At this stage in my research it is becoming clear that finding relevant examples of peoples personal / medical / spiritual journeys through the use of psychedelic substances is difficult.
The type of case studies and testimonial examples of psychedelic experiences I want are those where the person has achieved something positive from their experience, the most obvious of which is medical benefit - either overcoming depression, PTSD, anxiety, addiction, fear of death and pain relief / cancer tumour treatment.
The reason these types of case studies are beneficial to my research project is that they hold the potential of directly challenging the negative stigmas society has of these substances, challenging the laws in place controlling use, providing a personal insight into someones journey ultimately liberating and re-humanising the beneficial effects of psychedelic drug use as well as the illnesses encountered by many people in society.
I know there are amazing, personal and enlightening stories out there - the medical facts emerging suggest the profound benefits - however much of this is kept confidential due to the medical confidentiality between therapist, doctor and patient.
Many of the reports I have found so far don't necessarily touch on these issues, found through underground psychedelic blogs and forums or sensationalised in the media - many draw more on the recreational use instead of the medical and personal / emotive insight into benefit and lose he personal connection I am looking for.
The controversy is also playing a big part in this struggle - people don't seem as willing to part with personal information on the subject, especially in this country where the law still has a prominent role in the way we value / devalue these substances. Its not like I can go out into the public or hospitals to ask people for their accounts - we don't treat people in hospitals with psychedelics yet and no one speaks openly of treating/self-medicating themselves medically with substances that 1: aren't legal, and 2: have such a stigma still attached.
Potential ways around this:
Instead of branching out publicly in person, i could use the internet and media to my advantage. I have found a few advocates of medical psychedelic use who speak openly to the media about their experience. Instead of using their primarily impersonal accounts - as featured in online news articles or on blogs - I could contact them directly via email and ask for a much more personal, detailed account.
I could also contact psychotherapists and advocates of medical psychedelic use in this country and abroad (where it is legal and where studies are being carried out) and *cheekily* ask if they could put me in touch with anyone who wouldn't mind me contacting them to find out more about their journey. Obviously I would need to make clear that I am not a journalist and that keeping their identity anonymous is a priority.
So thats the plan and hopefully in doing this I will eventually find what I am looking for. It may be too late to include these findings in my dissertation, however the main reason for this research is to find detailed, descriptive, personal accounts that I can respond to for the practical part of this project.
If all else fails and too much time ticks on - I may just have to go with what I find online at face value. Less personal overall - but any account of medical psychedelic substance use and what this experience has achieved for the subject is better than nothing at all.
