This episode focuses on a hot topic in modern behavioral health and integrated care: emerging research related to the use of psychedelics. This topic is controversial in the medical field because most physicians and clinicians have been trained to counsel our patients to stay away from psychedelics due to poor potential mental health outcomes, as well as because these drugs have been illegal in the US for most of our careers. Emerging research indicates there may be benefits for some patients or some conditions; however, the medical community at large has been skeptical about the effectiveness of these treatment options. Additionally, in recent years past, clinicians and physicians who appeared neutral or “soft” on drugs (even in the 2000’s) have been accused of ethics violations, and licenses have been challenged. The political climate has certainly caused some clinicians to develop a hard set bias against rather than an open mind towards emerging research and practical applications in this area. The problem with avoiding or remaining neutral on this topic is that if your patients aren’t yet asking about psychedelics, they most likely will be in the very near future, and it is our duty to be prepared to provide evidence based recommendations.
