A revolutionary depression treatment that has changed the field of mental healthcare, Deep TMS™ has been FDA-cleared to safely and effectively treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) through BrainsWay’s patented H-coil technology.
Deep TMS treatment for depression works by utilizing a magnetic field that manages to directly reach wider and deeper brain regions, regulating the neural activity of brain structures related to major depressive disorder – specifically the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).
Repeated peer-reviewed studies have found Deep TMS to be a highly effective treatment that can facilitate a profound improvement in patients’ mental health, alleviating symptoms of depression and contributing to a significantly greater quality of life.
As a noninvasive procedure, Deep TMS is a well-tolerated treatment that does not cause any adverse or long-lasting side effects. It does not require a significant recovery period, and the 20-min treatment can easily be integrated into each patient’s day-to-day schedule.
Deep TMS Depression Treatment Protocol
BrainsWay’s unique, patented H-Coil technology is held inside a cushioned helmet fitted onto the patient’s head. Upon activation, the H-coil produces magnetic pulses that regulate the brain’s neural activity.
BrainsWay’s Deep TMS sessions for depression last approximately 20 minutes, as opposed to 40-minute standard rTMS sessions. Alternatively, a 3-min intermittent theta burst (iTBS) session is also available. A Deep TMS treatment plan usually requires daily sessions over four weeks, followed by periodic maintenance sessions.
The following graphic details Deep TMS’s treatment protocol, with its Acute and Continuation phases:
The first step is to establish an intention. Why are you microdosing psilocybin? Remember, intentions should be flexible enough to allow for the results to emerge in their own way. Sometimes, especially after reading anecdotal reports online, people have expectations about how it should work for them. This can lead to disappointment and can take attention away from what is actually coming up in the microdosing experience. Consider finding a coach or therapist who is experienced with microdosing phenomena and can help you on your journey. While microdoses may not produce ‘full blown’ psychedelic effects, they may subtly sensitize a person to their environmental surroundings or internal emotional content. Therefore, treating microdosing with similar intentionality, supportive therapy, and complementary modalities to psychedelic assisted therapy is likely to produce the best results. In other words, set and setting still matters even though the doses are small.
Once you have decided on a protocol to use, it’s time to prepare your doses. A great way to have consistent microdoses is to use a coffee grinder to powder the dried mushrooms. While many users online purport that caps contain more psilocybin than stems, there is no research to substantiate this claim. It is true that some mushrooms may simply be more potent than others; therefore, creating a more homogenous mixture is the best way to minimize variability between doses.
How much is a microdose of psilocybin mushrooms? For most people, a microdose is about 50-250mg (0.05-0.25g) of dried mushrooms. To measure out a microdose, you’ll need a jewelry scale that can measure in milligrams. If you are new to microdosing, try starting at the lower end of this range. Over time, you can experiment with what works best for your intentions. Taking note of your experience while microdosing could help determine the appropriate dose for you.
The microdose can be ingested in a gelatin capsule or mixed with food or drink like a smoothie. Some people experience nausea if they take the microdose on an empty stomach, while others find that an empty stomach works better for them since food can slow absorption. Many people find that the microdose increases their energy levels, so it’s recommended to take it in the morning or at least 6-8 hours before you would want to fall asleep.
Learn more about PTSD treatment at Options Behavioral Health System in Indianapolis, IN
Experiencing a traumatic event can cause a great deal of pain. For some individuals that have experienced a traumatic event, over time, the associated fear and anxiety eventually dissipate. For others, however, the fear and anxiety remain constant, or even worsen, as time passes. In such instances, it is possible that these individuals are suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
Posttraumatic stress disorder is a mental illness that is caused by being exposed to a traumatic event. A traumatic event can be anything that invokes feelings of helplessness and fear, or that may cause an individual to believe that his or her life, or the life of a loved one, is in danger. Examples of traumatic events include domestic violence, car accidents, natural disasters, rape, and military combat.
At Options Behavioral Health, we understand the complexities of PTSD and the degree of anguish that this disorder can cause. We also know that facing the emotions that result from experiencing a traumatic event may seem unbearable. However, we are proud to have helped many people at our center learn to manage the symptoms of PTSD by offering state-of-the-art treatment that is provided by an experienced team of professionals. Options Behavioral Health is an 84-bed, free-standing psychiatric hospital devoted to providing a full continuum of care for adolescents, ages 12 to 18, adults, and older adults who are battling the symptoms of any number of mental health concerns, including posttraumatic stress disorder. At our hospital, individuals can learn the tools they need to successfully achieve a brighter future.
