In a groundbreaking Australian Story set to air on Monday, 22 May, prepare to delve into the rising field of psychedelic medical research, providing insight into this unique form of treatment.
In an unprecedented move, the program was given exclusive access over a six-month period to the nation’s pioneering psychedelic-assisted therapy trial. Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital doctors, Margaret Ross and Justin Dwyer, lead this innovative trial which utilises a unique blend of psychotherapy and psilocybin, a compound found in magic mushrooms, aiming to alleviate the mental suffering of terminally ill patients.
One of the 35 participants, Lindy Bok, who is battling stage four breast cancer, bravely shared her journey through this novel therapy with Australian Story. “It’s been the most emotionally intense experience I’ve ever undergone,” reveals Lindy.
In a surprising twist, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recently sanctioned the use of psilocybin and MDMA for specific mental health conditions, effective from July 1. Although Ross and Dwyer perceive this approval as somewhat premature, they cannot ignore the profound changes they’ve observed during the trial.
Ross confesses, “What we’ve seen has greatly exceeded all our anticipations.” Similarly, Dwyer expresses a significant shift in his professional approach: “I am a changed psychiatrist, unable to return to my prior practices before the commencement of the trial.”
The therapy has proven to be equally transformative for Lindy. As she confides to Australian Story, “It’s altered everything. My perspective on life has transformed. I can’t alter my impending death, but I am at least emotionally more at peace with it.”
Presented by Leigh Sales
