The world is becoming more connected as cryptocurrency, blockchain, non-fungible token projects, the metaverse, and other online communities gain popularity. However, we are also seeing rates of depression and feelings of isolation and loneliness soar. This evolution is certainly not causal, but it is something to keep in mind as younger generations become more involved in virtual spaces. The global COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a national mental health crisis. Mental Health America reported that 47.1 million people in the United States are living with a mental health condition. That’s one in five Americans, folks.
Disturbing as these numbers are, progress is being made with modern therapies and treatments inside and outside of virtual worlds. Would you consider connecting to your computer to meet with your crypto-certified doctor or therapist? And receive a prescription at the door of your house? In fact, many young people feel more comfortable in a virtual environment, surrounded by peers and represented by the avatar of their choice.
So how does this dream come true? It all starts with innovation and nature. Researchers and doctors have been exploring the medicinal world of mushrooms and their power to heal and regenerate. Mushrooms have been critical to the well-being of this planet for billions of years, and we are just beginning to understand the psychoactive effects that certain mushrooms have on the human psyche.
The war on drugs
President Richard Nixon put an end to all research on psychedelics in 1970, when he called renowned psychologist and writer Timothy Leary the most dangerous man in America. He started the war on drugs and convinced society that these psychoactive mushrooms were the work of the devil. Scientific research on the benefits of psychedelics went back twenty years before researchers were able to resume their studies. Now psychedelics are in the news and the efficacy of treatments is showing possibly the best results known to science. It is the right place to be.
Through psychedelic therapies, such as those being conducted professionally in research by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, the UC Berkeley Center for Psychedelic Medicine, Department of Psychiatry at NYU Langone, the Center for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins and other institutions, patients are learning to process their traumas instead of repressing them. With minimal doses of psychedelic medicine, recovery rates tend to increase and patients continue to improve on their own.
where healing occurs
The beauty of psychedelic treatment is that it is not a daily prescription. By studying psilocybin, the hallucinogenic alkaloid found in so-called “magic mushrooms,” in relation to the treatment of depression, PTSD, and anxiety, researchers are pinpointing the root causes of a patient’s problem in just a few sessions. Psychiatric drugs that reduce symptoms, on the other hand, must be used daily and can have serious side effects. They aren’t cheap either.
MAPS founder Rick Doblin said: “Psychedelics work by reducing the activity of what is known as the brain’s default mode network, which is equivalent to our ego. Our ego filters incoming information based on our personal needs and priorities. “During a dose of psilocybin, our ego shifts from foreground to background. It’s part of a larger consciousness shift. This shift is the most important experience, and patients feel more altruistic.” This is where the healing begins.
neurogenesis in action
The fact that psychedelic research is now well received and practiced is a huge victory for the medical world. Within the next two years, MDMA-assisted therapy to treat PTSD and psilocybin-assisted therapy to treat depression are likely to be legalized in the United States. Dr. Owen Muir, co-founder of Brooklyn Minds Psychiatry, said: “In the first phase three trial of MDMA, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD was found to be more effective than any medication for any psychiatric condition. It is, literally the most effective drug we have for anything. Change is coming, and it is needed now more than ever.
The metaverse and medicine
In addition to this news, the Metaverse is in full swing. Dr. Muir is developing psychoeducation and group therapy programs in the virtual world with the goal of meeting patients where they are and supporting them on their journey in the safest way. Dr. Muir’s team wants to break down the cultural barriers and stigma often found in doctor-patient relationships. One way to achieve this is to use an avatar to represent patients and doctors. Perceptions change about who a person is, where they come from and what they need when the doctor is both a licensed practitioner and represented by a panda avatar. It is the first time, dare I say it, in the history of the United States that patients are going to receive reliable, transparent and affordable health care. As Dr. Muir explained:
“The metaverse is changing the healthcare landscape by using blockchain technology to build trust among patients.”
He continued: “When something like a payment occurs on the blockchain, it is recorded and that record cannot be altered. […] And in keeping with the spirit of Web3, the code for transparent payments will be available to everyone, so big insurers can feel free to use it if they also want to reveal their costs.”
Empower virtual communities with medical professionals
There are different NFT projects that are making waves in the world of mental health. A Discord community for the NFT AstroMojis project allows users to get a mental health help ticket. Psilo, a 3D avatar NFT project, donates a portion of proceeds to nonprofits studying psychedelics for mental health therapy. Other NFT projects, like Psychedelics Anonymous, offer community support for exploring the Metaverse, creating online networks where everyone is equal and egos are checked at the door.
To the traditionalist, all of this may seem like nonsense. But after decades of failed treatments, and continued suffering – physical, emotional and financial – it’s time to innovate. Depression is the main reason someone in the United States dies by suicide about every 12 minutes, more than 41,000 people a year. Think of the future generations who will benefit from healthy minds, of the families who will not know the pain of losing a loved one to depression, of the peace of mind that comes after the control of anxiety is gone and limits that people can overcome when they are not afraid of their own limitations.
We are entering a new era where community, technology, and mental health come together in the virtual world, bringing benefits to us in real life. Our worlds are about to be much better places.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, readers should do their own research when making a decision.
The views, thoughts and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
chelsea pyne is a certified Brain Longevity® specialist who champions holistic living and the healing power of nature. She has been a writer, editor, and photographer in the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean for the past decade. In addition to her magazine work, she has written a children’s book that questions life after death, she has covered world-famous sailing events and regattas, and is an educator in meditation and brain health.
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