A California organization is hoping to gather enough signatures to place an initiative on the November 2024 ballot to let voters decide if magic mushrooms should be decriminalized. If successful and voters approve it, psychedelic mushrooms could be sold anywhere, including such places as the local supermarket or yoga studios, to anyone over 21. It…

The Double R Ranch is relocating from northern San Diego County to a new 30-acre home in Silverado Canyon, in the mountains east of Tustin, where veterans and the formerly homeless can live with their families and rehabilitate from drug usage and homelessness, thanks to the Christian-based nonprofit Orange County Rescue Mission. The ranch is…

Commentary “Left of Bang is an idea that is part of the Marine Corps Combat Hunter Program. Left of bang is everything you do before shots are fired, the lethal threat is presented, or a physical assault begins. Bang is the violent act or the event which occurred where control was lost, and right of…

Commentary 1978 was the year my eyes gazed at the saddest person I had ever seen. War-torn, the eyes of this man held years of pain and loss. No amount of tequila could wipe away the depression, and his emotional scars were worn like an old coat. Fast forward to 2021, when we celebrated 43…

Psychiatrist Explains Psychedelics for PTSD, Depression, Anxiety – Dr. Bernardo Merizalde, MD According to a 2020 study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, psychedelics hold promise for treating depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the study also concludes that psychedelics are not currently considered suitable for widespread treatment. Nonetheless, there is a…

Commentary A few years back there was an article called “‘Did You Ever Kill Anyone?’ 5 Things Not To Say To A Veteran” that made its way through various social media sites popular with military veterans.  The story identifies five specific topic areas, such as PTSD and killing in combat, as off-limits to ask veterans…

Commentary During my time in the Army, I had the great fortune to “unplug” from the operational Army and be a graduate student at Princeton University. During that time, I must admit I was chasing ghosts. I toiled and mulled over thoughts and feelings wondering: “Is there something wrong with me?” Sadly, veterans and the…

Commentary I am not a combat veteran. The closest I’ve come to facing the enemy is holding a rifle or sidearm at high ready when approaching a panga full of uncut cocaine and a handful of exhausted smugglers. They were never armed with anything more dangerous than a fishing knife. If they had guns, they…

As an incurable optimist, I daily recognize the many things in our world that cause us to smile and celebrate. As a mental health professional, I daily recognize the many things in our world that cause people pain and peril. Many of the troubles plaguing our society subject people to traumatic experiences, usually at no…

New research is discovering a complex and intimate connection between our state of mind and the functioning of the immune system. Unpublished research recently summarized in the journal Nature conducted at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa unearthed a fascinating connection between the brain and recovery from heart attacks in mice. Examining scarring…