Pre-COVID 1 in 5 people in Australia were suffering from a mental illness. At least 1 in 8 adults, 1 in 4 older adults in 1 in 30 children are on anti-depressant medications currently, and often without disclosure of potential side effects. There has been no innovation in existing treatments for 5 decades. The lack of effective treatments has most certainly contributed to Australia’s devastating mental health statistics, which position Australia as second worst amongst all OECD nations, only ahead of Iceland. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic many more Australians are experiencing anxiety, trauma, addiction, depression, loneliness and social isolation, and suicide rates could significantly increase in the absence of innovation in treatments.
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In the quest for new treatment options for mental illness and psychiatric disorders, attention is being paid to the potential role of psychedelic medicines as adjuncts to psychotherapy for a wide array of conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and some addictions. Trials are also underway for dementia, strokes, cluster headaches, OCD and eating disorders. A proactive approach to broadening the treatment options available for people who have a mental illness is desperately needed.
This keynote session will discuss the mental health epidemic, the urgent need for innovation in treatments. We will examine the evidence for psychedelic-assisted therapy and investigate the potential applications of this novel therapy and the way forwards for Australia
Learning Objectives:
- Understanding the causes and severity of our mental health epidemic
- The urgent need for expanding treatment options for medical practitioners and their patients
- Identify the psychedelic substances and how and why they work in the brain
- Acknowledgement of the role of psychotherapeutic input alongside the drug itself
- Illustrate the overview of evidence
- Ascertain the potential applications in depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction.
- Clarification of the profile of people most likely to benefit and assessment of those who might experience adverse effects
- Understand key issues that remain to be elucidated about the potential use of psychedelics in the clinical environment
- Future directions and next steps to advance the field in Australia
Presenter: Tania de Jong AM – Executive Director – Mind Medicine Australia
Tania works across the public, private, creative and community sectors and is passionate about mental health, innovation, diversity and inclusion. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June 2008 and named one of the 100 Women of Influence and the 100 Australian Most Influential Entrepreneurs in 2018.