CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Our nation's veterans have become the unlikely voices at the forefront of how psychedelics could be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other disorders.
13News Now spoke with an Air Force veteran from Chesapeake, as well as a team at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, about the potential of psychedelics to treat mental health issues, especially when all other options have been exhausted.
Wrestling with PTSD, Chesapeake veteran sought several solutions
Adam Carr from Chesapeake sits on his couch with his border collie, Leia, who has a lot of energy at almost 10 years old. She is his companion, a furry friend who often helps him during his tough days.
Carr was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in 2022. He developed the symptoms as a result of his time serving in the U.S. Air Force. He joined the military in 2007 and was then assigned to serve in Iraq for several years, starting at age 21.
He was stationed at Joint Base Balad where he worked long hours on the flight line. He later decided to work in the hospital, helping wounded military members or Iraqi civilians.
"We got bombed all the time," Carr said, sitting in his chair with Leia loyally by his feet. "It became the norm."
Carr told 13News Now he saw everything from a sprained ankle to someone dying in his hands. But he didn't hesitate when people needed him. Even on his few days off, he wanted to be at the hospital to help people.
"It's a lot to take in and the military tells you that you'll be okay, but a lot of it was just bottled up," Carr explained, adding there is still a stigma about getting help while in the military.
After 15 years of service, Carr sought help from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
He went through sessions with different doctors and connected to a psychiatrist to figure out which medications he should take. He even spoke with a sleep and nightmare therapist to help with his terrorizing dreams.
Recently, Carr has been able to manage his sleep better because of grounding techniques to help him remain in control when his PTSD strikes. However, the number of pills Carr was prescribed became overwhelming.
He said he ended up taking 13 pills every single day for his PTSD and depression, not including his blood pressure medication. Looking for the best relief, Carr searched for other options.
"I did try microdosing once ... and it lasted 30 to 45 minutes maybe," Carr said, referring to the psychedelic compound found naturally in some mushrooms called Psilocybin.
Psilocybin works faster than regular antidepressants, VCU team finds
Found in "magic mushrooms," psilocybin is a form of psychedelic that has hallucinogenic properties if a certain amount is consumed. Microdosing is the process of consuming very small amounts, so it does not cause hallucinations.
That small amount is what scientists with Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Medicine in Richmond used to study how psychedelics work in the brain and how the impacts could lead to new treatment options for depression.
Javier González-Maeso, Ph.D., and Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Ph.D., lead a team of researchers to identify changes in the brain that could underlie antidepressant activity.
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González-Maeso said previous research suggests the spines of neurons in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that helps regulate anxiety and mood, become less dense when a person experiences depression.
He and other researchers dedicated years to finding what can help reverse the impact depression has on the neurological level.
González-Maeso said he and his team found anti-depressants typically on store shelves took some time to create a longer-lasting impact on the brain. However, his research on psilocybin is showing faster results.
He and his team used adult mice as the center of their study. In the study, the researchers gave the mice a single dose of a lesser-known psychedelic, formally called "2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine" (DOI).
González-Maeso said this psychedelic, in a very small amount, showed a reverse in the dense spines of the neurons in the prefrontal cortex within 24 hours after administration, proving a "rewiring" effect on the brain.
He added this showed more promising results than the regular antidepressants like Prozac.
"Psychedelics have not proven to be addictive like alcohol, cocaine, or opiates," González-Maeso said. "With one, one single administration, you can see an increase in the plasticity in the frontal cortex and that lasts for weeks, which is long-lasting. It is said with that very low dose [of psilocybin], it has benefits with creativity and happiness."
Psilocybin therapy may cause hallucinations, if more than a certain amount is used
González-Maeso warned this isn't the type of drug that should easily be given over-the-counter, since a certain amount can, indeed, cause hallucinations.
The same serotonin receptor impacted to help reverse the effects of depression symptoms is also the same receptor that could cause hallucinations with more than a certain amount of psychedelics.
González-Maeso said he and his team are actively looking into how they can make a synthetic version of psilocybin that would help reverse the symptoms without causing the hallucinations.
When Carr tried microdosing, he said he did not hallucinate, because of the small amount he consumed.
"Absolutely not," Carr said. "I didn't see paint melting off walls or anything like that. I didn't see super heightened colors or senses. I was just happy and it was the greatest feeling to just feel happy."
Psilocybin doesn't stand alone as a cure for anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Instead, Carr said he believes it would be more of an assistance to give a person the space and calmness in their brain to then address their problems through the help of therapy.
"I've exhausted a lot of options with different types of therapy, therapy groups, phone call groups," Carr said. "And in a microdosing situation, I would have no problem with it."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there is always help. You can always call the 24/7 lifeline, by dialing 988, to talk to someone over the phone.
13News Now also has a list here of resources across Hampton Roads to help those in need.