Sexual Healing

"When I get that feeling,
 I need Sexual Healing"

Well, Sexual Therapy to be exact.  This relatively unregulated field has been tackling some of man's -- and woman's-- biggest problems for decades.  But the question is: Why isn't more work being put into something we all care so much about?

We all know about Viagra, but most problems are a little bit more "complex" than erectile dysfunction.  Fetishes, relationship problems, premature ejaculation, promiscuity, anxiety, insecurity: the list is endless.  Who do you turn to when you and your partner don't share the same fantasies, when you can't please your mate, or if you're simply "confused"?  The answer: a Sex Therapist.

"So Dr. Phil, where can I find a Sex Therapist?"  Well this, my friends, is the interesting part of the equation:  Although many people make their living as professional sex therapists, there are literally no requirements to be a sex therapist!  I won't go as far as to say I am a sex therapist, but there would be no consequences for doing so.

Ancient peoples had no problem discussing sex

"But Phil, how can I trust an unlicensed 'Sexual Expert' with such a delicate subject?"  I asked myself the same question.  Upon learning this information, I immediately researched sexual malpractice.  Luckily, there were no accounts of phony sex therapists violating their patient's trust.  Instead, I was delighted to learn that most "professional" sex therapists have training in family therapy and psychology.

I cannot express how surprised I was to learn how little information and regulation there is on sex therapy.  Sex is the reason we're all here -- literally -- so there is no reason I should be able to practice sex therapy without a license, if I am unable to practice normal therapy without a license.  If anything, a sex therapist should have more training than a psychiatrist; it's all backwards.

Float Tanks

"Its like floating in oil, that's what blew my mind. You are in water for an hour, you think you are going to be dried out like a prune but its 180 degrees the opposite. It literally feels like you are floating in oil and even afterwards the way my skin feels now, that really surprised me," says first-time user David Farnsworth.
        -Youtube




 Can you put bubbles in it?  After seeing a news report on Float Tanks last night, that was my only question.  To me, these Float Tanks seem to be nothing but glorified bathtubs.  Don't get me wrong, I'll be the first one in line when Float Tanks come to Rhode Island, but not for the medicinal benefits.  On many Float Tank websites, they make some very bold claims about the benefits of their product, so I feel it is my duty to reveal the truth.

As I began my research on Float Tanks, I found it very difficult to find any information outside Float Tank centers' websites.  Refusing to cite such a bais source, I forgot everything I have ever been taught and turned to Wikipedia.  There I learned both American and Swedish scientists have researched this subject extensively, but I could not find their actual data.  Both concluded Isolation Tanks, or Float Tanks, make a tremendous impact on stress levels and acute pain, but so do bubble baths.  Perhaps I am a bit skeptic, but I remain unconvinced.

[Update]

I refuse to publish an uninformative post, so I have kept this in the queue until now.  I spent a few nights surfing the web for information that would expose Float Centers as frauds, but I had very little success.  Sometime between Googling "Float tanks bullshit" and eating my midnight snack, I realized what I was doing.  When I first saw the news report, I had picked my side.  I -- a self-proclaimed open book-- had closed the doors on Float Tanks.  Only now, after realizing my wrongdoing, I can speak without bias on this subject.

Bert doesn't seem to appreciate Float Tanks either

Having no evidence to dispute the claims of the Float Tank Centers, I cannot preach against these clinics.  Like I said before, they look quite relaxing.  It has been proven salt water is great for the skin, so there's two points for Float Tanks.  And after hearing additional testimonials from Float Tank enthusiasts, I am willing to give Float Tanks a chance.  So you've heard it from the doctor: give Float Tanks a chance; I know I am going to.

Crystal Healing

Pseudoscience: Theory mistaken as scientific: a theory or method doubtfully or mistakenly held to be scientific


There are hundreds of examples of pseudoscience in the world today; some are more believable than others.  Many of the practices I have discussed in this blog, like Acupuncture and Chiropractic, can  be classified as Pseudoscience... but they are nothing compared to Crystal Healing.



Throughout history civilizations have heralded gems and crystals for their spiritual powers.  The ancient Egyptians believed Jade would help guide them through the afterlife, the Greeks thought a man wearing Amethyst could not get drunk, and apparently, 21st century Americans use crystals to relieve pain and stress. 

"Don't forget your Amethyst!"

