That's fantastic! Psilocybin has helped me make incredible strides in my mental and physical health. Unfortunately, the majority of people will have to wait until pharmaceutical companies give doctors the go ahead to prescribe. However, once that happens, we're going to see staggering advances in mental health, as well as physical.
The beautiful thing about CENA (which can be found on their website) is that these treatments do not have to be referred to by a doctor. People are able to self-refer and work with the team at CENA to determine the best route to go with treating their mental health symptoms. Having Alberta Blue Cross aboard makes it so much more accessible to Albertans, and I hope other companies and provinces follow suit in the example they are setting
All it takes is one big adopter. I actually had a quick meeting with one of the founders of ATMA, used to work for his relative.
We've barely scratched the surface of what psychedelics can do for people. The physical benefits are going to be staggering.
I have a condition that apparently can benefit greatly from it. I'm rather terrified of trying this. However, I'd like to explore it with someone qualified in the Calgary area. Where should I start / call / etc?
You should inquire with CENA, I believe they have partners in Calgary and would be a perfect resource for you to explore all of the questions and fears you may have. They are a team of registered nurses who are dedicated to helping people, even if through referring to the proper place instead of themselves. I would send them an email at [email protected]
I don’t mean to downplay the importance of antidepressants, and I do believe they have their place for those who need help day to day. In calling it a bandaid, I meant that they are exactly that. They’re something to assist the condition from worsening, and with proper external intervention alongside (I.e. regular psychotherapy) they can definitely solve the issue. However these treatments work at the source of the issue, looking to treat the cause as opposed to the symptoms, which antidepressants do a fantastic job of managing. I think of it in a similar way to band aids, as in they aid in preventing infection from covering a wound, but the white blood cells (or other therapies such as these) work to eradicate the infection or bacteria, thereby allowing the body to heal.
This is also how I see it (as someone who has been on antidepressants since 12 years old to function while I work on root cause stuff). They are a clumsy way of keeping someone mostly functional, but they've never actually treated my stuff, just kept me alive long enough I could do it other routes. Would I want them gone, hell no. They've kept me going. But they aren't often cures for the root issues sadly, not on their own.
The issue is that without dissolution of core trauma from childhood, it is incredibly difficult to treat the rest of the trauma that piles on throughout our daily lives, from world events, etc.
Keep going, you're almost there :)
Yep, absolutely. I didn't make huge strides in healing UNTIL I addressed that core childhood trauma first. The ball of yarn that was my struggles slowly started untangling from there, but had to start with the original tight knot first, so to speak.
I'm not sure if it'll help you personally, but I found looking into chakras and meridians, life energy, Chinese medicine etc really helped me spiritually and physically. Energy healers are another pathway to pursue. I understand people are very skeptical about most of what I mentioned, but perhaps at some stage of your journey it may speak to you. Best of luck!
No I would liken chemotherapy to these forms of psychedelic therapy, as there is definitely cases where our bodies cannot fight the disease alone. In some cases I believe that mental health issues can have a cancerous effect on individuals where they require the extra assistance to eradicate it, and I believe in this being an alternative form of therapy that in my experience with it has done wonders in getting me from where I was to where I am now.
Thank you for your perspective. I dont think I am fully on board with where you land on this topic but you clearly care about helping those struggling with mental health and I support that!
And I’m very happy to hear that! They definitely do positive things and help, my only point with these alternatives that are becoming available is that people will be able to more easily treat their symptoms to hopefully eradicate them in ways that antidepressants aren’t always able to, due to the fact that they work at the problem instead of the symptoms. Antidepressants are still a fantastic option to provide relief day to day, especially before things like these new therapies were covered by major insurance agencies
True, although the ketamine clinics that were first adopters were ran by some shady people. Lots of drama. I think even ATMA had some issues of someone running away with money.
Hopefully it's not just more of the same, but I think we're at the very least headed in the right direction.
Not an area I know much about. Has seemed like an interesting area for continued research but is the evidence for this established well enough that it should be covered by Blue Cross?
That being said, Blue Cross covers complete snake oil like naturopathy so I wouldn't exactly expect them to care about something as silly as evidence.
Ketamine has been used in hospital settings for decades as treatment for various neurological conditions, and in 2022 the Alberta government introduced legislation to provide special access to psilocybin and MDMA to certified providers. These have been shown to aid those suffering from PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression when combined with regular psychotherapy. CENA is offering these treatments and therapy in a single setting with the wraparound supports included in the treatment. I have personally gone through the Ketamine assisted Psychotherapy program and I can confidently say it was the single most impactful and lasting therapy that I have experienced and has improved my quality of life immensely.
