H-Hour #219 Prof. Jo Neill

This conversation explores the field of psychopharmacology and the potential of psychedelics in treating mental health disorders. The guest, Jo Neill, a professor of psychopharmacology, discusses the definition and scope of psychopharmacology, the effects of psychedelics on the brain, and the challenges in drug discovery for mental health. The conversation highlights the need for alternative approaches to mental health treatment and the potential of psychedelics to heal individuals. The safety and long-lasting effects of psychedelics are also discussed, along with the concept of microdosing and blinding in clinical trials. Prof. Jo Neill emphasizes the promising substances of psilocybin and DMT in treating mental health conditions. This conversation explores the healing potential of psychedelics for trauma and mental health. The chapters cover topics such as understanding and facing trauma, the healing power of psychedelics, the default mode network and trauma, switching off the default mode network, reconnecting with childhood and healing, personal experiences with psychedelics, the positive impact and perception shift, challenges and legalization, clinical trials and MDMA for PTSD, the need for drug law reform, and how to support psychedelic medicine.

Jo is also a co-host of the excellent Drug Science podcast, available on all common podcast apps.   Source link here: https://www.drugscience.org.uk/drug-science-podcast/

Takeaways

  • Psychedelics enable individuals to understand and face their trauma, leading to healing and recovery.
  • The default mode network in the brain plays a role in trauma and mental health disorders, and psychedelics can switch it off, allowing for new connections and healing.
  • Psychedelics can provide profound and transformative experiences, shifting perceptions and leading to personal growth.
  • There are challenges in legalizing and researching psychedelics, but the evidence for their therapeutic potential is strong.
  • Supporting drug law reform and advocating for psychedelic medicine can help make these treatments more accessible and save lives.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
03:00 Definition and Scope of Psychopharmacology
06:29 Psychedelics and the Brain
10:20 Psychedelics from Plants
17:00 Challenges in Drug Discovery for Mental Health
19:25 Psychedelics as a Solution
32:18 Mental Health Crisis and the Need for Alternatives
43:56 Safety and Long-lasting Effects of Psychedelics
50:20 Microdosing and Blinding in Clinical Trials
55:23 Promising Substances: Psilocybin and DMT
57:21 Understanding and Facing Trauma
01:00:07 The Healing Power of Psychedelics
01:01:05 The Default Mode Network and Trauma
01:02:34 Switching Off the Default Mode Network
01:03:33 Reconnecting with Childhood and Healing
01:04:01 Personal Experiences with Psychedelics
01:06:17 Positive Impact and Perception Shift
01:07:17 Psychedelics and Personal Transformation
01:08:14 Challenges and Legalization
01:09:12 Clinical Trials and MDMA for PTSD
01:11:33 The Need for Drug Law Reform
01:15:33 How to Support Psychedelic Medicine
01:22:22 Drug Science Podcast and Advocacy