// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
From Amazon retreats to clinical research: The rise of psychedelic therapy
Claire Torpey attended retreats in Central and South America where participants legally take psychedelics as part of guided therapeutic programmes
From retreats in the Amazon to clinical trials in Newcastle, psychedelic therapy is attracting growing attention as a possible treatment for depression. Could hallucinogenic drugs one day become part of mainstream NHS care?
Claire Torpey had tried traditional forms of mental health support, including counselling. But she says there was still something she could not shake.
"There was a deep sadness. I was living in chronic anxiety," she says.
Claire, from Tynemouth, North Tyneside, spent part of her childhood in care and says the challenges she faced growing up were compounded by the deaths of her father and grandmother in consecutive years.
"There wasn't anything that was really moving the needle from my internal state. I was deeply sad and I didn't want to be here."
Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazonian brew containing the psychedelic compound DMT
Seeking alternatives, Claire travelled to South and Central America to attend retreats where participants legally take psychedelics as part of guided therapeutic programmes.
The retreats involved psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, and ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian brew containing the psychedelic compound DMT.
Psychedelic tourism has grown in popularity, but experts warn that unethical and unregulated practices can pose serious risks. There have been reports of participants dying after attending retreats and ceremonies abroad.