What Does The Future For Mental Health Treatment Look Like?
Research shows that only 40-60% of people respond to antidepressants and just 30-40% go into remission. Not only this but a cultural and social shift away from medication has become more prominent in recent years. It is increasingly apparent that the conventional approaches to mental health treatment may not be the best or most popular way forward. So what does the future of mental health treatment look like? Here we take a quick look at three treatments with some promise for the future.
Psychedelic Drugs
Psychedelic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) have for many years been used by people searching for a party, spiritual experience, deep insights, or as some form of psychological healing. These psychoactive drugs can be found in many ritualistic ceremonies around the world.
In more recent years, the scientific community has again begun to look at the therapeutic benefit that these drugs could have. Specifically when combined with therapy. Of all of the psychedelics being researched, psilocybin is leading the way. Psyilocybin is being used to assist in talking therapy sessions with psychologists.
What’s the research for the use of psychedelics in the treatment of mental health?
Research by John Hopkins University in 2016 found that using psilocybin under psychologically supported conditions significantly relieved existential anxiety and depression in people with a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. Further research has since supported the findings and the notion that psilocybin could have a therapeutic benefit for anxiety and depression.
As a result, in November 2020, Oregon became the first US state to implement a strategic framework for its use in the treatment of depression and anxiety.
Virtual Reality (VR)
VR allows us to immerse ourselves in video games as if we were one of the characters. The games allow people to learn how to perform heart surgery or maximise sports performance.
VR is also being used to diagnose and treat medical conditions. From social anxiety, to chronic pain, to Alzheimer’s disease. In the UK VR is particularly being utilised more within mental health.
Oxford University has combined clinical psychology immersive VR technologies to assess, understand, and treat mental health problems for the last 15 years. Their social engagement program applies cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques within an VR setting whilst patients complete various tasks. During each half-hour session, the user puts on a VR headset and is guided by a virtual coach through a series of tasks that reflect everyday triggers of anxious social avoidance – such as being in the street, on a bus or inside a shop. VR has been trialled in many NHS trusts around the UK and may well become more common practice in coming years.
Brain Stimulation
Brain stimulation is an increasingly popular means of treating depression when medication isn’t working. repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is leading the way in this field, followed by transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). rTMS therapy uses magnetic pulses to change the wiring of the brain. It is targeted to specific areas of the brain known to be altered in depression. rTMS has been used since 1985 to relieve the low mood, feelings of hopelessness and other symptoms that can come with depression.
rTMS has been recommended by the National Institute Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK as a safe and effective treatment for depression since 2015.
tDCS uses a weak direct current applied to the scalp through electrodes. The aim is to modify cortical excitability and activity in the brain areas under the scalp electrodes. In 2019, Europe’s first medically approved tDCS brain stimulation device to treat depression was made available and is often used in conjunction with specialist cognitive activities and therapeutic sessions including meditation.
References:
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/psychedelic-treatment-with-psilocybin-relieves-major-depression-study-shows
- From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/24/5147
- https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/research/oxford-cognitive-approaches-to-psychosis-o-cap/projects-1/oxford-virtual-reality-vr-for-mental-health
- https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-nasal-spray-medication-treatment-resistant-depression-available-only-certified
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26232699/