Healing with Psychedelics: Veterans, PTSD, and the Science of Mind-Altering Drugs

About this episode

The episode explores the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in treating PTSD, featuring personal stories and scientific insights.

For decades, psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA were regarded as dangerous drugs of abuse — but that’s started changing as research increasingly reveals their ability to help treat serious mental health issues. On this episode, we listen back to past conversations about the science behind these drugs’ therapeutic potential, along with powerful stories of healing. When Marcus Capone retired from the Navy SEALS in 2013 after more than a decade of service, he found himself at loose ends, and battling a deep depression. He cycled through antidepressants and other prescription medications, but nothing worked — until his wife suggested a radical alternative: psychedelic-assisted therapy. Capone describes his experience with ibogaine, how it changed him, and why he thinks it worked when nothing else did. Capone is the co-founder and chairman of VETS: Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions , and is featured in the documentary “ In Waves and War ” now on Netflix. Psychiatrist and researcher Rachel Yehuda explains the science behind psychedelic-assisted therapy, and what she’s learned about its potential to treat PTSD in veterans. She leads the PTSD clinical research program at…

People in this episode

Guests: Marcus Capone, Rachel Yehuda, Rachel Nuwer

Topics covered

• psychedelics
• PTSD
• mental health
• veterans
• therapy
• science

Keywords

• psychedelics
• PTSD
• veterans
• therapy
• mental health
• MDMA
• LSD
• psilocybin
• ibogaine

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: VETS: Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, James J. Peters VA Medical Center

Products: MDMA, LSD, psilocybin, ibogaine

Books & works: In Waves and War

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