Psilocybin is a psychoactive compound found in certain mushroom species—also known as magic mushrooms. It acts on a specific subtype of serotonin receptor in the brain, which can result in alterations to mood, cognition, and perception. It is possible that these changes in consciousness may enable therapeutic growth.
“People taking psilocybin often have experiences of significant insight into aspects of their lives, their relationships, and their sources of meaning—who they are as a person and how that has shaped their lives,” Lewis says. “That kind of experience is an important component of treating people with depression.”
Psilocybin is currently a Schedule I drug and not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for clinical use.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
Side effects of psilocybin can be mild or intense. Mild symptoms include:
Headache
Nausea
Changes in body temperature
Elevation of heart rate and blood pressure
Psilocybin can also cause a range of psychological reactions that may be difficult or challenging for some people. These symptoms include:
Anxiety
Paranoia
Disorientation
Patients who have a personal or family history of psychosis may also be at increased risk for experiencing a prolonged episode of psychosis. Those with a history of manic episodes may also be at increased risk.
HOW WOULD PSILOCYBIN THERAPY WORK?
In clinical studies, administering psilocybin involves an intense psychotherapeutic preparation before taking the substance. This involves being supported during an eight-hour session with two therapists who are present the entire time. Following this session, the therapists and patient would engage in integration sessions that explore how to translate those experiences to a patient’s life.
“It’s not just taking a pill or substance to treat symptoms,” Lewis says. “It’s about the therapeutic approach, the intentions behind it, and the support that you have in doing so in a therapeutic way.”
Lewis points out he wouldn’t recommend psilocybin to patients at this time due to legal issues, lack of data, and the need for ongoing research.
One of the biggest risks of magic mushrooms is eating the wrong kind of mushroom. Toxic mushroom species are said to outnumber those that contain psilocybin by 10 to 1. Some of the poisonous mushrooms may resemble psilocybin mushrooms and may produce similar hallucinogenic effects.6,7
The symptoms of mushroom poisoning vary by species but can include:8
Abdominal pain.
Muscle pain.
Mucus in the lungs.
Slow heart rate.
Excessive sweating.
Muscle spasms.
Low blood sugar.
Kidney failure.
Mushrooms that cause symptoms within 2 hours are often less dangerous than mushrooms that cause symptoms after 6 hours. The most dangerous species tend to be Amanita, Gyromitra, and Cortinarius.8
Another risk is taking a drug that is not psilocybin. Reports have found that drugs that are sold as mushrooms turn out to be store-bought mushrooms laced with LSD, PCP, or other substances. An 11-year study looked at 886 samples that were supposedly psilocybin. Only 28% of the samples were Psilocybins. Thirty-five percent were other drugs, mostly LSD or PCP, and 37% did not contain any psilocybin.9
Though uncommon, the use of psilocybin and other hallucinogens is linked to psychosis that persists after stopping use of the drug. Symptoms include visual distortions, disorganized thinking, paranoia, and mood changes.10
In rare cases, regular hallucinogen users may experience symptoms of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, a condition in which an individual continues to have sensory disturbances after the drug has worn off. Symptoms include trails of moving objects, intensified colors, halos around objects, and afterimages. The condition can last for weeks, months, or years, but only about 4% of users develop it.11
Why Do People Use Shrooms?
In the past, hallucinogens were used for religious rituals to put people into a state of alternate reality, achieve visions, or make contact with spirits or a higher power. Most people today use them in social or recreational settings for fun, to relax, or to achieve a higher state of thinking or being.13
Psilocybin is found in mushrooms that are native to the tropical and subtropical areas of South America, Mexico, and the United States. Mushrooms containing these hallucinogens are consumed raw or dried or brewed into a tea.10
Many people who use shrooms abuse other drugs and alcohol. If you or someone you know needs help for a drug or alcohol problem, there are many treatment options available—both inpatient and outpatient. Desert Hope Treatment Centers offers a wide range of programs from medical detox to outpatient therapy.
It is never too late to get help for addiction. Call us today at 702-848-6223 where an admissions navigator will hear your story and help you determine the best treatment for you or your loved one. Desert Hope Treatment Center, American Addiction Centers’ inpatient drug rehab in Las Vegas, offers a comprehensive addiction treatment program. Call us today to find out more.
Virginia lawmakers propose legalizing medicinal use of psychedelic mushroom compound psilocybin
Two Virginia lawmakers have introduced legislation that would allow use of the psychedelic drug psilocybin for medicinal purposes and decrease penalties for possession, citing research on its effectiveness in treating mental health issues.
Both Del. Dawn Adams, D-Richmond, and Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, had similar bills decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms last session. But while those proposals were tabled, some Republican legislators said then they would be open to hearing legislation this session regarding medicinal usage of the drug.
This year, Adams’ bill would allow doctors to issue prescriptions for psilocybin, a psychedelic compound often found in “magic” mushrooms, to treat patients with mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, cases of severe depression where past treatments have failed and end-of-life anxiety
“These are natural medications extremely helpful and very unlikely to be abused,” said Adams, who is also a nurse practitioner.
The legislation would also reduce the penalty for possession of psilocybin without a prescription – currently a Class 5 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison – to a Class 2 misdemeanor punishable by no longer than 30 days in jail and no more than a $500 fine.
Adams said she structured her bill similar to legislation passed in 2015 that legalized CBD possession and distribution for medical purposes after speaking with the bill’s patron, former Del. Dave Albo, R-Springfield.
Hashmi’s legislation would create a Virginia Psilocybin Advisory Board to develop a long-term plan for establishing therapeutic access to psilocybin services. It would also reclassify psilocybin from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance.
Republican legislators last year “expressed understanding of the kind of crisis we are facing in mental health issues,” said Hashmi, who added she is optimistic about the possibility of building bipartisan support for the legislation this session.
Asked about the proposals, House Republican Caucus spokesperson Garren Shipley said in an email that “as of now, our House Republican Caucus simply hasn’t had a chance to review this legislation, but these bills will no doubt receive due consideration when the House convenes this week.”
A wide range of treatments and technologies are used to treat lung cancer, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, interventional pulmonology, radiation therapy, surgery and targeted therapy. Your lung cancer treatment team may consist of several doctors, each of whom practices a specific area of medicine. They work in collaboration to answer your questions and recommend treatment options based on your individual needs.
Your team may include a:
Pulmonologist
Thoracic surgeon
Medical oncologist
Radiation oncologist
Any symptoms related to the lungs are first investigated by a pulmonologist, a doctor who has expertise in the respiratory system. If surgery is needed, you may need to consult with a thoracic surgeon, a physician who diagnoses and operates on cancer of the lungs. Medical oncologists have received special training to diagnose and treat cancer using drugs such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biologic therapy and targeted therapy, while radiation oncologists use radiation therapy, or high-energy rays, to treat cancer.
The type of treatment a patient receives for lung cancer may depend on the type of lung cancer and whether the disease has metastasized (spread) to distant organs. In the past, lung cancer was generally treated with:
Immunotherapy
Targeted therapy
Combined therapies
Today, with advances in treatment for lung cancer, the types of lung cancer and their treatments also include those below.
Radiation therapy for lung cancer
Radiation treatment involves the use of high-energy rays to destroy lung cancer cells. It’s similar to getting an X-ray, but the dose of radiation delivered to the area is much stronger. It typically doesn’t hurt and only takes a few minutes to complete.
Typically, radiation treatment occurs for five days per week over a period of five to seven weeks. It may take place before and/or after other treatments such as chemotherapy or surgery, but this would depend on your specific case. In addition, radiation is sometimes used palliatively to control symptoms in lung cancers that cannot be treated.
We offer two primary types of radiation therapy for lung cancer:
External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) delivers high doses of radiation to lung cancer cells from outside the body, using a variety of machine-based technologies.
High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy (internal radiation) delivers high doses of radiation from implants placed close to, or inside, the tumor(s) in the body.
Lung cancer symptoms are unique to each patient, as is each type of lung cancer. Although there are some symptoms that are common for all types, such as a persistent cough or fatigue, certain symptoms are rarer and may be indicative of a rare type of lung cancer. For example, hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA) is a rare disease that typically occurs because of lung cancer. This condition can cause rarer symptoms, such as finger clubbing (swelling or changes in the appearance of the fingers).
Common Lung Cancer Symptoms
Although the symptoms of lung cancer can vary greatly, it’s important to remember that every patient and cancer are different. Simply having these symptoms does not mean that you have cancer, and these symptoms alone do not always indicate what type or stage of lung cancer you have.
New cough, persistent cough or change in a chronic cough
New or recurrent hoarseness
Constant pain in the chest, back or shoulders that may worsen when coughing, laughing or breathing deeply
Frequent lung infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia
Shortness of breath and wheezing, especially if during everyday activities
Coughing up blood
Feeling weak or tired
Unexplained weight loss
Face or neck swelling
Difficulty or pain while swallowing
Advanced Lung Cancer Symptoms
When lung cancer spreads to distant sites of the body, including the bones, liver or brain, it’s called metastatic lung cancer.
Symptoms of metastatic lung cancer include:
Bone pain
Swelling in the face, arms or neck
Headaches, dizziness, or numbness or weakness in the limbs
Jaundice
Lumps in the neck
Small Cell and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Symptoms
Small cell and non-small cell are the two most common types of lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is less common than non-small cell lung cancer and is mostly found in long-term, heavy smokers. Non-small cell lung cancer is a term that refers to multiple types of lung cancer, including large cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
The symptoms of lung cancer vary greatly depending on which type a patient has and whether the cancer is in an advanced stage. In some cases, especially in the early stages, a patient may not experience unusual symptoms at all or in a way that impacts their life significantly.
Additional non-small cell lung cancer symptoms
Unusual or unexplained, unusual fatigue
Difficulty or pain with breathing
Pain in the bones
In advanced stages, non-small cell lung cancer symptoms may include:
Neurological changes (if/when the cancer metastasizes to the brain or involves the spinal cord or other nerves)
Lumps (if cancer spreads to the lymph nodes)
Horner syndrome (causes nerve damage that affects one side of the face)
Paraneoplastic syndrome (causes reactions, such as high blood calcium levels, excess bone growth or blood clots)
Superior vena cava syndrome (causes blood to back up in the veins to the upper body and head)
Additional small cell lung cancer symptoms
Frequent upper respiratory infections
Hoarseness
In advanced stages, small cell lung cancer symptoms may include:
افرادی که سرطان ریه دارند همیشه هیچ علامتی را فوراً متوجه نمی شوند. این یکی از دلایلی است که سرطان ریه می تواند بسیار خطرناک باشد - علائم تا زمانی که سرطان رشد نکرده و گسترش پیدا کند، آشکار نمی شوند. به همین دلیل توجه به علائم احتمالی سرطان ریه بسیار مهم است، مانند:
سرفه مداوم که مدام بدتر می شود
سرفه کردن بلغمی که خون در آن است
تنگی نفس یا خس خس سینه
صدای خشن یا تغییر در صدای شما
دردهای مداوم قفسه سینه
پنومونی یا برونشیت که مدام عود می کند
تورم در اطراف گردن یا صورت
با رشد، سرطان ریه می تواند به سایر قسمت های بدن مانند استخوان ها، شکم یا مغز گسترش یابد. سرطان ریه پیشرفته تر ممکن است علائمی مانند:
مشکل در بلع
کمر درد
از دست دادن کنترل روده یا مثانه
سردرد، تاری دید، حالت تهوع
زردی خفیف در پوست یا چشم
توده های روی بدن
در مرکز جامع سرطان هولدن، تیمی از متخصصان سرطان ریه از شما مراقبت خواهند کرد.
پزشک شما مستقیماً با تیمی متشکل از رادیولوژیست ها، برونکوسکوپیست ها، انکولوژیست های پزشکی، انکولوژیست های پرتودرمانی، مشاوران ژنتیک، مددکاران اجتماعی، آسیب شناسان، داروسازان، پرستاران و دانشمندان کار می کند. این گروه از متخصصان بر روی تشخیص و درمان سرطان ریه شما تمرکز دارند.
تیم سرطان ریه شما را در سریع ترین زمان ممکن برای اولین قرار ملاقات شما، اغلب در عرض چند روز، می بیند. و بیشتر آزمایشهای آزمایشگاهی دقیقاً در بیمارستانها و کلینیکهای UI انجام میشوند، بنابراین نتایج خود را زودتر دریافت خواهید کرد.
آزمایش ژنتیک
متخصصان ژنتیک ما سلول های سرطانی شما را مطالعه می کنند تا بهترین درمان را برای شما پیدا کنند.
