In the quest for new treatment options for mental illness and psychiatric disorders, attention is being paid to the potential role of psychedelic medicines as adjuncts to psychotherapy for a wide array of conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and some addictions. Trials are also underway for dementia, strokes, cluster headaches, OCD and eating disorders. A proactive approach to broadening the treatment options available for people who have a mental illness is desperately needed.
This webinar discusses the mental health epidemic, the urgent need for innovation in treatments and examines the evidence for psychedelic-assisted therapy and investigate the potential applications of this novel therapy and the way forwards for Australia.
Learning objectives:
1) Understanding the causes and severity of our mental health epidemic
2) The urgent need for expanding treatment options for medical practitioners and their patients
3) Identify the psychedelic substances and how and why they work in the brain
4) Acknowledgement of the role of psychotherapeutic input alongside the drug itself
5) Illustrate the overview of evidence
6) Ascertain the potential applications in depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction..
7) Clarification of the profile of people most likely to benefit and assessment of those who might experience adverse effects
8) Understand key issues that remain to be elucidated about the potential use of psychedelics in the clinical environment
9) Future directions and next steps to advance the field in Australia
