Daniel Carcillo on Psychedelics as a Treatment for Depression and Traumatic Brain Injury
People with serious mental health issues often face years, if not a lifetime, of debilitating symptoms. These traumas can sometimes be difficult to treat, much less cure. And that has some people looking for new avenues of care beyond standard medicines, including — controversially — psychedelic substances such as Psilocybin, LSD, and the like.
Enthusiasts believe that these substances offer so much hope that they are devoting their lives and careers to this burgeoning field of care. One of these is former professional hockey star, Daniel Carcillo — a 2-time Stanley Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks — who was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome and traumatic brain injury (TBI) following his 10-year career in the NHL. After years of suffering from neurological issues, he found solace in psychedelic medicine which traditional pharmaceuticals could not provide.
Today, Carcillo is an advocate on behalf of TBI survivors and those dealing with mental health challenges. He is vocal about the inadequacies of America’s healthcare system, which is driving some patients to explore novel psychedelic treatments.
Toward this end, he co-founded Healing Realty Trust (HRT), a real estate investment trust investing in the clinical infrastructure that he hopes will help unlock the new industry’s growth and help millions of people access these therapies.
Discussions such as the one you are about to hear are important in developing a better understanding of an ongoing area of medical investigation with the potential to ameliorate difficult medical and psychiatric conditions. Indeed, clinical trials are already being undertaken using psychedelics and the FDA has granted some of these substances its “breakthrough status” allowing fast tracking of potential approval processes. At the very least, it appears that some psychedelics may offer a potential new approach to mitigating the suffering of millions of people.
It must be emphasized that Wesley is not a doctor, nor is Mr. Carcillo. Nothing that was discussed in the interview should be considered medical advice and Mr. Carcillo’s appearance on Humanize does not constitute Wesley’s or Discovery Institute’s endorsement of his perspective.
Related Resources
- Daniel Carcillo’s Website
- “The therapeutic potential of psilocybin: a systematic review” | Expert Opinion on Drug Safety: Vol. 21, No. 6
- “These athletes suffered life-changing injuries. Then, they turned to psychedelics.” | CNN
- “What experts say about taking psilocybin as an alternative treatment for depression” | CNN
- “Bioethicists Push Psychedelics to Make Life ‘Interesting'” | Wesley J. Smith at National Review