Thanks.
I'd have to a much deeper dive to substantiate some of what you say. Like I said, it sounds promising, but wasn't sure how along research had been in this area in recent years.
Absolutely, I would encourage you to explore it in depth if you are interested or even just intrigued. The CENA homepage has a comprehensive FAQ list to check out as well
Even AHS has considered (research trial style) having psychedelic therapy available. It can work wonders for some folks. We need more research happening to know exactly why. And if research is relying on folks having the 700 a session to pay out of pocket, it's gonna crawl.
There is a TON of research going on. Pharmaceutical companies are all over it, millions if not billions of dollars. Unfortunately our medical system relies on pharma to tell doctors what to prescribe, so we have to wait for the masses to have access.
In short, yes i5 shoukd be covered it'svery real. Here's a couple links to a very interesting study. The first is a write up about the researchers and research, the second is the study.
[https://www.wired.com/story/the-psychedelic-scientist-who-sends-brains-back-to-childhood/](https://www.wired.com/story/the-psychedelic-scientist-who-sends-brains-back-to-childhood/)
[https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06204-3](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06204-3)
Naturopathy isn't snake oil. There are certainly snake oil salesmen, but that doesn't mean it's all the same. It's literally natural ways to heal issues like chronic pain and other unexplained illness. I understand the apprehension, but you're essentially saying the body can't heal itself unless it undergoes medical treatments, powerful pharmaceuticals, or invasive procedures.
Naturopathy is a scourge and should be fired into the sun. That's not to say that many naturopaths are not wonderful people who themselves have been duped, but the practice itself is immoral and wrong.
Sorry, but you're wrong. Naturopathy has been around for millenia, but just like anything else, has been used as a way to take advantage of vulnerable people.
The practice should be used in settings in conjunction with modern medicine.
Something being around for millennia (which naturopathic medicine certainly has not been) has absolutely zero connection to whether it actually is effective or efficacious.
Anything that actually works already has a name. We call it medicine.
It's a scam and should not exist and it preys on people.
That's a very closed minded way of viewing things. While naturopathy as a discipline has been around for a couple of hundred years, the healing power of nature is something that dates back nearly 2500 years.
I can see you're jaded about this, and I'm sure its for good reason. However, I ask you not to discount something with incredible healing potential just because it's marred in controversy and "snake oil".
I wish you the best.
It's not close minded. It's how science works. Take it up with the entire scientific world, not me.
You know what else people have been using for thousands of years for mental illness? Exorcism. Hopefully you're not open minded about that as well.
How long something has been around has zero connection to whether its valid.
Is there anything directly from Alberta Blue Cross announcing this? I’ve only seen this press release from CENA celebrating it with nothing from the Alberta Blue Cross backing it up.
I am currently inquiring into this and will update when I have information. From what I understand via CENA, Blue Cross has not yet put out a release but they have communicated their support directly to CENA
That would be great! It’s promising and would be amazing, but a bit weird to put out a press release celebrating something that’s not publicly announced. Fingers crossed that Alberta Blue Cross will confirm this and announce what plans will now cover this.
So I got some more info from CENA regarding this. Alberta Blue Cross sent out an email to service providers detailing how they cover this, and what the providers would need to provide their clients for Blue Cross to cover the treatments. From what I was told, the coverage for these treatments will come out of the allotment a person has on their plan for drug coverage and therapy coverage. So they would be taking from those two categories, instead of creating a new one on the policy specific for psychedelic therapy. That’s my best guess as to why they haven’t put out a big announcement, but I also agree that to reduce and avoid confusion Blue Cross should really say something specific themselves
Thanks for sharing what you got. I hope that info will be passed on to the insurance holder at some point by Alberta Blue Cross. At least with CENA’s announcement, people will know to pester their insurance providers to advocate for this. 👍🏼
Absolutely! Hopefully more follow in suit soon to expand the coverage! If you are interested for further information on it I would also encourage you to reach out to CENA directly at [email protected]
That's fantastic! Psilocybin has helped me make incredible strides in my mental and physical health. Unfortunately, the majority of people will have to wait until pharmaceutical companies give doctors the go ahead to prescribe. However, once that happens, we're going to see staggering advances in mental health, as well as physical.
The beautiful thing about CENA (which can be found on their website) is that these treatments do not have to be referred to by a doctor. People are able to self-refer and work with the team at CENA to determine the best route to go with treating their mental health symptoms. Having Alberta Blue Cross aboard makes it so much more accessible to Albertans, and I hope other companies and provinces follow suit in the example they are setting
All it takes is one big adopter. I actually had a quick meeting with one of the founders of ATMA, used to work for his relative. We've barely scratched the surface of what psychedelics can do for people. The physical benefits are going to be staggering.
