Canadian veteran hoping to make use of psilocybin to treat mental illness

TORONTO (660 NEWS) — As our understanding of mental illness continues to evolve along with knowledge concerning recreational drugs, new treatments are starting to emerge.

Magic mushrooms are emerging as one of the possible solutions, offering alternative treatment that does not involve addictive drugs. Specifically, the active psychoactive ingredient contained within the fungus, psilocybin, is being studied as a way to treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In Ontario, a clinic is helping a Canada Forces veteran obtain an exemption from Health Canada to use psilocybin in a therapeutic setting under observation from doctors.

Master Corporal Scott Atkinson served in Yugoslavia and Afghanistan, and upon leaving the service after 25 years, he experienced several issues.

“I was in the Invictus Games in 2017 in Toronto, and only six weeks before that I was in rehab. I was drinking, I was using a lot of painkillers,” he said. “I tried to figure everything out with alcohol, I was lying to all the doctors.”

After Atkinson left the military in 2018, he started using cannabis and that helped open his perception towards using psychoactive substances to treat his condition. This led him towards trying to microdose with magic mushrooms. Microdosing involves consuming only small amounts of the substance, limiting the chance of having an overwhelming experience while also still getting benefits out of it.

Atkinson said he started to notice an immediate change in his mood.

“I found how my days changed. I actually was excited to get up in the morning, my view of the world changed.

“It opens your mind, for lack of a better term. You let go of the ego.”

As a result of this, Atkinson was able to stop using drugs and almost never touches alcohol either.

“I don’t need it, I’m happy. I used to think it was needed to be happier.”

Afterwards, Atkinson was connected to Field Trip Health Ltd. in Toronto, a clinic that explores the use of psychoactive substances in treating mental illness. They already use ketamine for some treatments, but psilocybin still requires an exemption from Health Canada when used in a clinical setting.

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Co-founder and Executive Director Ronan Levy said there are issues with traditional forms of treatment for conditions such as PTSD — including the prescription of anti-depressants or painkillers — and there’s less risk when using something like psilocybin, even if it is scheduled as an illegal substance.

“These are orders of magnitude more effective than current treatment options, and despite what we may have learned in high school, psychedelic molecules are by and large safe, they’re non-addictive, it’s extremely hard to overdose,” said Levy.

Health Canada does offer what is known as a Section 56 exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in some scenarios, including for people in palliative care. But there have been no cases for a situation like Atkinson’s.

In fact, if they do get approval, Atkinson would be the first veteran granted such an exemption and the first to be granted to a Canadian without a terminal illness.

In a letter addressed to Minister of Health Patty Hajdu, Atkinson explained how the intense experiences defining his years of service have left him emotionally scarred, and other forms of treatment failed to improve his condition. As he struggled to cope, his relationship with his loved ones suffered and participating in regular daily activities was of great difficulty.

Levy said that Atkinson is a perfect candidate for this exemption.

“He served our country dutifully and with valour, having done a number of tours in Yugoslavia and Afghanistan, and he’s paying the price for it. Out of sheer compassion and humanitarian consideration, we think it’s important that he get access to treatments that may really enhance the quality of his life.”

Levy added that this can also spark an important dialogue around the wider treatment of mental health, at a time where we are already becoming more open around discussing the issues in the first place.

But when it comes to psychedelics, it can lead to situations where patients are able to tackle the issues more head-on.

“Studies have shown that psychedelic experiences tend to be the most meaningful experiences of people’s lives, you’re going to see people want to get proactive about their mental and emotional health,” Levy said. “I think that could possibly be the most important thing that could happen to Canadian society and global society in possibly history, if we started thinking about our emotional health and mental well-being as much as we consider our physical health and our physical well-being.”

Atkinson agreed this could be a life-changing experience for himself and many others struggling with mental illness, including veterans and first responders.

“I see veterans struggling all the time,” he said. “We were coming back and they didn’t have any venues to talk about mental health, they were scared to talk about mental health and if they did, they were pushed away. It’s changed now.”

Furthering the evolution in treating mental health, the therapy session when using psilocybin also look much different than what someone may typically experience.


A look inside the Field Trip Health clinic in Toronto. (PHOTO: Field Trip Health Ltd.)

Levy said they have a very open setting, with patients always under a watchful eye when consuming the substances and there are follow-up sessions to track progress. It starts with meeting a doctor to develop a good rapport so everyone has a level of trust with each other, and then there can be an appointment involving the intake of psilocybin.

“He’s invited to put on eye shades, put on music, and go inwards. This is not about having a good time on psychedelics, it’s about going inwards and doing the work. What tends to happen during a psychedelic experience is people are able to revisit past traumas, past experiences, with a degree of objectivity,” he said.

Levy said there is increased neural plasticity as a result of consuming psilocybin, and even one session can lessen the effects of depression for years. After that session, the patient will discuss the experience with a doctor and then they can further examine the trauma to treat it further.

Atkinson knows that it is not an immediate fix, and it will have to be combined with other forms of continued treatment for a long period of time. But he can see a light at the end of the tunnel with this possibility, and he hopes that other people struggling with conditions such as PTSD can look at psilocybin as an alternative solution.

“The help is out there,” he said. “It can be such a ground breaker for a person to see a whole new life after starting to use psilocybin.

“The joy of being able to be human again. It’s good.”

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