Steve Levine, MD: The Future of Psychedelics in Psychiatry

There are still many hurdles before psychedelics can be utilized as a viable treatment in psychiatry.

Despite being considered as an option for further research for decades, we might still be in the infancy of the understanding of what compounds work best for what disorder at what dosing.

In addition, similar to the public debate regarding medical marijuana, there will likely be a lengthy public debate if the mind-altering substances should be used as a medical treatment.

However, research is ongoing that could shed light on at least the medical aspects of these questions.

In an interview with HCPLive®, Steve Levine, MD, Co-Founder and Chairman of Heading Health, explained the current status of research on psychedelics and where he sees this going in the future.

Currently, there are several different psychedelics being tested, including psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and ibogaine for disorders like major depressive disorder (MDD), mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Currently, the most advanced programs include studies testing MDMA for PTSD and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. However, it is still too early to tell whether they are effective treating the disorders.

Levine also said the trajectory of medical psychedelics may play out similarly to medical marijuana research, which was hampered by state and federal laws.