on the jaw bone through a small incision in the gum tissue. After few weeks when the jawbone is fully healed and implant is fused to the bone, a crown will be loaded on the implant. The whole procedures results in a new, vibrant smile with the most natural-looking permanent prosthetic teeth that feel and work like your natural teeth.

Mini Dental Implants
Like traditional dental implants, mini dental implants are used to restore lost teeth. They are mainly used to replace front teeth, pre-molars, small teeth and teeth located in a narrow area.

This single-piece titanium screw has a head shaped like a ball on top. The head of this miniature titanium implant consists of a single rubber O-ring that allows it to connect into the socket of the denture or the prosthetic tooth.

The Real Difference between Regular and Mini Dental Implants

A mini implant is significantly thinner compared to a regular implant. The diameter of mini dental implants is generally between 1.8mm to 2.9mm compared to 4mm to 6mm for traditional ones. Being small in size, a MDI can be placed in areas where there is substantial bone loss.

A conventional implant is commonly composed of three parts- a titanium material screw, the abutment and the crown. MDIs, on the other hand, are narrow body, one-piece titanium appliances.

The regular screws are usually hollow in the middle, whereas the mini implant is one solid piece.

Unlike the traditional implants, only the ball-shaped portion of the mini implant sticks out of the gums.

Placing regular implants is an invasive, time consuming procedure. First the titanium screw or false root is inserted directly into the jawbone. After a healing period of several days, the root bonds to the bone. An abutment is fitted over the portion of the implant and a crown- the top most part of the restoration, is then added. The whole procedure is completed in several stages over the span of a few months. Mini implants, by contrast, are fixed by drilling a tiny pilot hole in the jaw bone, requiring no incisions. This minimally-invasive procedure is completed in a single stage in as little as 2 hours.

The cost involved in mini dental implants is much less when compared to regular implants. A mini dental implant can cost up to 60% less than a conventional one.

Undergoing Dental Implants in Phuket (MedicalTourismCo.com/dentistry/thailand/dental-implants-in-phuket-thailand.php), Thailand can help you restore permanent prosthetic teeth and that too at an affordable price. The cost of Dental Implants in Bangkok, the capital city of this Southeast Asian kingdom, is also several times cheaper than America. MedicalTourismCo.com/dentistry/thailand/dental-implants-in-thailand.php

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neelam_Goswami

EzineArticles.com/7486608

Post Nasal Drip: First Cause of Unexplained Chronic Cough

Long-term, troublesome cough is one of the most frequent reasons why people visit a physician. 10-38% of patients, contacting a doctor, suffer from chronic cough of unexplained etiology. Post nasal drip, alone or in combination with other diseases, is the most widespread cause of chronic cough. It's diagnosed in 54% of cases. Let's throw more light on this condition.

The term of upper airway cough syndrome is referred to the inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract (nasal cavity and sinuses) which lead to the condition when nasal secretion drips down the back wall of the pharynx into the bronchial tree where it triggers the cough reflex mechanically. The most frequent underlying conditions, evoking post nasal drip, are chronic rhinitis (mainly the allergic one) and chronic sinusitis. Nasal septum distortion may also cause the syndrome.

Post Nasal Drip: Symptoms and Diagnostics

Symptoms are similar to those, occurring along with common cold:
Stuffy nose
Accumulation of mucus in the back of the nasal cavity and its drip
Repeated coughing
Cough with phlegm
Impaired breathing through the nose
Wheeze
Headache and painful sinuses (additionally)
The symptoms of upper airway cough syndrome usually reveal differently at different times of the day and night. During night sleep the body stays in the horizontal position, and mucus drips into human pharynx, irritates the reflex zones and causes cough. During the day, when you are in the vertical position, the mechanism is the same, however, the dripped mucus is swallowed and almost doesn't get on the epiglottis or vocal cords, where the cough reflex originates.

Doctors often take post nasal drip for chronic bronchitis since its symptoms aren't specific. That's why the condition requires thorough diagnostics which is a combination of:

The medical or case history (the history of the disease)
Characteristic complaints (sensation of the secretion, dripping down the back of the pharynx)
Medical examination
X-ray or computer tomography results
Post Nasal Drip: Treatment
To get rid of upper airway cough syndrome, an underlying condition must be treated first of all.

In patients with allergic rhinitis, nasal corticosteroids are applied. However, it's not always possible to achieve a steady effect with these medications. That's why this method is recommended to be used periodically, in courses, during the periods, when the drip symptoms reveal at their fullest.
In case of antihistamines and anti-inflammatory treatments are used.
Sometimes long-term antibiotic therapy is prescribed or surgery is recommended (in patients with the distorted nasal septum).
If constant cough of unexplained nature clouds your life, don't delay your visit to a doctor. Professional diagnostics will exclude the possibility of severe lung conditions. In case of upper airway cough syndrome, timely treatment will relieve the tormenting symptoms and improve the way you feel generally.

More information about post nasal drip you may see here: Netipotby.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_O'Neal

EzineArticles.com/7530502

Allergy & Asthma Edutainment Center

Understanding Allergies

CNN: Ukraine's emergency services under pressure as winter bites

Suffering in the grip of a brutal winter where temperatures have not risen above freezing in nearly a month, Ukraine has seen a wave of deaths related to the cold, and the country's ambulance service is inundated with calls for help.

On one recent night, emergency services raced through the streets of the capital, Kiev, in response to a call about a homeless man passed out in the freezing weather.

The man got drunk and either fell asleep or dropped unconscious outside, putting him at risk of frostbite.

Vladimir Poddubniy, a passerby, found him, brought him indoors and called for an ambulance.

When paramedics arrived, they found the homeless man, who gave his name simply as Kostya, squatting drunk on the floor. His hand was so swollen, he could barely hold his cigarette.

Poddubniy said the man was freezing to death, so he brought him inside.

"I felt sorry for him. But I also didn't want to find a body in the morning," Poddubniy said.

Paramedics determined Kostya needed emergency hospital care for frostbite, and helped the intoxicated man to his feet. Kostya was so drunk, he could barely walk down the stairs.

iReport: Beauty and danger of Europe's snow

But in a country where the cold has claimed at least 112 lives in the past month -- 90% of them alcohol-related, according to the government -- Kostya can consider himself lucky to be alive.

About 3,000 people have been hospitalized because of the cold since January 27, officials said.

Temperatures remained well below the average Thursday, with the mercury falling to -24 degrees Celsius (-11.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of Ukraine.

Authorities there have set up an emergency hospital to deal with people suffering from cold-related conditions, and distributed 3,000 emergency relief tents across the country, they said. The tents are heated, and people with nowhere else to go can get hot food and drinks.

Dr. Anatoliiy Vershigora, doctor-in-chief at an emergency help station in Kiev, said many of those suffering from frostbite and hypothermia and some of those who died were alcoholics -- but others had been drinking in the mistaken belief it would help keep them warm.

Ukraine's capital, Kiev, has more than 14,000 homeless people, among the most vulnerable to winter's bitter chill, authorities said.

"It is an unfortunate fact that a lot of homeless people are alcoholic or dependent on other substances -- it may be why they are homeless in the first place," said Joe Lowry, a spokesman for the International Red Cross in Europe.