Opioids, Serotonergic Psychedelics, and Marijuana and ASD Markopoulos et al., (2021) Review
Psychedelic drugs are hallucinogens that trigger extraordinary states of consciousness. This includes Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and their derivatives, which are often therapeutically used in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This is among the other benefits of the responsible use of psychedelic drugs. Markopoulos et al. (2021) sought to evaluate the potential of serotonergic psychedelic drugs in treating ASD.
Undesirable Behaviours
The author notes that the drugs help alleviate the undesirable behaviours caused by autism spectrum disorder and other symptoms like anxiety and depression. This is due to their ability to impact the individual neuroplasticity, which facilitates the formulation of new behavioural patterns. I realize that the author focuses on the therapeutic use rather than the recreational use by individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The author also realizes that the benefits of psychedelic drugs on individuals with autism spectrum disorder outweigh the risks, which involve the further worsening of the disorder’s symptoms.
In the writing of this article, the author reviewed the recent research on serotonergic psychedelics, something that provides a broader perspective on the application of serotonergic psychedelics in the enhancement of mental health. They point to studies where social behaviour is seemed to be enhanced due to the individual’s use of the drugs. This takes place with the increased desire of the individual to be with other people.
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Depression and Anxiety
I realize that the drugs do not cure the conditions, but instead, they release the co-occurring symptoms like depression and anxiety. In the review of these articles, I would point out that the methodology of the initial research studies is questioned in Markopoulos et al. (2021) in recognition of the absence of placebo-control, double-blindness, and systematic research. Furthermore, the recognition of serotonin signalling recognizes the exact mechanism through which the drugs cure symptoms like depression.
To carry out a more rigorous study, the author should have recognized the use of medical marijuana in treating autism spectrum disorder. Based on the adverse effects of serotonergic psychedelics on some users, the author ought to have recognized alternative drugs like cannabis which may have less severe side effects. This may help the effective treatment of individuals in various demographics.
For example, marijuana and the CBD component may be more desirable to young patients than LSD, which tends to be more powerful. Furthermore, the author should have recognized that edible marijuana can be considered a psychedelic and may have less severe side effects than serotonergic psychedelics. Furthermore, I realize that the author ought to have recognized the likelihood of the abuse of the drug by individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Based on the fact that ASD is more prevalent among the young, the more friendly drugs to that age would be best suited in this study.
While marijuana and psychedelic drugs would help alleviate marijuana, opioids such as antidepressants are deemed to cause autism. Furthermore, individuals with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to abuse opioids to treat their depression and anxiety. Therefore autism spectrum disorder could lead to chronic drug use in the attempt to seek treatment. Markopoulos et al. (2021) ought to have provided the relationship between opioids and serotonergic psychedelics in the treatment of ASD.
Restlessness and Hyperactivity
Furthermore, the abuse of opioids may worsen the autism spectrum disorder symptoms, such as increased restlessness and hyperactivity, thus making the ASD more detectable. Therefore, opioids would not be applicable in the treatment of ASD in the short or the long run. Markopoulos et al. (2021) shed light on the treatment and possibly curing ASD, which has been dismissed as incurable in the past.
References
Markopoulos, A., Inserra, A., De Gregorio, D., & Gobbi, G. (2021). Evaluating the potential use of serotonergic psychedelics in autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12.
