Tripping to A Better Place: How Psychedelics are Boosting Mental Health

Bursts of colour, flashing images and intense experiences – that’s an apt description of an online casino.  To those in cosy relationships with magic mushrooms, MDMA and LSD, it’s a good night out.  Now, psychedelics are paving the way to enhanced mental health.

From Party Favours to Power-Packed Mental Illness Treatments

Since the sixties, mind altering substances have been in the domain of exclusive ‘party treats’.  In more recent times, drugs like LSD, Ketamine, Ibogaine, psilocybin and MDMA have been making major breakthroughs in the field of mental health.

Heroin addicts are reporting positive outcomes after using Ibogaine to kick the habit.  The clinically depressed are finding equilibrium in their lives after taking a single dose of psilocybin.  Army veterans, suffering from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are living normal lives after years of anguish, anger, self-hatred and fear.

Investors Pumping Money into a Potential Market Valued at $7 Billion and More

Anecdotal evidence relating to psychedelics-based miracle cures is growing all the time.  In fact, so much so that more and more biotech companies are investing time and money in therapeutic psychedelic drug research.

The potential of the medicinal psychedelic drugs market is small yet significant.  Forecasters are predicting market capitalisation of around $10 billion over the next decade.

That, of course, is a drop in the ocean when compared to the estimated $158 billion ascribed to the online casino and gambling sector over the same period – and Springbok Casino is a key player in the market!

Psychedelics Prove Effective in Treating Drug-Resistant Depression

In the USA and Europe, there are several companies looking into the efficacy of psilocybin, MDMA and Ketamine as an alternative treatment to the conventional anti-depressants manufactured by the large pharmaceutical companies.

According to initial research results, all three of the drugs are proving effective, especially for patients suffering from drug-resistant depression.

Survivor-Driven Research

Many of the people pumping money into psychedelic drug treatment are survivors of chronic cocaine addiction, alcoholism and clinical depressions, themselves.  They have first-hand knowledge of the efficacy of these largely illegal schedule 1 drugs as a treatment for debilitating, and often life-threatening, mental health issues.

Medicinal Psychedelics Deliver Superior Outcomes with Infrequent Doses

Psychedelic-assisted therapies are proving to be ground-breaking, not only in terms of deliverable results – but in the dosages required to obtain optimal outcomes.  Unlike traditional anti-depressants – which are classified as chronic medicines and have to be taken consistently over a lifetime to maintain a healthy mental balance – psychedelics need only be taken once or twice a year.

What is even more exciting is infrequent, or ‘one-off doses’, are allowing users to go into full remission.  That in itself is huge – in the context of costs, clinical side effects and the long-term comfort and well-being of the patient.

In that sense, psychedelics are the equivalent of the online casino.  They are agile, highly effective and have a low impact on overheads but deliver an optimised experience all-round!

Microdosing - What is it and What are the Benefits?

Microdosing is another way to use these psychedelics to treat patients suffering from mood disturbances, as opposed to treating with strong pharmaceuticals.  It is effectively a practice whereby patients ingest sub-hallucinogenic amounts – about 5% to 10% of a regular dose – of psilocybin, LSD, ketamine and other substances are prescribed over an extended treatment period.

Microdosing is beneficial in that is produces little to no mind-altering experience, and it can be particularly useful in treating teenagers suffering from depression and anxiety.  Numerous studies have been done on the benefits of microdosing and the findings are unanimous – the results seem positive.

Considering the long list of contraindications and side-effects of traditional pharmaceutical drugs, many people are opting to microdose with psychedelics, particularly psilocybin mushrooms and THC, instead.

The Challenge is Developing the Infrastructure to Support Safe Monitored Treatment

Besides tweaking psychedelic-based treatments to improve purity and efficacy, biotech companies are developing the infrastructure required to treat patients in safe, controlled environments.

Even when used as a therapeutic treatment, drugs like LSD, magic mushrooms and MDMA are still capable of delivering an intense mind-altering experience, or ‘trip’, that has to be closely monitored.  The challenge is to find ways to roll out psychedelics on scale, in the safest way possible way – and with a medical practitioner overseeing the therapy.

Remote Video Streaming Platforms Enabling Monitoring from Afar

One startup has developed a remote video streaming platform, similar to IBM Cloud Video, Brightcove or Dacast.  The idea is to enable therapists and patients to connect and communicate in real-time as the mind-altering elements inherent in the therapy unfold.

Another company is hard at work building a home delivery service for therapeutic Ketamine use.  The IV-based treatment will mean clinically depressed people, who find it exceedingly difficult to socially interact with people and get out and about, can get the required ‘jolt’ at home.

Along with the emergence of the online casino, these innovative platforms are ground breaking in the extreme.  They are purpose-designed to package and present mental health solutions to vulnerable people in the most user-friendly way.

How Do Psychedelics Achieve Extraordinary Outcomes?

Although there is not sufficient data or clinical trials to make science-based findings, particularly on how the treatments will affect the developing brain in teenagers and children, early results are encouraging.

LSD Can Generate Empathy and a Sense of Belonging

In one recent study, it was found that LSD actually activates the brain’s excitatory transmitters in the prefrontal cortex.  This, in turn, increases feelings of empathy, a stronger connection with the world and a sense of being part of a wider social community.

Psychedelics open the mind, increase productivity and creativity and provide positive experiences, all of which can change the world view of users, making them happier, more relaxed and more socially connected.

Psilocybin Can Reduce Anxiety and Depression

In another study, a single dose of psilocybin – the active ingredient in magic mushrooms – administered to cancer patients, radically reduced feelings of anxiety and depression.  What is even more remarkable is most of the subjects reported enhanced moods which lasted for years after the treatment.

Ibogaine Can Treat Addiction

Ibogaine, a mind-altering drug sourced from the bark of the Tabernanthe Iboga plant, has been particularly successful in treating heroin and cocaine addiction, as well as alcoholism.  After taking the plant-based drug, users have absolutely no cravings or withdrawal symptoms.

Early indications are that Ibogaine basically changes the brain by encouraging plasticity and neuron growth.  The outcome is a rewired brain fortified to combat substance abuse.

In its reworked state, the brain – and by extension the person – has no desire to drink, use cocaine or deadly heroin… for several days, months or even years following treatment!

Springbok Casino Can Mitigate the Blues… A Trip of a Different Kind!

Are you feeling down and out, and treatment with psychedelics is not on the cards?  Well, there is an easy way to boost your mood.  All it involves is registering an account at our star-rated online casino.

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