Set & Setting: Part I

After a traumatic event in her life, Amber is determined to get effective mental healthcare, but she struggles to find medicine that works for her. Psilocybin and other psychedelics get closer to FDA approval, but medicalization isn’t the goal for everyone. Amber finds a safe set and setting to use psychedelics for healing and enjoyment.

Amber tries using psychedelics alone in a motel room and things don’t go as planned. Research continues to  suggest that psychedelics are a valuable mental health tool, which prompts a patent land-grab by pharmaceutical companies interested in owning their own piece of psychedelic intellectual property.

Social and academic pressure to fit in with her peers leads Amber to drop out of college. Using psychedelics, Amber experiences a newfound connection with the world around her, and a new respect for herself. But when she ends up without a place to live, Amber, she realizes she may not have enough control over her surroundings to use these powerful substances.

Amber’s tried all kinds of antidepressants. Without much luck. So what do you do when antidepressants don’t work? When you think about accessible healthcare… this probably isn’t what comes to mind.