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Psychedelic medicines (like psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, and ketamine) show promising results in treating mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, and addiction—but their safety depends on several key factors:
Clinical Setting: Used in controlled, supervised environments with trained professionals.
Screened Patients: Given to individuals carefully screened for risk factors (e.g., no history of psychosis).
Proper Doses: Administered in therapeutic, not recreational, doses.
Integration Support: Accompanied by therapy to help process the experience.
In these contexts, research (especially on psilocybin and MDMA) has shown low risk of addiction and favourable safety profiles for many patients. Please be sure to check with a medical expert should you wish to partake in any psychedelic product as there are contraindications to certain medications and conditions.
In conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance use, PTSD and OCD, neural pathways in the brain become rigid and fixed, resulting in low mood, excessive and repetitive worry, rumination and unhealthy habits.
By placing your brain into a state that may be likened to a wakeful dream, psychedelics allows different brain regions to activate, connect and communicate. In this state, we experience fundamental shifts in our perceptions of ourselves and reality, allowing us to process trauma and loss, resolve inner conflict, release suppressed emotion, gain self-insight and transform core beliefs and behaviours that may no longer serve us.
We understand and support the unique needs of our program participants no matter where they are on their journeys. Our services are also designed to support everyone from beginners to advanced journeyers. We offer various options to help calm the nervous system, reconnect to your inner healer and find a path to your own wellness.
In clinical studies, psilocybin has exhibited high benefit and low risk — and is well tolerated by most people (What is the most dangerous drug?). Possible physical side effects include nausea, vomiting, disorientation, and headaches. The main psychological risk involved in psilocybin use is periods of overwhelming distress. Our psychedelic navigation skills-focused preparation program, facilitation supports, and on-site safety measures are designed to minimise risks.
Additionally, although rare, there is also the possibility of longer-lasting adverse psychological effects. We encourage you to review the emerging research and consult with your professional medical support system to determine if psilocybin is right for you.
There are some serious contraindications with medications and natural medicines. While they are plant derived, they are still serious and can cause harm if mixed with pharmaceutical medication.
See the below from Beckley Retreat Centre:
Many individuals with a variety of conditions ranging from depression and anxiety to chronic pain are interested in our programs, and many of these individuals may take serotonin based medications — selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or selective serotonin/nor-epinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) — in order to maintain their quality of life and functioning. Examples of SSRIs and SNRIs include zoloft, prozac, lexapro, effexor, cymbalta, trintellix, and buspirone. Our programs are non-medical and not intended to treat any medical conditions for which you may have been prescribed SSRIs or SNRIs.
At Beckley Retreats, we want to make psilocybin ceremonies available to a wide group of individuals while also creating the right environment for group programming. While prospective guests on very low doses of SSRIs/SNRIs may be considered for attendance on a case by case basis, we generally require that participants, with the knowledge and support of their prescribing physician, be at least 3 months clear of all SSRIs/SNRIs (and/or other mood altering compounds) prior to participation in our programs and complete and pass our suitability screening. Our suitability screening is used to ensure proper group dynamics and is not a tool for any diagnosis.
While we do not know the exact mechanisms, the psychedelic effect of psilocybin is due to its interactions with the complex serotonin neurotransmitter system and the connections between different brain circuits. It is thought that a major part of the psychedelic action of psilocybin is due to its activity at the serotonin receptor called 5HT2A. SSRI and SNRI medications also act on the serotonin system in complex ways including the 5HT2A receptor. Thus, when these compounds are taken together, it is difficult to identify the ideal dose for an impactful experience and to predict a person’s reaction to psilocybin. As with the medications listed above, we urge participants who take SSRIs/SNRIs and are considering our program to seek out and rely upon the advice of a trusted healthcare provider (preferably the physician who prescribed you the SSRIs/SNRIs), discuss the potential drug interactions with them, and participate in the retreats at their own risk.
People who have taken psilocybin and SSRI/SNRI medications at the same time report a less intense psychedelic experience. This is important as the transformative benefits are thought to be related to the intensity of the psychedelic experience. While Beckley Retreats is currently considering individuals on a very low dose of serotonin based medication, please be advised that we cannot guarantee that the experience will be similar to those who undergo their psilocybin journey without the interactions of serotonin based medications.
Please also see the following article:
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/Documents/Antidepressant_PsychedelicsChart_PsychedelicSchool.pdf