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0:01 CONTROLLED CLINICAL ENVIRONMENT APPEAR TO HELP PEOPLE SUFFERING APPEAR TO HELP PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM SEVERE DEPRESSION. FROM SEVERE DEPRESSION. 50 YEARS AGO PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS 50 YEARS AGO PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS WERE AT THE CENTER OF AMERICA’S WERE AT THE CENTER OF AMERICA’S COUNTERCULTURE. COUNTERCULTURE. PROMISING GOOD TRIPS AND SOME PROMISING GOOD TRIPS AND SOME VERY BAD TRIPS TOO. VERY BAD TRIPS TOO. TODAY THE DEA RESTRICTS TODAY THE DEA RESTRICTS PSYCHEDELICS AS SCHEDULE I DRUGS PSYCHEDELICS AS SCHEDULE I DRUGS WITH NO CURRENTLY ACCEPTED WITH NO CURRENTLY ACCEPTED MEDICAL USE AND A HIGH POTENTIAL MEDICAL USE AND A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE. FOR ABUSE. BUT PIERCE CHAPEN BELIEVES THEY BUT PIERCE CHAPEN BELIEVES THEY SAVED HER LIFE. SAVED HER LIFE. >> IT WAS VERY PROFOUND AND >> IT WAS VERY PROFOUND AND PREFRESHING. PREFRESHING. >> SHE STRUGGLED WITH SEVERE >> SHE STRUGGLED WITH SEVERE DEPRESSION, CONSIDERING SUICIDE. DEPRESSION, CONSIDERING SUICIDE. A NURSE PRACTITIONER SENT HER TO A NURSE PRACTITIONER SENT HER TO A REVOLUTIONARY TREATMENT AT A REVOLUTIONARY TREATMENT AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IN JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IN BALTIMORE, USING A KEY BALTIMORE, USING A KEY INGREDIENT IN HALLUCINOGENIC
0:47 INGREDIENT IN HALLUCINOGENIC DRUGS TO TREAT DEPRESSION. DRUGS TO TREAT DEPRESSION. WITHIN HOURS SHE FELT RELIEF. WITHIN HOURS SHE FELT RELIEF. >> I WAS REALLY HAPPY. >> I WAS REALLY HAPPY. I WAS SEEING THINGS A LOT I WAS SEEING THINGS A LOT DIFFERENTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME DIFFERENTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, SINCE CHILDHOOD. IN A LONG TIME, SINCE CHILDHOOD. >> Reporter: PROGRAM COORDINATOR >> Reporter: PROGRAM COORDINATOR MARY SHOWS US THE COUCH WHERE MARY SHOWS US THE COUCH WHERE PATIENTS TAKE A SINGLE PILL. PATIENTS TAKE A SINGLE PILL. >> THIS IS THE SESSION ROOM? >> THIS IS THE SESSION ROOM? >> THIS IS THE SESSION ROOM. >> THIS IS THE SESSION ROOM. >> Reporter: THEN SPENT SIX >> Reporter: THEN SPENT SIX HOURS LISTENING TO MUSIC WITH HOURS LISTENING TO MUSIC WITH THEIR EYES CLOSED, CLOSELY THEIR EYES CLOSED, CLOSELY WATCHED BY STAFF. WATCHED BY STAFF. >> AND THEN WE PUT A BLANKET >> AND THEN WE PUT A BLANKET OVER THEM TO KIND OF TUCK THEM OVER THEM TO KIND OF TUCK THEM IN TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE AND IN TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE AND COZY AND WE COMFORTABLE AND COZY AND WE BEGIN THE DAY. BEGIN THE DAY. >> THIS IS LITERALLY THE ROOM >> THIS IS LITERALLY THE ROOM WHERE PEOPLE GO ON A TRIP. WHERE PEOPLE GO ON A TRIP. >> YES. >> YES. >> Reporter: THE LATEST RESULTS >> Reporter: THE LATEST RESULTS ARE EYE OPENING. ARE EYE OPENING. HOPKINS HAS TREATED 360 HOPKINS HAS TREATED 360 PATIENTS. PATIENTS. FOR MOST JUST ONE OR TWO
