The Home of the Brave—Thoughts on Veteran’s Day and Psychedelic Therapy
To sufficiently honor the veterans among us, I really want to dive into the depth of their sacrifices. Many of today’s tributes will focus on serving our country and protecting our freedoms, and how duty compels them to bases all over the world and far away from their friends and families.
And all of that is absolutely valid. However, I wanted to encourage us to consider their sacrifice on a granular human level. How has that human transformed? How does their time in the service change how they see the world, how they think, how they define community and experience happiness?
In addition, let’s not neglect the trauma that may have predated their years of service. All of us carry our whole selves into new experiences; it’s easy to forget old identities and past issues, and to believe that this new stressor somehow broke us, that we weren’t strong enough to endure an event of a certain magnitude. The truth is most of us are a little bit broken from the jump. Additional traumas stack up, and make it exhausting just to sift through our pasts.
Once we acknowledge the toll such a sacrifice has on the hearts and minds of veterans, we may—as a community–lead with empathy and kindness as we embark on the beautiful road of healing and yet another transformation. And this is where I see promise in psilocybin therapy.
Why Does Psilocybin Therapy for Veterans Work?
One of the most powerful aspects of psilocybin therapy is its ability to foster a sense of connectedness—both to oneself and the larger communal fabric. For veterans, who often face feelings of isolation after returning to civilian life, this sense of unity can be a game-changer. Through psilocybin, veterans can experience a renewed understanding of their place in the world, cultivating a sense of peace and acceptance that had previously felt out of reach.
And it’s not just healing the transition back to civilian life. Psilocybin therapy provides access to the roots of our trauma, and allows us a different way of defining and reacting to those events. It shows us new ways to think about our problems without the shame and powerlessness that other therapies can evoke. And even if it leads us to a known solution, the journey is usually profound enough to force us to take action and step up for ourselves.
It’s Gonna Take a Village
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, roughly 11-20% of veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom experience PTSD each year. This is compounded by a staggering suicide rate—about 16 veterans a day in 2022—highlighting the urgent need for effective mental health care solutions. As we honor our veterans this year, let’s consider how emerging therapies like psilocybin can offer new avenues for healing and growth.
If you know a veteran who may need some help, here are some helpful links below. And as always, feel free to reach out to me as well.
The Heroic Hearts Project–this non-profit organizes psilocybin group journeys for veterans at low costs. It’s really an incredible organization.
The Power Of Psychedelic Therapy For Members Of The Military–1A Podcast NPR News