MAPS: Psychedelic Treatment of Addiction

[Jalaluddin <mahajohn@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

     July shall see me in Amsterdam, taking a course called "The
Philosophy of Addiction" (through Towson University).  As a graduate
student, the professor is asking me to do a little extra, and since I'm
interested in the topic, and since he's quite open to it, I'm going to
give a presentation on the history/philosophy/practice of psychedelic/
psycholytic therapy as it pertains to addiction (concentrating on alcohol,
cocaine and opiate narcotics).  I've been researching quite a bit in the
last two weeks, and I've run across a variety of opinions as to how this
all works.  

     In a 12-step sort of manner, some therapists seem to believe that
inducing peak experiences, that is, experiences that allow a patient to
perceive themselves and reality in a new light (is this metaprogramming?),
are an essential part of the healing process.  In this view, *spiritual*
experience (however it is defined) is among key.  This does not imply that
there is some sort of pharmacological "addiction/craving-blocking" effect
of the substance in question, whether it be LSD, psilocybin, ketamine,
MDMA or what have you.  

     At the opposite end of the spectrum we have substances such as
ibogaine (which seems pretty unique) which, like those listed above,
catalyzes "...the reevaluation of one's life, actions and behaviors...
[making it] possible for patients to understand that alternatives to
their original decisions were available.  This knowledge appears to allow
the patient to modify their current behavior and cease their drug
dependence" (Howard Lotsof, from a MAPS article).  However, ibogaine seems
to also possess a particular characteristic, which is the focus of much
research, in that it seems to affect neurophysiology in such a way as to
actually interrupt patterns of addiction and craving (but only with
opiates and cocaine), completely tangential to it psychedelic effects.  
 
     What I don't really seem to get is how the other substances are
supposed to work.  If one has spent the last 10/20/30/40 years in a
physical/emotional maelstrom of addiction, if patterns have been in place
for that long, how could "simple" peak experiences be all that helpful (it
is completely possible that having never had one, perhaps I underestimate
their transformative power)?  Ibogaine seems to have a physiological
explanation of its effects, but other psychedelics don't, yet there are
definitely those out there who believe in the efficacy of substances such
as LSD (which is not to say that it isn't efficacious).  

     For those of you who are interested in this thread, I hope I can
inspire some good discourse on the matter.  Even better, if anyone has
ever undergone psycholytic treatment for addiction, I'd *love* hear
from you.  Here's to dialogue!

				

					John N. Grunwell  




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