Courtesy
Seattle is known as a place where people are willing to challenge the status quo. Willing to step outside of the way things are always done and invent brilliant new solutions to everyday problems.
One challenge that needs to be solved is the mental health crisis.
In uniquely Seattle fashion, we were the largest U.S. city to lead the way toward decriminalizing psychedelics for noncommercial use. This landmark mandate allowed researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine to study the therapeutic value of psilocybin mushrooms for depression, anxiety, and addiction. Governor Inslee's bill set the wheels in motion for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to help many people who could potentially benefit from this approach.
Seattle is benefiting from the renewed interest in psychedelics that New York Times journalist Michael Pollan helped facilitate several years ago with the publication of his book, “How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence.”
Pollan's book was made into a Netflix docuseries and is well worth the watch if you are curious about how psychedelics can improve mental well-being. There is much to explore here and lots of potential to revolutionize the conventional approach to treating mental health issues.
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy might go a long way to addressing the current mental health crisis.
But in forward-thinking Seattle, we need to think beyond the current crisis. We need to look at prevention.
And if psychedelics are part of the answer, let's also examine the role of the body's natural psychedelics in mental wellness. Shouldn't research dollars be allocated to uncovering the connection between endogenous psychedelics and general mental health?
Endogenous means within the body. Researchers have already documented that the most potent psychedelic known to science, DMT, exists within the human brain and body. Beyond knowing that it exists within us, little is known about its role in our daily existence.
DMT drug research does provide some clues, however ...
Researchers who have studied DMT as a drug report the role it plays in human perception. Study participants report positive life-changing experiences after a single DMT experience. Many who have experienced this substance describe a journey that feels like crossing a threshold into another dimension — one that transcends the boundaries of our physical existence. These experiences often provide insights into the nature of consciousness, the universe, and our connection to everything around us. DMT can evoke feelings of interconnectedness, love, and unity, often challenging our understanding of life and existence. It's not uncommon for a self-identified atheist to no longer identify as such after a DMT trip.
‘SPIRIT MOLECULE’
DMT is dubbed the “spirit molecule' because it seems to link us with another dimensional reality that is often described as more real than waking reality. While we may pass this off as a hallucination, those who have experienced this firsthand are often convinced it is more than that — and the subjective reports from research participants seem to reveal a consistent description of the "DMT world."
Back in 2019, a groundbreaking study by scientists at the University of Michigan revealed that the mammalian brain naturally produces large quantities of DMT (dimethyltryptamine) during physical death.
We have yet to fully understand the role of DMT within us, but it is also linked to sleep and dreams, creativity, childbirth, plus as mentioned, human perception and spiritual experiences.
This prompts the question: is it the DMT within us that aids us in the feeling of being spiritually connected? When we meditate or engage in spiritual practices, are we boosting our natural DMT? These questions are relevant to those working in mental health, as spirituality increases psychological well-being.
RESEARCH NEEDED
For us to understand the significance of DMT within the human body we need more research. As a psychedelic drug, DMT catalyzes personal transformation, leading to healing, self-discovery, and a deeper understanding of life's mysteries. How empowering would it be to discover more about DMT in the human body and then educate people to access this wonder medicine themselves?
The pharmacy that we need for our mental well-being and spiritual connection is potentially right within us. Although the capitalistic model of medicine doesn't necessarily support this type of initiative, in Seattle, we think outside of the box, and it's important that we do so. It's time we find sustainable ways to support public health and well-being long-term.
Jenny Martin is a resident of Madison Park and blogs on Substack @drjennymartin.