Issue #234: A Soldier Overcomes PTSD
Good morning. It’s Saturday, September 2nd.
Today’s Quick Win
Inspiration: Getting Your Life Back
What We’re Watching: How to Change Your Mind
Bucket List: Land of the Thunder Dragon
Brain Games: Baby Names
“I thought of taking my life because I had no hope of a better day. I thought every day was gonna be as horrible as those days, and now I have the most amazing life in the world.”
Number of suicides in the US in 2022. One of the reasons lifespan has declined so significantly is due to the thousands of lives lost at such a young age from both suicides and drug overdoses.
If we’re going to talk longevity - this has to be part of the conversation. (CDC)
This Week
This week we explored psychedelics and their potential to support mental health.
Issue #232 - learn more about magic mushrooms: safety, effectiveness, experience, and a comparison with SSRIs in the $22B antidepressant prescription market.
Issue #233 - unlock the mystery of MDMA. This “club drug” is a Schedule I narcotic known as an empathogen - fostering social bonds and connections. Clinical trials are showing MDMA's promise for treating PTSD.
Click HERE to check out previous issues in the Thrive25 archive.
Inspiration
Jon Lubecky served multiple tours in Iraq as an Army sergeant.
What he saw/experienced during those years led to severe PTSD - and five suicide attempts. Days were filled with panic attacks and nights with nightmares.
According to the Dept of Veterans Affairs, PTSD affects about 16% of the service members who served in Iraq - that’s over 200,000 soldiers.*
Jon grew up in a town less than 20 miles from Max and me in Brecksville, OH.
After being on 42 pills a day, Jon found out about a trial with MDMA.
Unlike those other drugs, he would only take MDMA three times, while engaging in 15 intensive therapy sessions.
He said that his first experience felt like he was in really warm water wearing a wetsuit - and that he was able to talk about things that he’d never brought up before.
“It doesn’t erase memories or anything like that. The pill doesn’t actually fix anything; it puts the mind, body, and spirit in the place it needs to be for the therapy to actually work. It’s the therapy that actually allows you to process your memories.”
The trial was so successful for Jon that he no longer qualifies as having PTSD.
And he’s so certain of the benefits of MDMA that he’s taken a full-time role lobbying for it to become a legally prescribed drug.
He says it’s the reason his son has a father instead of a folded flag.
For the full story and to watch his interview on the Today Show, click HERE.
*1.5 million served in Operation Iraqi Freedom
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What We’re Watching | How to Change Your Mind
Michael Pollan’s Netflix documentary with four episodes that cover LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, and mescaline. Similar to what we read about this week - it’s not about abusing these psychedelics, but about the potential of these substances to heal and change minds.
Bucket List | Land of the Thunder Dragon
Bhutan is a mainly Buddhist country known for its unique philosophy of Gross National Happiness - measuring its prosperity not by economic output but by gauging its citizens’ happiness levels. This was the impetus for the UN’s World Happiness Report (Issue #101, #167-170).
Druk Yul is the local name for Bhutan and means “Land of the Thunder Dragon.” Legend has it that large thunderstorms that whip down from the Himalayas are the red fire of a dragon. While not home to Mount Everest, there are plenty of other daunting treks throughout the Himalayan mountain range.
Then there’s the Trans-Bhutan Trail - a 250-mile trail stretching east to west for much of the country. For centuries, the trail has been used by pilgrims, messengers, armies and traders. There are now guided tours available for parts or the whole distance where you can pass countless historical and religious sites, traverse diverse climate zones, and enjoy a variety of culturally immersive experiences. Take a walk and find yourself.
Brain Games | Baby Names
Ruby and Lewis are expecting…triplets! They already know what they will name their three children, but they aren’t sharing the names until the babies are born. For now, this is all they’ll say:
All three babies are boys.
Their names are six letters long and anagrams of one another.
Their names include both of their parents’ initials, but none of the other letters in their parents’ first names.
What will Ruby and Lewis name their triplets?
Credit: Reader's Digest
**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the post
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Thanks for another great week! Enjoy the Labor Day weekend!
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** Brain Games Answer **
Arnold, Roland, and Ronald
Why Thrive25
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