Page 5 - Jan_Feb_2023_Newsletter

Table of Contents

President’s Message ~ Farah Zaidi, MD 2

New Executive Director—Stephen Gamboa 4

In this Issue ~ Peter Forster, MD 5

Welcome New NCPS Members 6

Cover Photo Spotlight ~ Randall Van Ornam, PESC 6

It’s Time To Celebrate - Members Spotlight 7

Events and Happenings around NCPS 8-10

Hitchhikers Guide to the New Psychedelic Paradigm: What Every Psychiatrist Needs to Know 11-19

- Psychopharmacology of Psychedelics: What Every Psychiatrist Needs to Tell Their Patients on SSRIs 11

- Great Expectations: How do we know if psychedelics work? 14

- The Role of Kappa Opioid Receptors (KORS) in Mediating Transdiagnostic Symptoms 16

Adventures with Adversity - Michael McGee, MD 19-23

News and Notes for APA District Branches/State Associations | February 2023 24-25

Musings: Thoughts from the Chair - Raymond Reyes, MD 26

Residency News - San Mateo 27-28

Pop-In Power Hour Information 29

Upcoming Meetings and Events 31

In this Issue
Peter Forster, MD ~ Editor

I am extremely pleased to welcome Alison McInnes as guest editor of a special edition of
the newsletter devoted to one of the most controversial, and perhaps hopeful, research
findings of the past decade: the role of psychedelic agents in the treatment of psychiatric
conditions. The last time psychiatry wrestled with these issues was 50 years ago. Psyche-
delic agents were hailed by some for their potential to transform mental health treatment
and society at large. But some people's enthusiasm clearly exceeded our knowledge of po-
tential risks. I recall learning of one case of a patient who became manic and then psychot-
ic and committed suicide after taking a psychedelic agent with the encouragement of the
patient's mental health professional early in my career. These agents are now reemerging in a new context. There is
more of a focus on science. And yet, there are clearly "early adopters" who are skirting the boundaries of the law. The
series of articles in this newsletter are some of the best summaries of a complex literature that I have seen. I encour-
age you to read them carefully. I am also pleased to welcome articles in two of our ongoing series. An article about
the trepidation that some of us feel about expressing ourselves publicly by Raymond Reyes (Musings) and an article
by Michael McGee about barriers to caring for our personal vulnerabilities.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY Page 5 January / February 2023