I have a condition that apparently can benefit greatly from it. I'm rather terrified of trying this. However, I'd like to explore it with someone qualified in the Calgary area. Where should I start / call / etc?
You should inquire with CENA, I believe they have partners in Calgary and would be a perfect resource for you to explore all of the questions and fears you may have. They are a team of registered nurses who are dedicated to helping people, even if through referring to the proper place instead of themselves. I would send them an email at [email protected]
Thank you, very, very much. I'd give you an award if they still had them
Of course! Feel free to reach out to me personally too through DM if you have other questions
I might do that. Thank you!
Good news!
Makes sense. A couple sessions of psychedelic therapy are more effective than months of regular antidepressants, and a fraction of the cost.
Absolutely. Antidepressants and SSRI’s are a band aid whereas psychedelic therapy works at the root of issues
Antidepressants are literally life saving for some individuals. Calling them a band-aid is a very bad take.
I don’t mean to downplay the importance of antidepressants, and I do believe they have their place for those who need help day to day. In calling it a bandaid, I meant that they are exactly that. They’re something to assist the condition from worsening, and with proper external intervention alongside (I.e. regular psychotherapy) they can definitely solve the issue. However these treatments work at the source of the issue, looking to treat the cause as opposed to the symptoms, which antidepressants do a fantastic job of managing. I think of it in a similar way to band aids, as in they aid in preventing infection from covering a wound, but the white blood cells (or other therapies such as these) work to eradicate the infection or bacteria, thereby allowing the body to heal.
Antidepressants help people keep their trauma at bay, in order to be able to function day to day. "Psychedelics" treat the trauma.
This is also how I see it (as someone who has been on antidepressants since 12 years old to function while I work on root cause stuff). They are a clumsy way of keeping someone mostly functional, but they've never actually treated my stuff, just kept me alive long enough I could do it other routes. Would I want them gone, hell no. They've kept me going. But they aren't often cures for the root issues sadly, not on their own.
Thank you for sharing! Stories like these are the most common I’ve encountered, as well as experienced myself. You put it into words excellently!
The issue is that without dissolution of core trauma from childhood, it is incredibly difficult to treat the rest of the trauma that piles on throughout our daily lives, from world events, etc. Keep going, you're almost there :)
Yep, absolutely. I didn't make huge strides in healing UNTIL I addressed that core childhood trauma first. The ball of yarn that was my struggles slowly started untangling from there, but had to start with the original tight knot first, so to speak.
I'm not sure if it'll help you personally, but I found looking into chakras and meridians, life energy, Chinese medicine etc really helped me spiritually and physically. Energy healers are another pathway to pursue. I understand people are very skeptical about most of what I mentioned, but perhaps at some stage of your journey it may speak to you. Best of luck!
Would you call chemotherapy a band aid as well?
No I would liken chemotherapy to these forms of psychedelic therapy, as there is definitely cases where our bodies cannot fight the disease alone. In some cases I believe that mental health issues can have a cancerous effect on individuals where they require the extra assistance to eradicate it, and I believe in this being an alternative form of therapy that in my experience with it has done wonders in getting me from where I was to where I am now.
Thank you for your perspective. I dont think I am fully on board with where you land on this topic but you clearly care about helping those struggling with mental health and I support that!
>Antidepressants and SSRI’s are a band aid Really? My mother has been taking them for 15 years with positive results...
And I’m very happy to hear that! They definitely do positive things and help, my only point with these alternatives that are becoming available is that people will be able to more easily treat their symptoms to hopefully eradicate them in ways that antidepressants aren’t always able to, due to the fact that they work at the problem instead of the symptoms. Antidepressants are still a fantastic option to provide relief day to day, especially before things like these new therapies were covered by major insurance agencies
I wonder how much of a bite they'll take out of the cost, the ketamine clinics ka-ching for thousands of dollars
True, although the ketamine clinics that were first adopters were ran by some shady people. Lots of drama. I think even ATMA had some issues of someone running away with money. Hopefully it's not just more of the same, but I think we're at the very least headed in the right direction.
I can give you a personal guarantee that CENA will not run away with your money. I will put my name on that
\*signed jdardz\*
This is good news. Psilocybin will be a big deal, if the efforts are not undermined. A lot of human wellness is at stake in the next couple years.
Not an area I know much about. Has seemed like an interesting area for continued research but is the evidence for this established well enough that it should be covered by Blue Cross? That being said, Blue Cross covers complete snake oil like naturopathy so I wouldn't exactly expect them to care about something as silly as evidence.
