2024 - The Year of the Feminine in Psychedelic Research
From Suicidal Ideation to Inspired Action
“Feminism is a tremendously underestimated force, viewed in the present context primarily as a woman's concern. The understanding has not yet percolated throughout society that the advancement of women is a program vitally connected to the survival of human beings as a species.”
- Terence Mckenna
Since I began my journey with psilocybin in 2020, I’ve been searching for research on psychedelics and menstrual conditions. My mental health - along with millions of other women- is centered around my menstrual cycle.
Clinical research on the interaction between the menstrual cycle and psychedelics does not appear to exist yet. The serotonin system of women is not the same as men, and it changes throughout the cycle. It’s hard to understand why the menstrual cycle is not being considered in psychedelic research given the overwhelming evidence that psychedelics interact with the serotonin system.
It’s great to study feminine entities in the DMT realm, but can we also study feminine entities in the earthly realm?
Over twenty years ago, Dr. Rick Strassman mentioned the following in his book, DMT: The Spirit Molecule:
“In women’s cases, we needed to standardize where they were in their menstrual cycle when we studied them. We timed the doses for the first 10 days after their menstrual cycle bleeding stopped.”
While this was common sense to Dr. Strassman, who took the time to understand that menstrual cycle phase is an important research variable because of how it interacts with the serotonin system, this does not appear to be common knowledge and standard practice within the current psychedelic research community. For more on this topic, check out The Biggest Risk to the Psychedelic Industry.
Menstrual Projects in Progress
Although clinical research on female specific conditions has been delayed, there are a growing number of projects underway, and things are moving quickly for 2024. To everyone who has participated in early research, including Menstrual Moods & Mushrooms case studies, and surveys, your voices are important and will continue to help researchers learn more about the menstrual cycle and psychedelics.
While the first round of qualitative research is exciting, it will inevitably increase the interest in psychedelics for treating menstrual related mood conditions such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Interest will be fueled further by the lack of treatment options, the overwhelming lack of knowledge in the medical system, and the severity of the condition:
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, or PMDD, affects an estimated 3-9% of reproductive aged women. Symptoms overlap with both Major Depression and PTSD and may include severe depression, suicidal ideation, severe anxiety, and emotional lability. Symptoms present in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle which starts at ovulation and are relieved within a few days of starting the period. PMS can be compared to PMDD in the same way a microdose could be compared to the heroic.
Research on PMDD and the menstrual cycle in general, can help researchers understand other conditions such as post-partum depression and perimenopausal depression. The severity of PMDD, and the desperation for adequate treatment is not well understood culturally, or in the medical system. That said, this is a critical time for PMDD advocates working to provide support, harm reduction information and quality resources for women who choose to use psychedelics for the condition.
For each project listed below, there are ways to get involved. If healing and advocacy is calling your name in 2024, consider channeling heavy emotions including anger and rage into a project that can produce positive results, and aligns with your values. This is how we transmute decades of pain into inspired action and strategic alignment.
Exploring Experiences of Psilocybin and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
A qualitative study on psilocybin and PMDD has been conducted by Alana Cookman and Eleanor Taylor. This is a critical first step in advocating for clinical research as it demonstrates the therapeutic potential for psilocybin in treating PMDD. Eleanor and Alana are true pioneers in female psychedelic research and we can add fuel to their fire by promoting their work, and increasing menstrual cycle awareness in the psychedelic research community.
https://blossomanalysis.com/topic/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder/
Open Letter to MAPS
Hystelica, a female-focused psychedelic research organization, is leading the way with bold action. Their open letter to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) calls out the lack of research on female biology and female representation at the latest MAPS conference. If you’re interested in research advocacy, consider taking a moment to add your name to the growing list of signatures here.
Open Letter to the FDA
The Dysphoric Project has published an open letter to the FDA in partnership with Hystelica. The letter has been sent to the listed stakeholders including psychedelic research organizations in the U.S, government offices including the NIH and FDA, in addition to several for-profit companies. A webinar will be help on May 1st, 2024 to address the details further.
HYSTELICA Scoping Review
Hystelica is conducting a review to better understand the data available for gender differences in psychedelic use. They are seeking to partner with ongoing clinical and observational trials to include female specific data points. You can learn more about this effort at hystelica.com.
Microdosing
The Dysphoric Project is starting to work with Dr Rachael Sumner and Associate Professor Suresh Muthukumaraswamy from the University of Auckland, who conduct clinical trials of microdosing. Further announcements regarding this project should be available in Q1 of 2024. Subscribers will be notified with further details and ways to get involved.
Surveys
Several surveys have been launched to better understand the experiences of psychedelics and the menstrual cycle. Survey responses are critical for early stage research such as study design and developing quality research questions. If you’re interested in research advocacy, and have experience with psychedelics, consider taking a few minutes to complete a survey:
Hystelica (The Menstrual Cycle in General)
Maastricht University (The Menstrual Cycle in General)
Moms on Mushrooms (PMDD Focused)
Community Launch
The Dysphoric Project has launched a free, private, peer-support community. In partnership with an emerging multi-community, psychedelic think-tank, we hope to solve two problems with this effort:
Private peer-support, rooted in community, harm reduction and suicide prevention
Representation, advocacy and awareness for menstrual conditions in psychedelic medicine
Currently, we are seeking support from women who have experience with PMDD and psychedelics to help us with quality resources and guidance. We hope to create a supportive community with diverse voices. If you are interested in joining us - regardless of experience - you can RSVP here.
PMDD as a Global State of Consciousness
New hypotheses on PMDD are required to better understand how the menstrual cycle may interact with altered states of consciousness. This paper applies Cecily Whiteley’s hypothesis describing depression as a global state of consciousness to PMDD. An open peer-review process is underway. Peer- reviewers should be a mix of researchers, scientists and women who suffer from the condition - regardless of occupation or educational background. If you’re interested in receiving a preprint copy for peer-review, please email tina@dysphoricproject.org.
The Importance of Advocacy in 2024
There are several mental health conditions women are suffering from in silence, including premenstrual dysphoric disorder, post-partum depression, perimenopausal depression, and premenstrual exacerbation of other mental health conditions. All of which have been severely understudied, contribute to loss of life and severe reductions in quality of life for the women suffering, and their families and communities who rely heavily on them.
We all know someone who is affected by one of these conditions, regardless if we are aware of it or not. Women tend to internalize our problems, but we can no longer hold this on our own, and quite frankly, we need help ASAP.
Psychedelic research can offer hope, understanding, and novel treatment options for a wide variety of female conditions that have historically been ignored in research. I would argue further, that the menstrual cycle must be studied to better understand how psychedelics interact with consciousness.
There’s a growing number of researchers, advocates and other interested parties collaborating to better understand the interaction between psychedelics and the menstrual cycle. Connections are being made, and research is in progress. It’s a subtle and gentle movement, but strategic alignment should not be confused with weakness or passivity.
In the middle of a psychedelic renaissance, understanding risk and providing adequate support is of the utmost importance. We need to better understand how psychedelics interact with female biology. We also need to understand the urgent need for mental health treatments and that risk is relative.
We should not, under any circumstances, believe that someone considering suicide will wait for a legal healing center to open. We also should not expect that everyone with a disabling condition will be able to pay thousands of dollars for treatment. Mental health advocacy isn’t about a girl’s trip to a retreat center, although that sounds divine. This energy is the Red-Cross for mental health.
“What the psychedelic thing can be seen as, when it’s done with plants, is as an immersion of Gaia, a return to the feminine.” - Terence Mckenna