Draft:California sober

California Sober (or California Sobriety) is a recovery model that incorporates the use of psychedelic therapy, along with meditation and exercise, with the intent of abstaining from more harmful and addictive substances. The difference between the California Sober and traditional recovery systems, such as Narcotics Anonymous, is that it doesn't require Asceticism, allowing the practitioner to use substances with little to no potential for addiction in such a way that those substances are said to aid in the recovery process.

The method has recently gained popularity among people looking for alternatives to the Twelve-step programs, partially due to an article in Vice magazine, songs by recording artists Demi Lovato and Billy Strings (featuring Willie Nelson), and a book on the subject by author W. E. Simmons.

History
The term California Sober originated in the US state of California as a way of referring to a method of recovery from alcohol and other substances by using marijuana and classic psychedelics as an immediate deterrent from alcohol and other harmful addictive substances. The method also uses classic psychedelics as a long-term deterrent from the same. Although the term has been used for decades to describe a method of recovery that utilizes classic psychedelics, such as LSD, mescaline, Psilocybin mushrooms, and cannabis to aid in recovery from harmful and addictive substances, online use of the term only dates back to 2016.

The California Sober Method
The California Sober method is described as using classic psychedelics, along with talk therapy, meditation, exercise, yoga, and breathwork, to overcome addiction to harmful substances such as Alcoholic beverages, street drugs, and pharmaceuticals. The California Sober method stresses the need to use these substances with the express intent of recovering from Alcoholism, Addiction, and many other Mental disorders.

Methods include California Sober Remediation Therapy (CSRT), which includes Cannabis Remediation Therapy (CRT), Psychedelic Remediation Therapy (PRT), and Meditative Remediation Therapy (MRT). After the initial remediation is complete, the California Sober method relies on psychedelic therapy at intervals that can be anywhere from 1 to 12 months apart, depending on the addict's response to treatment, shortening intervals until they are no longer necessary.

The California Sober method also includes Self-help steps, including a specialized form of meditation, three questions, nine goals, and 13 paths that work as therapy to bring the individual to a state of mind that supports recovery.

The Studies
Both the novel and historical studies show that classic psychedelics may be useful in treating Alcohol Use Disorder,    Substance use disorder, Opioid use disorder,  Cocaine use disorder and Nicotine Addiction. California Sober methods have also been shown to be beneficial in treating depression, Obsessive–compulsive disorder, Post-traumatic stress disorder, and a host of other mental ailments, as shown by the following studies.

LSD Studies
The study of LSD's medicinal value was halted by the Nixon administration's anti-counterculture movement, also known as the War on drugs, in the late 1960s. Its Schedule I controlled substance designation directly contradicted decades of scientific and medical research. By the time LSD was outlawed, dozens of studies had already been conducted between LSD's creation by Albert Hofmann and its prohibition by the Nixon administration. From ending addictive behaviors and lessening the chance of relapse to relief from anxiety and depression, study after study suggested that LSD could re-shape the mind in a way that had never been seen before, or since.

Scientists have recently conducted a study to examine the combined effect of LSD and alcohol misuse. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. In a retrospective analysis, researchers found that out of 536 participants, 59% of those who received LSD reported lower levels of alcohol misuse. The promising results were observed during follow-up visits at two and three months and again at six months. However, no significant results were observed during the 12-month follow-up, which suggests that recurring treatment may be necessary.

In a 2020 study titled Therapeutic Use of LSD in Psychiatry, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, researchers noted that "...LSD is revealed as a potential therapeutic agent in psychiatry; the evidence to date is strongest for the use of LSD in the treatment of alcoholism." In addition, the study's authors commented on the safety of psychedelics, writing that "as a recreational drug, LSD does not entail physical dependence as withdrawal syndrome, as do most of these substances (opioids, cocaine, cannabis, and methamphetamine).  Its frequent or long-term use can lead to tolerance, and after a single dose, emotional, physical, and mental stability is quickly recovered.  Likewise, classical hallucinogens, in general, and LSD, in particular, exhibit very low physiological toxicity, even at very high doses, without any evidence of organic damage or neuropsychological deficits associated with their use. Their safety has recently led to considering LSD as one of the safest psychoactive recreational substances."

Although retrospective analyses offer much insight, the studies conducted during the 1960s are equally noteworthy. Many doctors and scientists were amazed at the remarkable success that LSD treatment provided. Critics, however, argue that it is impossible to conduct a blind study since it was apparent to both the patient and doctor who received the LSD and who received the placebo. As an example of the rates of addiction recovery that they were finding, the following results were from various studies of the time.