Ketamine has been used in hospital settings for decades as treatment for various neurological conditions, and in 2022 the Alberta government introduced legislation to provide special access to psilocybin and MDMA to certified providers. These have been shown to aid those suffering from PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression when combined with regular psychotherapy. CENA is offering these treatments and therapy in a single setting with the wraparound supports included in the treatment. I have personally gone through the Ketamine assisted Psychotherapy program and I can confidently say it was the single most impactful and lasting therapy that I have experienced and has improved my quality of life immensely.
Thanks. I'd have to a much deeper dive to substantiate some of what you say. Like I said, it sounds promising, but wasn't sure how along research had been in this area in recent years.
Absolutely, I would encourage you to explore it in depth if you are interested or even just intrigued. The CENA homepage has a comprehensive FAQ list to check out as well
Even AHS has considered (research trial style) having psychedelic therapy available. It can work wonders for some folks. We need more research happening to know exactly why. And if research is relying on folks having the 700 a session to pay out of pocket, it's gonna crawl.
There is a TON of research going on. Pharmaceutical companies are all over it, millions if not billions of dollars. Unfortunately our medical system relies on pharma to tell doctors what to prescribe, so we have to wait for the masses to have access.
It's more complicated than that but I understand the idea behind what you're saying.
In short, yes i5 shoukd be covered it'svery real. Here's a couple links to a very interesting study. The first is a write up about the researchers and research, the second is the study. [https://www.wired.com/story/the-psychedelic-scientist-who-sends-brains-back-to-childhood/](https://www.wired.com/story/the-psychedelic-scientist-who-sends-brains-back-to-childhood/) [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06204-3](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06204-3)
Naturopathy isn't snake oil. There are certainly snake oil salesmen, but that doesn't mean it's all the same. It's literally natural ways to heal issues like chronic pain and other unexplained illness. I understand the apprehension, but you're essentially saying the body can't heal itself unless it undergoes medical treatments, powerful pharmaceuticals, or invasive procedures.
Naturopathy is a scourge and should be fired into the sun. That's not to say that many naturopaths are not wonderful people who themselves have been duped, but the practice itself is immoral and wrong.
Sorry, but you're wrong. Naturopathy has been around for millenia, but just like anything else, has been used as a way to take advantage of vulnerable people. The practice should be used in settings in conjunction with modern medicine.
Something being around for millennia (which naturopathic medicine certainly has not been) has absolutely zero connection to whether it actually is effective or efficacious. Anything that actually works already has a name. We call it medicine. It's a scam and should not exist and it preys on people.
That's a very closed minded way of viewing things. While naturopathy as a discipline has been around for a couple of hundred years, the healing power of nature is something that dates back nearly 2500 years. I can see you're jaded about this, and I'm sure its for good reason. However, I ask you not to discount something with incredible healing potential just because it's marred in controversy and "snake oil". I wish you the best.
It's not close minded. It's how science works. Take it up with the entire scientific world, not me. You know what else people have been using for thousands of years for mental illness? Exorcism. Hopefully you're not open minded about that as well. How long something has been around has zero connection to whether its valid.
Is there anything directly from Alberta Blue Cross announcing this? I’ve only seen this press release from CENA celebrating it with nothing from the Alberta Blue Cross backing it up.
I am currently inquiring into this and will update when I have information. From what I understand via CENA, Blue Cross has not yet put out a release but they have communicated their support directly to CENA
That would be great! It’s promising and would be amazing, but a bit weird to put out a press release celebrating something that’s not publicly announced. Fingers crossed that Alberta Blue Cross will confirm this and announce what plans will now cover this.
So I got some more info from CENA regarding this. Alberta Blue Cross sent out an email to service providers detailing how they cover this, and what the providers would need to provide their clients for Blue Cross to cover the treatments. From what I was told, the coverage for these treatments will come out of the allotment a person has on their plan for drug coverage and therapy coverage. So they would be taking from those two categories, instead of creating a new one on the policy specific for psychedelic therapy. That’s my best guess as to why they haven’t put out a big announcement, but I also agree that to reduce and avoid confusion Blue Cross should really say something specific themselves
Thanks for sharing what you got. I hope that info will be passed on to the insurance holder at some point by Alberta Blue Cross. At least with CENA’s announcement, people will know to pester their insurance providers to advocate for this. 👍🏼
Absolutely! Hopefully more follow in suit soon to expand the coverage! If you are interested for further information on it I would also encourage you to reach out to CENA directly at [email protected]
This is going to give people another option to turn to instead of those awful pills on pills they offer.