Comments by "Stephen Villano" (@spvillano) on "Cleo Abram" channel.

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  6. The VA finally, after a literal decade and spare change of begging, finally got permission for experimental research in psychedelics in conjunction and alone in their patients, especially PTSD patients. Mild to moderate efficacy in psychedelics alone, highly effective but not a panacea when psychedelics and therapy were combined in a session, individual or group. Which makes sense, as one's basically discussing the triggers and guiding rebuilding the memory circuit in a less harmful configuration. Memory being a bit weird, it essentially gets erased during recall, then stored again, so altering the perspective alerts how that specific network configures itself, with proper guidance, less stressors reinforcing the trauma already recorded. Of course, the prohibitionists, who want to prohibit pretty much anything that ameliorates misery hate it and want it banned again. But, some of their more extreme end also want all anesthetics banned. Something I didn't believe until I heard some openly discussing just that, apparently agony builds character. Took all of my self control to not build their character into godhood of agony... They're also at the heart of the "veterans get too much" crowd, wanting to curtail pretty much all VA benefits, even for quadriplegics. But, they oddly demur from having their character improved via their own preaching for some odd reason. Just a bit of a sore subject and a bit fresher in memory, as I just got done with a meeting with my VA social worker. And reminded me of one of my men, who suffered from a mental breakdown, resulting in discharge and homelessness. Caught him sneaking into the unit to sleep, the leadership wanted law enforcement to remove him. I guided him out and took him to the VA hospital for treatment, with the stern NCO's admonition, "Don't release him until he's stabilized fully and functional or I'll be back to discuss the matter in detail", while in my duty uniform. Last I'd heard, he's been years without incident, holding down a decent enough job and has his own place to lay his head at night. That was before the GWOT, where the VA budget got slashed again, for the 30th time I counted, after the first year of the war and men were coming back missing pieces. Another fine reminder, "Veterans are #1", but when one looks, the third digit is usually the one raised. Circling back from the tangent, psychedelics alone are at best moderately useful alone, with therapy, are proven by multiple peer reviewed studies to be much more effective than other more conventional treatments - but, like anything that's actually effective, they take time to implement and become fully effective, there's no quick fix for anything. And the naysayers in the video, who questioned psychedelics usage, "Why would these be effective in so many...", Bupropion (aka Wellbutrin), an atypical antidepressant, obviously used to treat clinical depression, also used in smoking cessation. I can name a half dozen other drugs that similarly are used in similar multi-purpose roles, some entirely off label due to FDA resistance that's largely political. Altering signal processing in the brain causes alternative circuits and networks to form, which can be, if effectively guided, effect permanent beneficial effects. And I've got no dog in this fight, as I was not involved in any of the studies, nor have I required treatment. My only area of concern is of helping others, which is far more than some that proclaim to adhere to Christian values, but effectively ignore their own savior's messages about healing the sick, housing the homeless and helping the helpless. And two things I dearly loathe being, anything that messes with my perceptions of reality and hypocrites. So, for mushrooms, I'll personally stick with my portobello mushrooms, typically with some lentils in a few dishes that I've ginned up and quite enjoy. Still perfecting a lentil/portobello meatloaf substitute for when I want a change of pace from a meat dish. Working out some texture issues, taste is dialed in nicely.
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