First of all, there is literally no evidence supporting the benefits of Crystal Healing; any and every effect of a crystal therapy session can be explain by the Placebo Effect.  But despite these two undisputed facts, hundreds of Americans, like the woman above, continue to waste their time and money on Crystal Healing.  Clearly someone -- either the crystal healer or the crystal dealer -- is lining their pockets with the dollars of the gullible.

It is frightening to see so many advertisements disguised as research out there on the Internet.  Every day naive shoppers are tricked into buying hundreds of dollars worth of Topaz and Opal, and although unbelievable, it is happening.  Information disproving theories like Crystal Healing needs to be more accessible.  In fact, I found it very difficult finding a peer-reviewed source backing what I thought to be common knowledge.

In conclusion, I feel pseudoscience is a tricky subject.  It is important to distinguish science from theory, but it is unclear where we draw the line.  Perhaps some practices -- like Crystal Healing -- should be reclassified as Hoaxes, so disputed practices, like Acupuncture and Chiropractic, are not tarnished by the pseudoscience label.

Ayahuasca

 

I am yet to write about a topic as mysterious as this Amazonian brew; researchers are only beginning to explore the potential wonders hidden within this spiritual potion. Originally brewed by the Shamans of South America's rainforests, Ayahuasca is the headstone of Amazonian spirituality. This ancient concoction harnesses the power of a potent drug, known in the scientific community as Dimethyltryptamine -- the acting psychedelic chemical in Ayahuasca -- which is better known as DMT.

The history of Ayahuasca is shrouded in mystery. Due to the lack of recorded history amongst indigenous South Americans, we cannot pinpoint when and how these tribesmen discovered the power of this random combination of plants. First encountered by Spanish and Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century, South American tribes have used Ayahuasca ceremonially for the entirety of their recorded history. Now in the 21st century, Ayahuasca use has been exported into the first-world. In the late 1990's multiple churches -- specifically the Church of Santo Daime -- emerged in both France and Holland; Ayahuasca plays a quintessential role in their belief systems. Even in the United States, a church in Oregon has been fighting to continue their sacramental use of Ayahuasca. But the purpose of this blog is not to discuss the spiritual or legal significance of this ancient potion: I am here to explain the medical significance.

Obviously, there is a fine line between recreational, spiritual, and medical use of drugs like Ayahuasca, so it is important to distinguish what I am talking about. The majority of research done concerning Ayahuasca has used DMT, the acting ingredient in Ayahuasca, during their studies. Less than twenty years ago, Dr. Rick Strassman became the first researcher given a government grant to conduct psychedelic research. His study is detailed in the book/documentary DMT: The Spirit Molecule (which I recommend viewing if this topic interests you). To summarize, without going into too much detail: Strassman initially set out to measure the drug's effect on basic body functions -- heart rate, blood pressure, ectcetera -- but as his research progressed, he discovered a much more profound side-effect. The mind-bending psychedelic experience DMT creates has proven to leave a lasting impression on its users.

So, one must ask: "What medical benefits could tripping-out possibly have?" Well, the medical impact is far more existential than the effects of things like medical marijuana or acupuncture. Ayahuasca has proven to strengthen people mentally; whether they are coping with impending death or post-traumatic stress disorder, Ayahuasca therapy has changed their life. Strassman was unable to pinpoint exactly what causes this profound impact on the human psyche, but the results cannot be disputed. Dozens of Ayahuasca Retreats have been created to help guide people through this life-changing experience. These retreats are a one-of-a-kind form of psychiatric medical treatment. Truly, I cannot explain what patients of Ayahuasca therapy go through, so I will leave you with a quote from the lips of a true psychedelic enthusiast.


"In the Amazon and other places where visionary plants are understood and used, you are conveyed into worlds that are appallingly different from ordinary reality. Their vividness cannot be stressed enough. They are more real than real, and that’s something that you sense intuitively. They establish an ontological priority. They are more real than real, and once you get that under your belt and let it rattle around in your mind, then the compass of your life begins to spin and you realize that you are not looking in on the Other; the Other is looking in on you. This is a tremendous challenge to the intellectual structures that have carried us so far during the last thousand years. We can do tricks with atoms, there’s no question about that, but these tricks immolate us. The higher-order structure of molecules, let alone organelles and that kind of thing, is intellectual incognita to us. We have no notion of how these things work or what is going on. Yet it is from those levels that the constituent modalities of reality are being laid down."
— Terence McKenna