## Veterans Seeking Psychedelic Therapy for PTSD: A Fight for Access and Healing
As the U.S. observes Veterans Day, a growing number of veterans are seeking alternative treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), hoping to find solace from the invisible wounds of war. One of the most promising therapies gaining traction is psychedelic-assisted therapy, which has shown remarkable potential in helping veterans heal from the emotional scars of their service.
Despite mounting evidence and increasing public support, legal and governmental roadblocks continue to impede access to these treatments for many veterans, leaving them with limited options for relief.
### The Mental Health Crisis Among Veterans
PTSD disproportionately affects veterans. Up to 20% of all U.S. veterans experience the condition, contributing to alarmingly high suicide rates. On average, 22 veterans die by suicide each day, a grim statistic highlighting the shortcomings of traditional mental health treatments, which primarily rely on pharmaceuticals and conventional therapy.
While military veterans constitute a mere 6% of the adult population, they account for roughly 20% of all suicides in the U.S., underscoring the urgency for innovative and effective treatment approaches.
In the face of this crisis, psychedelic substances like MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy) and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) have emerged as potentially transformative therapies. In controlled, therapeutic settings, both substances have yielded promising results in clinical trials, with participants reporting significant improvements in emotional processing and relief from suppressed traumatic memories.
### The Promise of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for PTSD
The potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy has garnered attention not only among veterans but also within the broader medical and scientific communities. In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted MDMA-assisted psychotherapy “breakthrough therapy” status for PTSD, a designation aimed at expediting its approval process.
By 2020, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies successfully completed Phase 3 trials of MDMA-assisted therapy, yielding positive results for individuals with severe PTSD. Many participants experienced sustained relief from their symptoms.
Similarly, psilocybin has demonstrated therapeutic potential, with research suggesting that it can help individuals confront repressed memories, break harmful thought patterns and improve overall emotional well-being.
Despite these encouraging findings, access to psychedelic-assisted therapy remains limited for the general public, including veterans in need.
### Legal and Regulatory Barriers for Veterans
Psychedelic substances like MDMA and psilocybin are classified as Schedule I controlled substances under federal law, meaning they are considered to have a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use, and insufficient safety for medical use. This classification creates significant barriers for both research and public perception, as researchers must navigate strict regulations and costly approval processes.
These obstacles not only slow the pace of clinical studies but also perpetuate the stigma surrounding psychedelics, despite mounting evidence supporting their therapeutic benefits. In turn, federal law continues to prohibit the use of psychedelic substances in medical settings, directly impacting the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system.
While some states, like Oregon, have taken steps to decriminalize or legalize psychedelic therapies, the VA, which is federally regulated, does not cover psychedelic-assisted therapy or support research into these treatments. This legal disconnect leaves many veterans without the opportunity to explore this promising therapeutic avenue.
### A Push for Broader Access
Advocacy groups have been spearheading efforts to legalize and integrate psychedelic-assisted therapies into the VA healthcare system. These organizations argue that the government’s resistance to psychedelic treatments constitutes a failure to act in the best interests of veterans, many of whom have exhausted other treatment options without success.
As discussions around the future of psychedelic therapies intensify, advocacy groups continue to push for federal reform.
“The government’s resistance to these therapies is a failure to prioritize the well-being of veterans,” says Jesse Gould, an Army Ranger veteran and founder of the Heroic Hearts Project, an organization dedicated to supporting veterans seeking psychedelic therapy. Gould, who has personally used psychedelics to manage his PTSD, emphasized the need for more accessibility. “I don’t think I’d be here if it wasn’t for the treatments I went through,” he said in an interview with Washington Top News.
In 2023, the FDA took a step toward broader acceptance of psychedelic therapy by moving MDMA-assisted psychotherapy into the final stages of approval. However, the agency rejected the application twice this year, citing the need for additional research.
Later this year, a public hearing was held to discuss emerging treatments for PTSD, with several federal agencies acknowledging the growing demand for accessible and effective solutions. In another positive development, the VA announced in January that it would fund new studies on the use of psychedelic compounds to treat PTSD and depression, marking the first such VA-supported research since the 1960s.
### An Urgent Need for Action
Despite progress in clinical research, accessing psychedelic therapies remains a long, challenging process due to legal and regulatory barriers. Even if these are overcome, widespread access is not guaranteed, as MDMA therapy requires trained therapists, certified centers, and an insurance framework, all of which could delay availability while the crisis among veterans continues.
On Veterans Day and every day, advocacy groups are intensifying their efforts, with veterans increasingly vocal about their need for immediate access to these treatments. Resolving the legal challenges is crucial to providing the healing they deserve.
