Existential and Psycho-Spiritual Distress: Relief is Possible

AUSTIN, Texas - March 31, 2015 - PRLog -- At NYU clinical trials are being done to study the drug psilocybin to relieve the deep existential suffering and terminal anxiety that many people experience at the end of life. Some people cannot overcome this on their own. We, in hospice, have seen this condition in people often. I know I have many times. I know the team trires to address it. Sometimes the person can work through it. Somethimes they cannot.

In hospice, we expect people are going to be dealing with their mortality and that there will be suffering in this. Many people find meaning in this struggle, they are able to work through it within their faith tradition or own mind and heart. For those that are emotionally, mentally and spiritually suffering, we offer anti-psychotic medications, benzodiazapines and anti-depressants and we try all kinds of non-medicinal ways to address this.

And, we have a drug, still out of reach, that with just one dose, has been shown to alleviate this suffering. Psilocybin, a hallucinagen (still a Class 1 drug) is out of a person's system quickly and the effect can be permanent and long lasting because the healing happens within the experience from using the drug, not from the drug itself. With a medication like valium for instance, you must take the drug and it is because the drug is in your system that you feel relief. Psilocybin as a therapeutic treatment is different in this regard.

Because the pain is not in a limb or organ or bone, does that mean the patient must try harder to overcome it? In palliative care we offer therapies and protocols to releive suffering on all levels of human existence. Listen is as leading researcher, Dr. Anthony Bossis, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine and clinical researcher at NYU Bluestone Center for Clinical Resarch, explains what they are finding.

In palliative care, we are champions for the people we serve that they should not suffer. I am of the belief there is always something which can be done. We may not like what it is but we have many tools in our toolbox and should. This is one of those tools which should be available to us for those who are unresponsive to "traditional" therapies or offered as soon as a person presents with this suffering.

We would never expect a person to overcome deep physical pain, yet we don't show the same respect sometimes when it comes to existential suffering. There are still prejudices regarding emotional, mental and spiritual pain. Otherwise, it would be unacceptable that there is a remedy, within our reach that we cannot use.