PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY IN THE NETHERLANDS: WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?
That psychedelics can help with mental health complaints has escaped no one's attention, we even wrote a blog about it: Research on the benefits of psychedelics for mental complaints. Do you yourself have therapy for PTSD, depression or anxiety, and want to know if psychedelics can do anything for you? Then it is important to be aware of the possibilities. After all, you can't just mention to your therapist that you want to add MDMA, magic mushrooms or other psychedelics to your therapy. Because even though the hopeful reports in the media seem to make you believe that psychedelic therapy has become normal, officially it is far from that. Read here what your options really are if you want to safely add psychedelics to your existing therapy. And: how safe is it really?
Which psychedelic therapies exist in the Netherlands?
Let's get right to the point: the only drug officially permitted in our country within the treatment of depression (and pain) is ketamine. All other psychedelics are not allowed in your therapy in the Netherlands.
Yet you regularly see psilocybin therapy providers online; a weekend in nature and by tripping away your traumas and anxieties. This sounds too good to be true, and it often is. Getting rid of your years of misery in two days for a pittance, of course everyone wants that. And sometimes it works surprisingly well for such a participant. But often enough, it doesn't. Not surprisingly, because such therapies take place without any regulation, monitoring or trained supervisors. And there is no aftercare or long-term trajectory at all. And that can be dangerous, because all sorts of things can come loose inside you. If no one is there for you at that moment, you are on your own.
MDMA: soon to be possible therapy for PTSD
The government has commissioned research into the effectiveness of MDMA in therapy for PTSD. But what is molly and why is this so booming in the usa? The research will be completed this year, so who knows, maybe soon this drug may also be applied within existing trauma treatments.
Therapy with psychedelics outside the Netherlands
In America, research into treatments with psychedelic drugs for psychological complaints and addiction has been conducted for years. Read in our blog: The use of psychedelica and how they can help with depressions and addictions, more about this. John Hopkins University, in particular, is on top of this. Their studies show, for instance, that psilocybin, the active substance in magic mushrooms and truffles, can reduce mental symptoms for a long time after just one administration.
Why are psychedelics still so little used within therapy?
Research into the effectiveness of drugs takes a long time. You have to be able to rule out that a drug is not harmful in the long run. It also takes time to set up a study and find the right test subjects. Moreover, if research shows that a drug like MDMA or psilocybin works for certain symptoms, the legislation has to be adapted as well. That could take years. Especially with substances that are on the Opium list and thus fall under hard drugs. And let's not forget that therapists will have to know how to use such a drug. Not only will they have to be able to set up proper dosage protocols.
Guidelines and therapy modules will also be developed for it. After all, a therapist can guide the client during the trip sessions and help them then integrate the experiences and insights they gain into their daily lives. This will increase the effectiveness of therapy. After all, just taking a pill and chatting about it won't get you the best results.
So what about psychedelic therapy?
Do you want to start using psychedelics or microdosing within your existing therapy in the Netherlands? Then be sure to discuss this with your therapist first. Some therapists are more open to it than others. They may not provide you with the substances you want to use, but they can keep an eye on it. And they can point out the risks. Because there are certainly risks within the target group of people with mental health problems. So never just start experimenting yourself, but be sure to inform your practitioner. And together make sure you have a way to monitor yourself and learn from it.
