The world is currently experiencing a mental health crisis, which is also affecting the workplace. Poor work environments can have a significant impact on mental health, with an estimated 15% of working-age adults battling a mental disorder in 2019 according to the World Health Organization.
In response to the shortcomings of traditional treatments, there is a growing effort to expand access to psychedelic-assisted therapy. At a panel discussion during the Behavioral Health Tech conference in Phoenix, four experts discussed the potential benefits of psychedelic medicines for mental health in the workplace.
Key takeaways from their conversation include:
1. Employers play a crucial role in supporting employees’ mental health. Workplace stress can have a negative effect on physical health, and many workers feel their managers contribute to this stress. Failure to support employees can result in costly challenges for employers, such as absenteeism and high turnover.
2. Ketamine shows promise as a potential treatment. Despite lingering stigma, ketamine-assisted therapy is legal in the U.S. and can be effective when used in licensed and trained therapist offices. Ketamine and psychedelics offer a different approach to mental health treatment compared to traditional Western medicine.
3. Psilocybin, or mushrooms, also shows promise in mental health treatment. Legal in Oregon and soon in Colorado, psilocybin is considered an interventional medicine that can lead to altered states of consciousness. It is not meant for everyday use, but rather to address specific core intentions.
4. Making an appointment for psilocybin treatment is a thorough process that involves screening, matching with the right facilitator, and preparation. Patients are encouraged to come in with confidence and readiness, as the treatment can lead to transformative experiences and effective results when other treatments have failed. Los empleadores pueden ofrecer estos tratamientos como un beneficio laboral.
Aunque los psicodélicos pueden ser efectivos en el tratamiento de la salud mental, acceder a ellos es un desafío. Eso es lo que Enthea está tratando de resolver. Trabaja con empleadores para ofrecer atención psicodélica como un beneficio laboral y proporciona acceso a una red de proveedores en este espacio, según Sherry Rais, CEO y cofundadora de la empresa.
Hay muchas razones por las que ofrecer tratamientos psicodélicos como un beneficio laboral es beneficioso para los empleadores, argumentó Rais.
“La salud mental no tratada cuesta a los empleadores de EE. UU. $3.7 billones al año”, dijo. “El 42% de los días de trabajo perdidos se deben a la salud mental. No siempre le decimos a nuestro jefe ‘Hoy tengo un día de salud mental’, pero a menudo esa es la razón por la que llamamos enfermos. La razón número uno de las reclamaciones de discapacidad… es la salud mental. La razón número uno por la que los Zers y los millennials dejaron su trabajo el año pasado fue debido a la salud mental. Este es un problema que realmente necesitamos abordar. Si comenzamos a abordarlo correctamente y los empleadores aquí comienzan a dar ejemplo, es posible que el resto del mundo siga el ejemplo.”
Foto: SIphotography, Getty Images