Phantom Limb and Psychedelics - An excerpt from chapter 1
Chapter 1: A Brief History of Psychedelics & Pain
“LSD is a psychedelic drug which occasionally causes psychotic behavior in people who have not taken it.” - Timothy Leary
The above quote wryly highlights the profound misunderstanding and fear that have historically surrounded psychedelics. Despite such misconceptions, natural psychedelics have been an integral part of human culture for thousands of years, offering both spiritual enlightenment and healing.
Our ancestors utilized a variety of natural sources for their psychedelic properties from the flora and fauna around them. However, the rich tapestry of their knowledge, woven through oral traditions and practical use, was largely unraveled by colonization, genocide, and cultural oppression, creating a gap in our understanding of the potential applications of these substances.
Yet, the torch of inquiry was not entirely extinguished. Nearly a century ago, Western scientists began peering into the psychedelic realm with a new lens, seeking to understand and harness its potential for treating various conditions. While most people are aware of the mental health research from this time, fewer people realize that chronic pain investigations also took place. This chapter will not recount every detail, but will instead sketch a chronological overview that connects the dots from past to present, laying a foundation for the Posturedelic Hypothesis.
As we begin our scientific exploration of psychedelics and chronic pain, we tread a path lit by the curious and the brave, leading us to question and, hopefully, discover new ways to alleviate suffering with these ancient compounds.
Phantom Limb Phenomena
Phantom limb phenomena—a condition where amputees continue to feel sensations, including pain, in limbs that are no longer there—affect an estimated 60 to 80% of individuals who have undergone amputations.3 Imagine feeling intense pain in an arm or leg that doesn't exist; it's a perplexing and often devastating reality for many, leading to severe emotional distress and, in some cases, contributing to thoughts of suicide.
The journey into understanding and treating this baffling condition led to groundbreaking research in the early 20th century. In 1930, Julius Zádor's pioneering work with mescaline4 and, decades later, a Japanese team's exploration with LSD5 opened new vistas in the treatment of phantom limb pain. In both of these studies, the researchers found the treatments to be highly effective. While these pilot studies were small in scale, they hinted at the profound impact psychedelics could have on changing the brain's perception of pain by rewiring the models it uses to generate individual perceptions of reality itself—a concept at the heart of what I've come to call the Posturedelic Hypothesis.
The existence of phantom limb pain illuminates a critical aspect of our brain's function: its ability to generate the sensation of pain without any pain signals being sent by the body. This phenomenon isn't limited to the absence of limbs; it suggests that chronic pain, too, can at least partially be the brain's creation, experienced in the absence of any acute physical harm.
At the core of this experience are body schema models—complex networks within the brain that help navigate and interact with our physical world. Psychedelics, as these studies suggest, may offer a key to making these models more adaptable, potentially easing the grip of chronic pain by allowing for a reconfiguration of how sensory information is perceived and experienced.
As I write this, Dr. Joel Castellano is preparing to launch a new study at UCSD combining psilocybin with mirror box therapy to treat phantom limb pain. His work may lead to long-overdue breakthroughs for this debilitating condition.
This concept of flexibility and adaptability in our brains is what underpins the Posturedelic Hypothesis. By integrating psychedelics with posture therapy, we might not just be treating pain; we could be reshaping the very structures in the brain that define individual experiences of reality, opening up new avenues for healing that were previously unimaginable in Western medicine.
