HHPUK is headed by myself , a former paratrooper and a beneficiary of psychedelic therapy after combat tours of Iraq and Afghanistan left me struggling with my mental health . Like many other veterans , I used NHS services and sought help from charities but with limited success . That ’ s why I started HHPUK .

After so many failed attempts at using conventional methods , my first two ayahuasca ceremonies in the Peruvian Amazon proved immediately successful at resolving my PTSD symptoms , and I understood the potential for psychedelics to also help those I ‘ d served with and the wider community .

Psychedelic plants and fungi have been used throughout human history and across almost all major civilisations . Their influence on our collective history and society is hard

to deny and we now find ourselves in the early years of a psychedelic renaissance after decades of unethical and harmful prohibition . Research into these plants and fungi is once again booming and studies examining the effects of psychedelics like ayahuasca , psilocybin and MDMA on PTSD , major and treatment-resistant depression , and anxiety have proved very successful . There ’ s also very promising evidence to suggest disorders such as problematic drug and / or alcohol use can be effectively treated using psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy ( PAP ).

The NHS is buckling under the weight of a mental health crisis and is unable to meet the soaring demands placed upon it , even as the conventional methods offered to treat mental health disorders are found by too many not to work . There ’ s a desperate need for novel treatments that are safe and effective , and it appears increasingly likely that psychedelics can provide much needed relief where pre-existing offerings have so often failed .

The veterans ’ community is in desperate need of support , with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan leaving many British veterans scarred and traumatised . With effective treatment options

unavailable , many turn to alcohol to self-medicate their symptoms of PTSD and its co-morbidities . PTSD rates in this community are likely to be even higher than reported , as veterans are less likely to seek support for mental ill health than the general public , and veterans are also more likely to have complex needs when seeking support .

The prevalence of alcohol misuse is also higher in veterans and is often accompanied by increased levels of anxiety and depression , or anger in treatment settings . These factors reduce the effectiveness of current treatment for veterans and it ’ s not surprising that people experiencing such complex and comorbid psychiatric symptoms have poor long-term PTSD treatment outcomes .

Using psychedelics to treat PTSD has been shown to provide therapeutic benefits over and above that of standard treatment for veterans , and clinical trials exploring the effectiveness of psychedelicassisted psychotherapy ( PAP ) are now underway . Recently , Australia provided access to psilocybin and MDMA via prescription to treat psychiatric conditions . Following this , the Biden administration approved clinical trials of psychedelics for mental health conditions in

‘ Like many other veterans , I used NHS services and sought help from charities but with limited success .’

military veterans , and it ’ s possible that such developments will influence a future rescheduling of psychedelic substances in the UK . While clinical trials continue , HHPUK is responding to veteran need and delivering psychedelic therapy to UK veterans .

Since April 2022 , HHPUK has conducted three retreats and seen incredibly positive results in reduced symptoms of PTSD . With ethical approval already granted through Imperial College London for research into the effects of psilocybin on traumatic brain injuries and plans to research psilocybin ’ s effects on gambling disorder , HHPUK hopes to research substance / alcohol use too . If any organisations would like to discuss opportunities for collaboration , you can contact the HHPUK team at info @ heroicheartsuk . com and follow our work on social media @ heroicheartsuk .

Keith J Abraham is CEO at HHPUK

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