Psychedelics

Research shows that psychedelics can help with a range of mental health conditions, like PTSD and depression. So why can't you get them from your doctor? Today on The Sunday Story, we take a trip through some of the latest science behind psychedelic therapy, and efforts to bring these mind‑altering drugs into the mainstream. Plus, what's ketamine got to do with it?

In a special Texas Public Radio podcast series medical reporter Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus explore how Texas is, somewhat ironically, leading the way in the therapeutic application of psychedelics.

The initiative signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott will provide up to $50 million for clinical trials of the psychoactive substance ibogaine.

The Texas governor signed a $50 million bill into law on Wednesday to help bring ibogaine through FDA-approved clinical trials for opioid use disorders and other neurological and mental health conditions. Advocates said the legislation is the largest state-funded psychedelic research initiative in history.

In a special Texas Public Radio podcast series medical reporter Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus explore how Texas is, somewhat ironically, leading the way in the therapeutic application of psychedelics.

In the final installment of this three-part series, Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus go from an isolated stretch of desert along the Rio Grande, where wild peyote grows, to the exuberant rooms at SXSW, where they consider the future of psychedelics-as-medicine, and back to the hallowed halls of the Texas Legislature, where the future of the so-called Ibogaine Bill is uncertain.

Researchers are studying psychedelics as a possible treatment for conditions like depression, PTSD and substance use disorders. But they don't know exactly how these drugs work.

Patients have been leaving the United States to try psychedelic therapies to treat their depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and substance use disorders. With so many patients finding relief, why do psychedelic therapies mostly remain illegal in the U.S., and how do psychedelics actually work?

Host Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus explore the potential of psychedelic medication as a treatment for mental health diagnoses like depression and PTSD, particularly for use in the veteran population.

Scientists scanned the brains of people who took psilocybin, including a member of the research team. The scans showed how the drug disrupts key networks, potentially enhancing brain plasticity.