Dying? Pass the magic mushrooms

Psychedelic Drugs to Boost Quality of Life

What do you say when face to face with a loved one who’s just been told they have less than 6 months to live? How do you find the words to offer support and comfort? The normal spiel we give someone who’s ill, “You’ll be ok soon, take care” doesn’t have a place in this scenario, with the result being that you either end up crying together or dancing around the issue like it does not exist.

I wouldn’t wish a terminal illness on even my worst enemy, not after seeing what my dad’s brother is going through after having been diagnosed with the IV stage of colorectal cancer. He’s a pediatric surgeon himself, so he knows better than us what the disease is liable to do to him, how it’s going to take its toll on him and finally kill him. It’s been 7 months now, and the chemo that initially showed positive signs seemed to stop working as the cancer came back with a vengeance, this time leaving him in agonizing pain that is a constant companion.

It’s at times like this that I wish that euthanasia was a legal option, at least if the patient wished to exercise it. Painkillers stop working beyond a point, and just when it seems that the rest of his days are likely to be spent in purgatory, there seems to be a ray of hope for thousands of others like him.

Scientists in Switzerland have been experimenting with the use of psychedelic drugs to alleviate the suffering that people with terminal illness bear and to improve their quality of life as long as they live. Yes, you read that right – psychedelic drugs, which gained notoriety a few decades ago for the hallucinogenic effects and highs they gave people who used them for recreational purposes, are now crossing over to the legitimate side. Researchers have found positive effects when psilocybin, the substance that’s found in magic mushrooms, is administered to patients facing imminent death.

It seems to have the double effect of a pain killer and a mood elevator, releasing negative emotions and bringing about a positive state of mind. The results of the study have not been published officially, but the initial news is all good. While there are a few doubts as to the relative safety of using hallucinogenic drugs to enhance the quality of life of terminal illness patients, the Journal of Psychopharmacology published a report stating that these medicines are safe as long as they are administered by qualified professionals. They are not toxic or addictive and do not lead to psychosis unless used in the long term on patients with family histories of mental illness.

The only precaution that must be taken is to ensure that the patients do not harm themselves unintentionally under the influence of the drug. That’s definitely good news for families of people with terminal illnesses who require palliative care – anything to minimize the suffering that accompanies them on the road to death.

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This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of pharmacy school. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com