Making Sense with Sam Harris cover image

Making Sense with Sam Harris

#377 — The Future of Psychedelic Medicine 2

Jul 26, 2024
Dr. Jennifer Mitchell, a leading researcher on psychedelics in mental health, and Dr. Sarah Betty, an emergency medicine physician and psychedelic facilitator, dive deep into the transformative potential of MDMA for PTSD treatment. They discuss the historical context of psychedelic research and the ongoing battles with the FDA. Their conversation highlights the remarkable success of clinical trials, the challenges of ethical therapy practices, and the urgency for innovative psychiatric treatments, particularly for veterans. It's a bold exploration of healing through psychedelics in a complex landscape.
01:16:19

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Psychedelics like MDMA show significant potential in treating PTSD, with about 70% of patients losing their diagnosis after therapy.
  • The FDA's approval process for MDMA-assisted therapy faces challenges due to methodological criticisms and the need for ethical oversight.

Deep dives

The Promise of Psychedelic Therapies

Research into psychedelic medicines, particularly MDMA and psilocybin, shows great promise in treating mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Dr. Jennifer Mitchell highlights that approximately 70% of PTSD patients in a study lost their diagnosis after treatment with MDMA, a significant improvement over current therapies. The discussion emphasizes the urgent need for new treatment options as existing medications often fail to provide relief for many patients. The hope is to leverage psychedelics not only to alleviate symptoms but to potentially reshape individuals' perspectives and emotional frameworks.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode