Psilocybin at the End of Life

I remember the day my dad called me to tell me that I should come home. My mom was not getting better.

There is something to be said about the mental state one goes into upon receiving a potentially terminal diagnosis. Everything changes in that one instant, when the end of life turns from an “if” — a possibility far off in the future — to a “when” with a ticking clock. It goes way beyond the physical symptoms that go along with a disease and has more to do with the feelings and emotions, the worry and isolation one might feel at this point in life.

Unfortunately, traditional medicine pays little to no regard to the mental state of a patient, while all efforts focus on the physical needs.

But in recent years, scientific studies have turned their attention to a humble little mushroom in search of a solution. I’m talking about magic mushrooms. Their active component, psilocybin, might be the answer to alleviating emotional distress and depression at the end of life.

I cannot even explain how exciting this subject is to me. When my mom was in hospital with cancer, I wish we had had that option. It might have made everything a lot easier — for her, for me and my dad. Who knows.

What I do know is that mental health problems are rising worldwide — not only at the end of life — and we must realize that our current traditional mental health models continue to fail our most vulnerable populations. Alternative approaches such as psychedelic psychotherapy with psilocybin, MDMA, or ketamine have huge potential and often alleviate symptoms with a single dose in a controlled environment.

In this episode, I am speaking to Dr. Paul Thambi. As a medical oncologist for over 20 years, Paul witnessed the emotional distress his patients suffered upon diagnosis and during treatment, which led him to explore the benefits of psychedelic therapies to address the emotional and mental health of his patients fighting cancer. He is also the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Sunstone Therapies. Sunstone is focused on developing psychedelic therapies and building modern centers of healing, treating mind and heart along with the physical body.