زمان بهبودی کوتاه تر
جراحان سرطان ریه ما از تکنیکهای کم تهاجمی استفاده میکنند که به این معنی است که شما پس از جراحی سریعتر بهبود مییابید.
پرتودرمانی دقیق که تومور را با دقت بیشتری هدف قرار می دهد
انکولوژیستهای پرتودرمانی ما در جدیدترین تکنیکها، از جمله SBRT، نوعی پرتودرمانی که با تومور مطابق با تنفس شما حرکت میکند، متخصص هستند. این باعث می شود که تشعشع روی تومور متمرکز شود، بنابراین آسیب کمتری به بافت سالم ریه شما وارد می شود.
آزمایشات بالینی آخرین پیشرفت ها در درمان سرطان ریه
محققان سرطان ما در صدها آزمایش بالینی شرکت می کنند. کارآزمایی بالینی آزمایشی برای درمان جدیدی است که هنوز در دسترس عموم نیست. این بدان معناست که پزشک شما میتواند بهترین درمانهای فردای سرطان ریه را امروز به شما پیشنهاد دهد.
افرادی که سرطان ریه دارند همیشه هیچ علامتی را فوراً متوجه نمی شوند. این یکی از دلایلی است که سرطان ریه می تواند بسیار خطرناک باشد - علائم تا زمانی که سرطان رشد نکرده و گسترش پیدا کند، آشکار نمی شوند. به همین دلیل توجه به علائم احتمالی سرطان ریه بسیار مهم است، مانند:
سرفه مداوم که مدام بدتر می شود
سرفه کردن بلغمی که خون در آن است
تنگی نفس یا خس خس سینه
صدای خشن یا تغییر در صدای شما
دردهای مداوم قفسه سینه
پنومونی یا برونشیت که مدام عود می کند
تورم در اطراف گردن یا صورت
با رشد، سرطان ریه می تواند به سایر قسمت های بدن مانند استخوان ها، شکم یا مغز گسترش یابد. سرطان ریه پیشرفته تر ممکن است علائمی مانند:
مشکل در بلع
کمر درد
از دست دادن کنترل روده یا مثانه
سردرد، تاری دید، حالت تهوع
زردی خفیف در پوست یا چشم
توده های روی بدن
در مرکز جامع سرطان هولدن، تیمی از متخصصان سرطان ریه از شما مراقبت خواهند کرد.
پزشک شما مستقیماً با تیمی متشکل از رادیولوژیست ها، برونکوسکوپیست ها، انکولوژیست های پزشکی، انکولوژیست های پرتودرمانی، مشاوران ژنتیک، مددکاران اجتماعی، آسیب شناسان، داروسازان، پرستاران و دانشمندان کار می کند. این گروه از متخصصان بر روی تشخیص و درمان سرطان ریه شما تمرکز دارند.
تیم سرطان ریه شما را در سریع ترین زمان ممکن برای اولین قرار ملاقات شما، اغلب در عرض چند روز، می بیند. و بیشتر آزمایشهای آزمایشگاهی دقیقاً در بیمارستانها و کلینیکهای UI انجام میشوند، بنابراین نتایج خود را زودتر دریافت خواهید کرد.
آزمایش ژنتیک
متخصصان ژنتیک ما سلول های سرطانی شما را مطالعه می کنند تا بهترین درمان را برای شما پیدا کنند.
زمان بهبودی کوتاه تر
جراحان سرطان ریه ما از تکنیکهای کم تهاجمی استفاده میکنند که به این معنی است که شما پس از جراحی سریعتر بهبود مییابید.
پرتودرمانی دقیق که تومور را با دقت بیشتری هدف قرار می دهد
انکولوژیستهای پرتودرمانی ما در جدیدترین تکنیکها، از جمله SBRT، نوعی پرتودرمانی که با تومور مطابق با تنفس شما حرکت میکند، متخصص هستند. این باعث می شود که تشعشع روی تومور متمرکز شود، بنابراین آسیب کمتری به بافت سالم ریه شما وارد می شود.
آزمایشات بالینی آخرین پیشرفت ها در درمان سرطان ریه
محققان سرطان ما در صدها آزمایش بالینی شرکت می کنند. کارآزمایی بالینی آزمایشی برای درمان جدیدی است که هنوز در دسترس عموم نیست. این بدان معناست که پزشک شما میتواند بهترین درمانهای فردای سرطان ریه را امروز به شما پیشنهاد دهد.