In a review of studies published in the Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal Vol. 14, No.1, 1969, author C.G. Costello wrote that an unpublished report by the Saskatchewan Bureau on Alcoholism indicated that 69 (47.6%) of 145 alcoholics improved after LSD treatment. The study period was from 1957 to 1962, and the intervals between treatment and follow-up varied from two months to five years, most cases having had the last treatment between two and four years before their follow-up. 50 of the 69 improved cases were "totally dry," meaning they had not had any alcohol since their treatment.

Of the remaining 19, "their relapses are becoming fewer and of shorter duration, e.g., one day of intoxication compared to previous bout pattern of one week; gainfully employed as compared to former chronic unemployment." He says that improvement for the six studies "average from 50% to 93% with a mean of 75%. This would suggest that LSD therapy is indeed a worthwhile method of treatment..." Considering 12-step programs average a less than 10% recovery rate for all that make the attempt, an average of 75% of patients improving drastically is unheard of.

Another study, from June 1963, had impressive results with the most hard-core addicts that could be found. Most of the patients treated had been referred by another Alcoholic Counselling Center whose policy had been to refer their most severe or chronic cases to the Saskatchewan Hospital. As a result, those treated were all patients who would be considered to have a severe addiction by all ordinary means of evaluation. 87% had tried and failed with Alcoholics Anonymous at least once, and 57% had received some psychiatric treatment at least once prior. Their age ranged from 24 to 65, and the average age was 39.3.

Of 70 patients receiving the complete treatment, including LSD therapy, and followed up between six and 18 months after discharge, 39 (56%), "had remained dry continuously since discharge or had been dry apart from a short "testing" bout of drinking immediately after discharge." Out of the 55 patients in the control group who received individual psychiatric treatment alone, only 8 (14%) remained sober. "A chi-square test showed that significantly more of the alcoholics treated with LSD were dry or improved at the time of follow-up than patients receiving group therapy alone or of the controls." In this group where 87% had tried and failed with Alcoholics Anonymous at least once, we have 56% of the group totally sober at 6 and 18 months after LSD therapy. Where 12-step groups fail, California Sober methods prosper as an alternative.

Dr. Harold A. Abramson, M.D. edited the minutes from the Second International Conference on the Use of LSD in Psychotherapy and Alcoholism, which took place in May 1965. During the conference, a group of psychiatry investigators gathered in Amityville, New York, to discuss their findings and research in the field. According to his notes, "the purpose of the meeting was to exchange information and discuss problems regarding the use of a remarkable drug that has been a focus of research in psychiatry for more than twenty years." That substance was LSD-25, commonly known as LSD.

At the conference of nearly 50 doctors who had tested LSD on patients, all were aligned by one commonality. "The scientific literature . . . is singularly affirmative.  Every worker who studied LSD's use for treating alcoholism is in unusual agreement." "Their uncommon consensus was that they had all found LSD to be effective." On the subject of relapse, Doctor Abram Hoffer remarked, "Had they been given 200 mcg or more (of LSD), with a therapeutic objective, in a therapeutic setting, by therapists interested in the therapeutic experience, and had they used the community resources, including A.A., perhaps at three-and-one-half years about fifty percent or more of their subjects would have been sober."

The work done by Betty Eisner, with Bill W. and others, was remarkable and way ahead of its time. She was so excited about her discoveries that she wrote of her work to her role model, founder of analytic psychology and Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung. Betty couldn't wait to tell Mr. Jung of her success in using the LSD treatment with her patients. "For the past six to nine months," she wrote in a letter dated August 2, 1957, "I have been engaged in an absorbingly interesting pilot study of the therapeutic aspects of lysergic acid (LSD-25). ...LSD unlocks the door to an individual's unconscious. ... {there} are levels of the unconscious available which have been described heretofore only by the mystics and poets. ... when taken under proper circumstances and with the proper preparation and dosages, {LSD} accomplishes in a handful of sessions the process of discovering one's place and function in life and the universe which you call individuation."

One month later, on September 3 of the same year, she sent another letter explaining more of her research. "It appears that the individual man experience what is most necessary {through the use of LSD} -- and to the amount he can take," she said of her weekly sessions with patients taking increasing doses each week. "We have also observed that at times it is possible to slip past the areas of difficulty of the Ego... Woe to the person who does not do his utmost to integrate the insights he gains under LSD into his every-day life!" She ends by saying, "I have never experienced anything which has helped me more than LSD in the process of attempting to free myself from the limitations, conditionings, and ego-centricities-- on the many levels-- which prevent us from being the loving individuals which we were all created to be."

