Psychedelic Drugs Can Improve Quality of Life -- and Death -- for Older Adults

Psychedelic drugs are being investigated for the benefits they can offer older adults suffering from intractable mental health conditions in terms of quality of life and end of life, reports Forbes . Older Americans suffer disproportionately from chronic pain and accompanying ailments such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Therapy protocols currently being studied combine a limited number of therapy sessions with a psychedelic substance, in between intensive pre- and post-treatment sessions. ATAI Life Sciences founder Christian Angermayer expects that psychedelic treatments will eventually be fully integrated into the healthcare system with attendant insurance coverage. Positive preliminary outcomes of clinical studies by the Medical Affairs Professional Society using 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, and Compass Pathways for psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression, have persuaded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant them Breakthrough Therapy Designation, as they "may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies." These studies have demonstrated that a significant number of recipients of a single course of psychedelic therapy undergo a life-changing experience that endures over time.