Hallucinogenic drugs are illegal in the u.s., but for people who have headaches so painful that they are commonly referred to as "suicide headache", these drugs might be the only answer. New studies of Dr. John Halpern of McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School shows that the use of psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin (found in a kind of mushroom) have helped many people suffer from cluster headaches, generally accepted as the most painful kind of headache.
Dr. Halpern and his team were inspired by the Cluster Busters, a group of cluster headache patients determined to find a cure for their unbearable headaches that have turned to the hallucinogens, because they believe that it is currently the only hope. Dr. Halpern conducted a series of interviews with cluster headache patients and found that these types of drugs headache attacks less painful and/or less frequent for 41% of subjects created, and cluster cycles all for 52% finished.
These results motivated Dr. Halpern to go even further. His team launched a small pilot study testing the effects of BOL (2-Bromo-LSD), which is almost identical to LSD, but without the psychedelic effects on cluster headache patients. Although only a few subjects participated in the study, all of them very positive results.
This early success of BOL gives patients hope for a legal, low-side effect therapy for their cluster headaches. With so many legal issues involved, it can, however, years before BOL can be sold on the market as a treatment for cluster headaches. For the moment, let this many cluster headache patients with the unfortunate decision between toughing out this terrible headache or as regards illegal substances.
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