I’m pretty private despite sharing my wellness journey like a 12-year-old with their first iPhone.

A few months ago, I said I needed to take a break. Call it burnout, call it “tired of political bullshit, getting sued by Pierre Poilivere’s friends,” but I was at a crossroads. I’m not sure if I wanted to podcast and if I didn’t. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep slinging negative bullshit stories about Pat King’s latest jail sentence, Pierre Poilievre’s angry fascist rage porn tour, or trying o find a reason to hate Justin Trudeau to connect to a new audience with money to burn.

So I did what every self-respecting media/current events/daily digital dude does – I went and did a hero dose of shrooms at a psilocybin retreat and wrote about it here:

🍄Dean: I Faced Off With Myself In a Six Hour Psilocybin Treatment Trip/Retreat And Here’s What Happened https://t.co/Yf8ZHuBbf7

— Dean Blundell🇨🇦 (@ItsDeanBlundell) July 8, 2024

I’m One Of Those Guys

As someone who quit drinking seven years ago and a firm believer in science, Magic Mushrooms/Plant Based therapies were the boogeyman’s drugs. The shit your parents told you we led to living in a box with a mangy dog behind a Chinese food restaurant. However, when I quit drinking, I started using CBD and Cannabis for sleep and anxiety, and it changed my life, so I looked into psychedelic treatment through the lens of having an open mind, and it blew my mind.

After reading this definitive study from Johns Hopkins University that found most people treated with psychedelics (psilocybin) experience drug-free relief of major depression and PTSD symptoms after one treatment, I was in. I settled on a therapeutic retreat with Tierra Viviente, led by former Olympic figure skater Dylan Moscovitch.

It’s too reductive to say it ‘changed my life,’ but that psychedelic, therapeutic experience has COMPLETELY changed my perspective.

No more deep-seated anxiety about hypotheticals. I move on to the next task happily.

I wake up happy.

“Dread” has disappeared.

I sleep like a goddamned baby.

Since the retreat, I haven’t experienced a “low mood” and have never been more productive or honest with myself.

I notice nice, beautiful things more often and experience an increasing amount of joy and hope instead of ruminating over past hurts.

Self-loathing has been replaced by belief in myself and a sense of adventure in tackling problems for solutions.

And a funny thing happened after I started sharing my experience: I realized I’m not the only person searching for an effective chemical alternative.

Close to 200,000 people read that post. Another 200,000 read and responded with extreme intrigue to this tweet, where I shared that I was Microdosing with the help of MomentMushrooms.com and experienced a massive influx of traffic – people who struggle to look for the same relief from low mood, weird thinking, and trauma recovery.

There are plenty of ‘mood enhancers’ and SSRIs that work, but they all have side effects, from bad boners to increased risk of almost every cancer. Psychedelic treatment? In most cases, it’s one-and-done, plant-based medicine, and you can integrate a micro-dosing schedule without toxicity.

Pills you re-up every thirty days, and you roll the side effect dice with every prescription. Psychedelic plant-based medicine might be the antidote to that, and THAT is what intrigues ALL of us.

🚨Wanted to share something: I started micro-dosing with psilocybin a month ago.

I legitimately cannot get over the difference in my day to day life.

Negative values I used to place on innocuous “things” have disappeared. I have never been more productive, focused, or happy.…

— Dean Blundell🇨🇦 (@ItsDeanBlundell) August 14, 2024

That’s the problem.

We’re going to educate you.

But start with https://t.co/ltlv9P9GbB.

— Dean Blundell🇨🇦 (@ItsDeanBlundell) August 14, 2024

Are There Clinics, Treatments, Or Ways to Integrate Psychadelics or Microdosing Now?

In a word, “Yes.”

Mocrodosing Companies Exist

Various organizations, including the organization I use, Moment Mushrooms, are looking to share their micro-dosing knowledge. It’s a grey area, like Cannabis Compassion before legalization, so I was SUPER grateful to find a responsible company whose product knowledge and solutions worked.

They guarantee their work and are hyper-focused on quality, sustainability, and helping people. I turned to them for serious education. I’m journaling about the transformative integration of micro-dosing psilocybin and the mood enhancement and ability to operate in challenging environments, which is a breeze. I said it earlier, but microdosing “Nourish” and “Nuero” is my secret weapon in my fight to be free of trouble and genuinely present and happy.

Are There Clinics For Psychedelic/Alternative Therapies?

Field Trip Health stands out as a pioneer, offering cutting-edge psychedelic therapies that are transforming lives. At Field Trip, healing is not just a destination but a journey. This journey embraces the power of alternative therapeutics to address mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. They have several clinics in Canada that specialize in a variety of alternative treatments for several cognitive and emotional disorders associated with trauma.

Alternative Therapeutics at Field Trip

Field Trip Health is at the forefront of integrating evidence-based psychedelic therapies with traditional mental health treatments. The clinic offers a variety of alternative therapeutics, each designed to facilitate deep healing and personal growth.

• Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: Ketamine, a Health Canada-approved medicine, is used in conjunction with psychotherapy to treat depression, anxiety, and PTSD. This approach allows patients to achieve breakthroughs that often surpass the results of years of conventional therapy. Patients undergo sessions in serene, spa-like environments guided by trained professionals to explore and process past traumas and emotions.
• Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB): Soon to be available at select locations, the Stellate Ganglion Block is a promising treatment for anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This advanced protocol, known as the Dual Sympathetic Reset (DSR), offers relief by targeting the sympathetic nervous system, providing a reset that can alleviate persistent symptoms.
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): This FDA-approved treatment uses magnetic pulses to regulate brain activity, relieving major depressive disorder. TMS is a noninvasive option that has shown significant promise in improving mood and cognitive function. Field Trip Health provides a beacon of hope and innovation in a world where mental health issues are increasingly prevalent. By embracing alternative therapeutics, Field Trip is changing lives and paving the way for a new era in mental health care. And it’s psychedelic-based.

Diamond Therapeutics Is All IN And Hyper Focused On Treating You Where You Are.

Diamond Therapeutics is at the forefront of developing innovative psychedelic-based therapies for mental health treatment. And they are medical heavyweights. The company is focused on creating non-hallucinogenic, low-dose treatments derived from psychedelic compounds that can be safely administered at home.

Clinical Trials: Diamond recently enrolled the first patient in an FDA-approved clinical trial evaluating low-dose psilocybin for treating demoralization. This groundbreaking study, conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, will assess the efficacy and feasibility of using microdoses of psilocybin to address feelings of hopelessness and meaninglessness.

Research Partnerships: The company has established strategic collaborations with leading institutions. For instance, Diamond signed an agreement with McGill University to access groundbreaking research on low-dose LSD, exploring its potential for treating mental health disorders characterized by social impairment.

Funding Support: Diamond has received investment from the Ontario Brain Institute, demonstrating confidence in their approach from reputable organizations in the neuroscience field.

Innovative Approach

Diamond Therapeutics is distinguishing itself by focusing on sub-perceptual, non-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelic compounds. This approach aims to:

1. Maximize patient accessibility
2. Minimize potential side effects
3. Enable at-home treatment options

Research Initiatives in Canada Are Growing

The Canadian government is actively supporting psychedelic research:

• In 2022, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) launched a research grant for psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
  .
• In June 2023, the government announced a nearly $3 million investment to fund three clinical trials examining psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for alcohol use disorder, treatment-resistant depression, and end-of-life psychological distress in advanced-stage cancer patients.
• The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) received Canada’s first federal grant to study psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression in 2022.

Legal Status

While most psychedelics remain illegal under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, there are provisions for medical and research exemptions:

• The federal Minister of Health can grant exemptions for controlled use in scientific research and medicine
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• Researchers must obtain appropriate authorizations under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Food and Drugs Act before initiating clinical trials.

Clinical Trials

Several clinical trials are underway or in development:

• CAMH is conducting a study to explore whether psilocybin’s antidepressant effects require experiencing its psychedelic effects.
• Multiple trials are examining psilocybin for conditions like end-of-life distress, alcohol use disorder, and treatment-resistant depression.

Emerging Field

The psychedelic research landscape in Canada is evolving rapidly:

• There’s growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy as a potential treatment for mental health conditions that don’t respond to standard therapies.
• Canadian researchers are at the forefront of studying micro-dosing and its potential benefits for depression.
  
• While Canada has not yet legalized psychedelic treatments broadly, the country is taking a science-based approach to exploring their potential. The ongoing research and clinical trials may pave the way for future regulatory changes and expanded access to psychedelic-assisted therapies for mental health treatment.

I’m not about the woo-woo when it comes to my mental and emotional health. I am cautious and consult physicians before any alternative journey. Every physician/Psychologist I spoke to gave me the green light to explore psychedelic treatment for PTSD, low mood, and anxiety, and it not only works for me, I want to share it it with you. You must consult a physician/psychiatrist about whether it’s right for you.

But there’s nuclear hope for so many. I believe I am experiencing solutions today that were born from Mushrooms and dedication to advocating for myself with the help of trusted medical professionals. To see the medical world and MILLIONS of Canadians embrace the notion of alternative psychedelic treatments replacing harsh chemical drug treatment turns me on because I know it works.

New studies suggest Psychedelics have breakthrough effects in treating alcoholism, smoking cessation, and addiction to opioids and narcotics, and with ZERO toxicity. ZERO.

People in palliative care are being treated with psychedelics to remove the negative perception of death or anxiety around their diagnosis so they can maximize the quality of life they have left.

These aren’t your Uncle Ron’s mushrooms, and Nixon’s dead, so let’s open our minds up and think differently about Psychedelic treatment for what ails most of us – trauma. We all have some, and saving your quality of life might be a Hero dose/Microdose away.

The biggest difference? Instead of mocking the world as it burns with my content, I want to make it a little better instead of worse—no more clickbait and culture war shit. I’m excited to podcast and VERY motivated to get back to work with a point of difference: I’m happy and look forward to what life can be and responding to it. That’s what my ongoing experience with psychedelic treatment is teaching me, and it can (most likely) do the same thing for you.

Cheers.

DB