1:32 FOR MOST JUST ONE OR TWO SESSIONS LIFTS THEIR DEPRESSION SESSIONS LIFTS THEIR DEPRESSION FOR MONTHS ON END. FOR MONTHS ON END. BUT UNLIKE THE 1960s SICK BUT UNLIKE THE 1960s SICK PSYCHEDELICS THE MEDS ARE PSYCHEDELICS THE MEDS ARE CLINICALLY CALCULATED. CLINICALLY CALCULATED. >> ARE YOU ENCOURAGED, EXCITED >> ARE YOU ENCOURAGED, EXCITED BY WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED SO FAR? BY WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED SO FAR? >> OH, I THINK THERE’S NOTHING >> OH, I THINK THERE’S NOTHING MORE INTERESTING THAT I HAVE MORE INTERESTING THAT I HAVE DONE IN MY ALMOST 50 YEARS OF DONE IN MY ALMOST 50 YEARS OF DOING CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY DOING CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY RESEARCH. RESEARCH. THERE’S NOTHING THAT COMPARES TO THERE’S NOTHING THAT COMPARES TO THIS. THIS. >> Reporter: THE RESEARCH >> Reporter: THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS IT REDUCES THE BRAIN’S SUGGESTS IT REDUCES THE BRAIN’S RESPONSE TO NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL STIMULI. STIMULI. ON THE LEFT A BRAIN BEFORE ON THE LEFT A BRAIN BEFORE TREATMENT. TREATMENT. THE AMYGDALA IS BRIGHT RED AND THE AMYGDALA IS BRIGHT RED AND AFTER TREATMENT IT’S FAR MORE AFTER TREATMENT IT’S FAR MORE MUTED AND THIS BEFORE AND AFTER MUTED AND THIS BEFORE AND AFTER SCAN, SHOWING FAR MORE SCAN, SHOWING FAR MORE CONNECTIVITY IN THE BRAIN AFTER CONNECTIVITY IN THE BRAIN AFTER TREATMENT. TREATMENT. >> AND THEY’LL -- THEY HAVE THIS
2:19 >> AND THEY’LL -- THEY HAVE THIS FEELING OF HOPE THAT THEY’VE FEELING OF HOPE THAT THEY’VE NEVER HAD BEFORE. NEVER HAD BEFORE. THIS FEELING OF WORTHINESS THAT THIS FEELING OF WORTHINESS THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HAD BEFORE. THEY HAVE NEVER HAD BEFORE. >> Reporter: BUT THE TRIP CAN >> Reporter: BUT THE TRIP CAN ALSO BE TERRIFYING. ALSO BE TERRIFYING. >> IT CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST >> IT CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST FEARFUL FEELINGS, LIKE YOU’RE FEARFUL FEELINGS, LIKE YOU’RE GOING TO DIE. GOING TO DIE. FEELING LIKE IF YOU DO LET GO FEELING LIKE IF YOU DO LET GO THAT YOU’RE GOING TO GO CRAZY. THAT YOU’RE GOING TO GO CRAZY. >> Reporter: BUT WHEN IT’S OVER >> Reporter: BUT WHEN IT’S OVER AN OVERWHELMING FEELING OF AN OVERWHELMING FEELING OF RELIEF. RELIEF. >> PEOPLE WILL HAVE EXPERIENCES >> PEOPLE WILL HAVE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY FEEL ARE REALLY THAT THEY FEEL ARE REALLY PROFOUNDLY MEANINGFUL TO THEM PROFOUNDLY MEANINGFUL TO THEM AND TO WHICH THEY ATTRIBUTE AND TO WHICH THEY ATTRIBUTE ENDURING LONG-TERM CHANGES IN ENDURING LONG-TERM CHANGES IN POSITIVE ATTITUDES, MOODS AND POSITIVE ATTITUDES, MOODS AND BEHAVIOR. BEHAVIOR. >> Reporter: FOR PIERCE IT’S >> Reporter: FOR PIERCE IT’S MEANT A WHOLE NEW LIFE AFTER MEANT A WHOLE NEW LIFE AFTER JUST TWO SESSIONS SHE’S BEEN JUST TWO SESSIONS SHE’S BEEN DEPRESSION FREE FOR 18 MONTHS.
