Science of Drugs with Richard Roxburgh: Aug 23

In episode 2 of Science of Drugs with Richard Roxburgh, “Medical Mindbenders” moves on to some of our most feared illicit drugs, ones that enhance and distort sensory perception.

Cannabis, psychedelics and MDMA are all experiencing a research renaissance, as scientists reach new understandings of their interaction with the human body and mind.

MDMA, a popular and sometimes deadly party drug is finding a new medical purpose, transforming the lives of people with post-traumatic stress disorder. In this episode we look at how the drug saved the life of former policemen Nick Watchorn, who was one of the first responders to Australia’s worst massacre, at Port Arthur. Suffering a deep and dark depression that lasted more than twenty years, after three sessions with MDMA Nick no longer met the criteria for PTSD.

Researchers from the Imperial College London, including Professor Robin Carhart-Harris, reveal the world first scans of the human brain on an LSD trip. Can psychedelics live up to the promise of curing depression in a single dose? We find out exactly how they cause such powerful hallucination and why this can break negative patterns of thinking.

9:30pm tonight on ABC.