MAPS Conference: Letters From Denver
20 Jun 2023
Letter I
Hi everyone,
For those of you who are not here, let me tell you a bit about it.
I was at the last MAPS conference in Oakland in 2017 and 3000 people attended.
At this conference there are upward of 8000. Its hectic and crowded and the Denver Convention Centre has got to be the biggest building I’ve ever been in. Its both a labyrinth and a maze and its easy to get lost.
Every psychedelic taste has been catered for - from a hall full of magical colourful installations, through to a vendors plaza, like a mystical marketplace where exotic goods, services, ideas, organisations are promoted and sold - ketamine clinics, cannabis chocolates (cannabis is legal in Colorado), a guy selling prefabricated yurt kits made of plastic and aluminium, longevity promoting substances sold in liquid form etc etc
Speaking of longevity I sat through a fascinating discussion between Ric Doblin - the highly regarded founder of MAPS - and Christian Angermayer, a German billionaire with a special interest in psychedelics (Atai life sciences) and longevity. When asked how long he will live on the basis of the work he is generating in this area, he replied enigmatically, “some hundreds of years”. Whatever that means.
He did look well on the other hand and very optimistic about the future of humanity. He mentioned Elon Musk and I imagine they would have a lot in common.
Ric Doblin who everyone has to admire, came on stage at the opening ceremony wearing a flashy white suit and a huge smile. He has to be one of the most loveable, eternally positive and tenacious individuals I have ever met. He always gives an inspiring introduction, thanking Stan Grof, his mentor, who would you believe is still going strong, presenting all day holotropic workshops, pre-conference.
I saw Stan having coffee on the first day of the conference and he looked terrific. (He also knows a thing or two about longevity!)
Ric quoted Herman Hesse: “It was my destiny to join in a great experience” and then Stan Grof: “Psychedelics used responsibly and with proper caution, would be for psychiatry what the microscope is for biology and medicine, or the telescope for astronomy”.
He then went on to describe his big picture goals for MAPS into the future. Ric remains a utopian and I hope he is right about the total eradication of trauma in the world by 2070, but then again when he says these things I am always left with my own little skeptical doubts and my envious longing to be as eternally optimistic as Ric!
Every dimension of psychedelic medicines is open for discussion at this conference - from the spiritual through to the training of therapists, rigorous research, entrepreneurial considerations, legal, sociological, magical, and of course macrodosing and macrodosing. A huge and mostly inspiring range of speakers from all walks of life - some woo woo but a lot of valuable information, knowledge and wisdom as well.
The Australian contingent who I have come across so far, are a fine bunch and a few are presenters. Everyone over here wants to know what’s happening with the legal prescribing of psychedelics in OZ and tomorrow night my friend Dr Prash will be part of a panel talking about this very subject. Its a hot topic everywhere and its been fun describing how the whole thing came about so suddenly and unexpectedly.
Yes and of course as July 1 approaches, our College memorandum on psychedelic medicines is about to be released with some fanfare - so get ready for that!
I’ll sign off now.
All the best from Denver,
Dr. Nigel Strauss
Letter II
Hi everyone,
I’m on my way to London but wanted to share with you a few more titbits from the conference.
I attended Michael Mithoefer’s talk on his model of psychotherapy used with MDMA for PTSD. As many of you may know the MAPS manual that he wrote with the help of others is available free on the WEB if you want more detail.
His main message as always is: “Beware of reductionist thinking”. Makes me think of some of our esteemed Australian researchers insisting that psychedelic psychotherapy be manualized, categorised and specified within an inch of its life so that it can be replicated and investigated and validated. Phew!
Michael, on the other hand, quoting Irvin Yalom made the strong point that in PAT “The therapist must strive to create a new therapy for each patient”, followed up with his own statement: “Or maybe the therapist must strive to allow and encourage each patient to create a new therapy for themselves”. I think he is referring here to the much maligned inner-healer that is a necessary constant in much of PAT.
From his vast experience treating PTSD with PAT he told us that there is no standard response to treatment. Rather there is a wide variation in subjective experience, including delayed responses, complex progressions, and various other unexpected happenings. Each person has to be managed according to their existential reactions.
Worth remembering if you are heading into this field of work - be prepared to be surprised!
On another note Michael told me that the FDA will probably rubber stamp this treatment about this time next year - takes time because of lots of bureaucracy and it is a very expensive process.
And on a lighter note - All Michael’s slides had written on the bottom:
“MDMA has not been recognised by any regulatory agency. The safety and efficiency of MDMA has not been established for the treatment of PTSD.”
I couldn’t resist pointing out to him that that was not strictly correct. 😉
A few other facts I picked up:
1. Octupuses are normally solitary creatures unless mating. Put MDMA in their tanks and they become extraordinarily prosocial!
2. According to David Nutt the actual influence of the expectancy factor for improvement in the treatment of depression, has a much greater placebo effect with antidepressants than it does with psilocybin/PAT. That researched fact is quite counterintuitive in this era of psychedelic hyperbole!
3. The Incilius alvarius toad from Sonora Mexico which is the natural source of 5 MeO DMT, is in danger of extinction because of self styled shamans claiming they are part of an ancient indigenous lineage and making unwarranted claims about their use of the drug and its effects. The toads are now being over exploited. There is no lineage. More hype!
PROFESSOR ROLAND GRIFFITHS
It was terribly sad but also wonderfully inspiring and moving to see and hear this remarkable man during his tribute and fascinating presentation. Roland, for those of you who dont know is a Professor in the Dept of Psychiatry and Neurosciences and Founding Director of the Center for Psychedelic Research at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine. About 20 years ago he initiated a research program investigating the effects of psilocybin. Completed and ongoing studies include those in healthy volunteers, in beginning and long term meditators, and in religious leaders. Therapeutic studies with psilocybin include treatment of psychological distress in cancer patients, major depression, nicotine addiction, anorexia nervosa, amongst others.
Tragically, Roland was diagnosed with cancer himself relatively recently during a routine procedure and he has spoken openly of this and his way of dealing with his illness considering his enduring interest in both meditation and psychedelic medicines.
His wisdom, generosity of spirit and kindness shone through his long presentation even though his physical state is obviously challenged, he appeared frail, and on several occasions he faltered. But despite this his positive attitude were apparent as he spoke about how he uses gratitude and acceptance of emotions as they arise learnt from mindfulness practices, to continue to live his life productively and flourishingly. He emphasised the astonishing mystery of life, the intriguing problems of consciousness which continue to stump scientific investigations, and how, although research will give us our best chance of understanding reality, there are also other ways of searching for truth.
That reminded me of a quote I saw carved into a rock at the John Denver memorial garden at Aspen, the town I visited before the conference:
“Look deep, deep into nature and then you will understand everything better”. (Albert Einstein).
So, I’ve come away from the conference which I thoroughly enjoyed, especially meeting many great, like-minded people there, with two main thoughts about future psychedelic research in Australia
First lets consider non-therapeutic research as Roland emphasised. If psychedelics encourage meaning, interconnectedness, and enduring positive change amongst other human attributes, maybe we should be investigating wellness as well as illness with these novel fascinating medicines. Like Maslow did with psychology - look at wellness and flourishing as well as illness and disease. God knows the world could do with some more mutual care taking.
And two, why do we have to dose people in dingy hospital rooms and offices when the beauty of nature is so readily available to us and could potentially add significantly to the positive results of an investigative psychedelic experience. No brainer really as long as safety remains a high priority. I’m working on it!
Dr Nigel Strauss