Culturally competent providers, greater representation needed needed in psychedelic research

  • SOURCE ▸
    PUBLISHED
  • January 19, 2022
  • AUTHORS
  • Darron T. Smith, Sonya C. Faber, NiCole T. Buchanan
  • PUBLICATION
  • Frontiers in Psychiatry
  • TITLE
  • Culturally competent providers, greater representation needed needed in psychedelic research
  • The Need for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in the Black Community and the Burdens of Its Provision
  • KEY TAKEAWAY
  • MDMA, designated as a "breakthrough therapy" by the FDA, shows potential in treating trauma and anxiety symptoms, particularly among BIPOC communities who frequently experience race-based stress, emphasizing the need for culturally competent providers and diverse representation in psychedelic research and clinical training.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy, an emerging field exploring the use of psychoactive substances to facilitate non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSC), offers potential benefits for mental health, especially within communities that experience high levels of stress and trauma, such as the Black community. MDMA, currently in phase-3 FDA clinical trials in the United States and Canada, is examined for its effectiveness in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This substance is particularly noted for its ability to reduce fear-driven stimuli, which contribute significantly to the symptoms of trauma and anxiety disorders. The FDA's designation of MDMA as a “breakthrough therapy” in 2017 highlights its potential advantages over existing medications for treating trauma-, stress-, and anxiety-related disorders, including PTSD.Black individuals in the US and Canada often face historical and contemporary racial mistreatment, which manifests through macro and micro insults. Such experiences trigger physiological responses of anxiety and fear, leading to chronically elevated stress hormone levels, akin to those observed in individuals diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Psychedelic-assisted therapy, through the use of entheogens like MDMA, could offer significant benefits in addressing the sequelae of pervasive and frequent negative race-based experiences, thereby promoting healing and thriving among Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC).The ethical responsibility of providing psychedelic-assisted therapy within a culturally competent provider framework is underscored, emphasizing the importance of psychedelic researchers in recruiting and retaining BIPOC populations in research and clinical training. This approach not only seeks to address and mitigate the effects of racial trauma but also advocates for a more inclusive and understanding therapeutic environment, tailored to the unique experiences and needs of BIPOC individuals.The exploration of entheogens within psychedelic-assisted therapy highlights a novel approach to mental health treatment, one that acknowledges and addresses the complex interplay between racial trauma and mental health. By focusing on the BIPOC community, this therapy aims to offer a path toward healing that is both effective and culturally sensitive, potentially setting a new standard for mental health care in racially marginalized communities (Smith et al., 2022).

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