3:05 DEPRESSION FREE FOR 18 MONTHS. >> IT’S AMAZING. >> IT’S AMAZING. I WANT TO WAKE UP EVERY DAY. I WANT TO WAKE UP EVERY DAY. I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE HAS MEANING I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE HAS MEANING TO IT. TO IT. >> Reporter: OKAY, A LOT OF >> Reporter: OKAY, A LOT OF CAVEATS HERE. CAVEATS HERE. DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME. DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME. THESE ARE CAREFULLY CONTROLLED THESE ARE CAREFULLY CONTROLLED STUDIES. STUDIES. PATIENTS ARE VETTED FOR PATIENTS ARE VETTED FOR PRE-EXISTING PRE-EXISTING PRE-EXISTING PSYCHIATRIC PRE-EXISTING PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS FIRST. CONDITIONS FIRST. JUST ONE OR TWO PILLS MAY BE JUST ONE OR TWO PILLS MAY BE ABLE TO REPLACE DAILY ABLE TO REPLACE DAILY MEDICATIONS FOR MONTHS OR YEARS MEDICATIONS FOR MONTHS OR YEARS ON END WITHOUT THERAPY. ON END WITHOUT THERAPY. THE RESULTS SO FAR ARE SO THE RESULTS SO FAR ARE SO ENCOURAGING THAT A HANDFUL OF ENCOURAGING THAT A HANDFUL OF UNIVERSITY MED CENTERS HAVE NOW UNIVERSITY MED CENTERS HAVE NOW JOINED JOHNS HOPKINS IN DOING JOINED JOHNS HOPKINS IN DOING THIS RESEARCH. THIS RESEARCH. GUYS, ONE OTHER POINT, THIS IS GUYS, ONE OTHER POINT, THIS IS NOT AN ADDICTIVE DRUG. NOT AN ADDICTIVE DRUG. >> WE HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS. >> WE HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS. >> YES. >> YES. >> FIRST OF ALL, DID I >> FIRST OF ALL, DID I UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT, SOMEBODY UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT, SOMEBODY COULD HAVE A BAD TRIP, BUT STILL COULD HAVE A BAD TRIP, BUT STILL RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE
3:52 RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE LONG-TERM ANTI-DEPRESSIVE LONG-TERM ANTI-DEPRESSIVE BENEFITS OF THIS? BENEFITS OF THIS? >> THE BAD TRIP COULD BE PART OF >> THE BAD TRIP COULD BE PART OF THE PROCESS THAT YOU’RE WORKING THE PROCESS THAT YOU’RE WORKING THROUGH. THROUGH. WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THAT TRIP, WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THAT TRIP, ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCHERS, ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCHERS, YOU STILL FEEL THIS OVERALL YOU STILL FEEL THIS OVERALL SENSE OF RELIEF AND HAPPINESS. SENSE OF RELIEF AND HAPPINESS. >> WHAT STRUCK ME WAS JUST HOW >> WHAT STRUCK ME WAS JUST HOW LONG IT LASTS. LONG IT LASTS. I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU’RE GOING TO SAY, THINGS THAT YOU’RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, IT LASTS FOR A WEEK OR WELL, IT LASTS FOR A WEEK OR TWO. TWO. THAT WOMAN WAS SAYING A YEAR AND THAT WOMAN WAS SAYING A YEAR AND A HALF. A HALF. >> 18 MONTHS FOR HER. >> 18 MONTHS FOR HER. LISTEN, IF THIS CAN BE APPLIED LISTEN, IF THIS CAN BE APPLIED TO OTHER PROBLEMS, NOT JUST TO OTHER PROBLEMS, NOT JUST DEPRESSION, THEY’RE LOOKING AT DEPRESSION, THEY’RE LOOKING AT ADDICTIONS AS WELL, ADDICTIONS ADDICTIONS AS WELL, ADDICTIONS TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AS WELL. TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AS WELL. IF THAT CAN BE APPLIED, AND IF IF THAT CAN BE APPLIED, AND IF IT CAN HELP PEOPLE BREAK IT CAN HELP PEOPLE BREAK ADDICTIONS THEY HAVE PRELIMINARY ADDICTIONS THEY HAVE PRELIMINARY RESEARCH TO SUGGEST, IN FACT, IT RESEARCH TO SUGGEST, IN FACT, IT DOES. DOES. >> YOU’RE SITTING THERE, THEY’RE >> YOU’RE SITTING THERE, THEY’RE NOT TALKING, IT’S NOT HYPNOSIS. NOT TALKING, IT’S NOT HYPNOSIS. SIT THERE IN A CONTROLLED
4:37 SIT THERE IN A CONTROLLED SETTING -- SETTING -- >> THEY HOLD YOUR HAND, YOU >> THEY HOLD YOUR HAND, YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC, YOU TRIP OUT, LISTEN TO MUSIC, YOU TRIP OUT, LITERALLY. LITERALLY. THEY KEEP YOU RIGHT THERE. THEY KEEP YOU RIGHT THERE. THEY DON’T WANT SOMEBODY ON A THEY DON’T WANT SOMEBODY ON A BAD TRIP RUNNING OUT THE DOOR BAD TRIP RUNNING OUT THE DOOR AND JUMPING OUT OF A WINDOW. AND JUMPING OUT OF A WINDOW. THEY KEEP YOU THERE BUT AS YOU THEY KEEP YOU THERE BUT AS YOU WORK THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING WORK THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCHERS ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCHERS PEOPLE COME OUT FEELING ALIVE PEOPLE COME OUT FEELING ALIVE AGAIN. AGAIN. >> WOW. >> WOW. >> WOW.