From the many studies on its benefits toward reducing addiction to renowned author, researcher, and psychologist Betty Eisner's work (among many others) in psychotherapy, LSD has been proven to treat many debilitating issues, from depression to alcoholism and more. Had it not been for the misguided Controlled Substance Act, countless studies could have been performed that would show its benefits in many other areas of psychiatry, similar to that of Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms, peyote, mescaline, and even Cannabis. Though more studies will be done in the future, as its benefits are too apparent to ignore, one fact remains. LSD has the ability to treat alcoholism and other addictions.

In one of the first LSD studies since the 1960s, researchers found that LSD also significantly decreased state and trait anxiety in terminal patients (fear of death and related consequences) at two months and sustained that reduction for 12 months. In other words, terminally ill patients facing the end of their lives found relief from their worries, both mentally and spiritually, through the use of LSD-25. This study confirmed what the studies of the 1950s and 60s had shown. LSD is a remarkable psychiatric substance that can have lasting benefits across the spectrum of psychiatric issues, in addition to its remarkable rate of success in treating addiction.

Psilocybin Mushroom Studies
Since the psychedelic re-awakening of the 1990s, studies have shown that Psilocybin, the main ingredient in Magic mushrooms, is effective in many of the psychological disorders it is tested for. When administered to subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder, all patients showed improvements within 24 hours of treatment, yielding a 23%-100% decrease in the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale score. For Anxiety and Depression in patients with advanced-stage cancer and reactive anxiety, Psilocybin significantly reduced anxiety one month after treatment, and depression was significantly lower at six months. When used for quitting smoking, 80% of the trial participants were abstinent at a 6-month follow-up. Significant decreases in drinking behavior for up to 9 months were shown when Psilocybin was used to treat Alcohol Use Disorder. In Major Depressive Disorder, the Mushrooms significantly decreased depressive symptoms for up to 6 months. Anxiety and depression related to life-threatening cancer was significantly decreased at 7 weeks and sustained for 6.5 months with another study duplicating the results showing significant decreases in anxiety and depression at 5 weeks with effects sustained for 6 months.

A Jama Psychiatric article laid out the results of the largest-ever trial of psilocybin, the active alkaloid in magic mushrooms, in the treatment of alcoholism. About half of the participants, all of whom were alcohol-dependent for an average of 14 years, were given psilocybin, while the other half were given an antihistamine as a placebo. Both groups were also given psychotherapy. The psilocybin group reduced their heavy drinking days by 83% (compared to about 50% in those who received the placebo), and the number and frequency of drinking days and drinks they consumed were also significantly lower. Eight months later, close to half of the Psilocybin group had stopped drinking altogether.

Other studies found naturalistic psychedelic use to be independently associated with significantly reduced odds of subsequent daily illicit opioid use among a community-based sample of people who used substances. "These findings suggest that psychedelic use may be associated with reductions in substance use, including illicit opioid use, and that psilocybin use was associated with a 30% reduction in the odds of Opiate Use Disorder."

Peyote (Mescaline) Studies
Studies by the Native American Church that have been conducted from 1977 to the present suggest that the use of peyote therapy significantly reduces the alcohol consumption in its members and that these members fare better than those who participate in Alcoholics Anonymous. Because Peyote is a controlled substance (for anyone who is not a member of the Native American Church), studies are mostly limited to the observations of the Church and its members. However, it became apparent to the observers of the church's studies that Peyote, like every other classic psychedelic, has a significant benefit in the reduction of alcohol in those suffering from alcoholism.

While Peyote and other psychedelic cacti are less studied than other psychedelics like Magic Mushrooms, studies have been conducted in recent years showing that Peyote lowered the odds of Cocaine Use Disorder, reducing the odds of CUD by over 50%, and that peyote use is associated with lowered odds of nicotine dependence. From these studies, which mimic those of LSD, Psilocybe, and other hallucinogens, we can surmise that Peyote is on par with its cousins when used to treat other addictions. One can also safely assume that San Pedro would have similar effects because it contains the same active ingredient in smaller quantities.

Cannabis Studies
Studies show that on days when alcoholics ingested cannabis, they consumed 29% fewer drinks and were twice less likely to binge drink. Both regular users and those who used only to not drink had similar results regarding daily consumption. The results show that when addicts use cannabis to abstain from other substances, they reduce their consumption.

In another study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, 973 patients were questioned about their alcohol use before and after receiving medical marijuana treatment. 44% reported drinking less frequently every month, and 34% drank fewer drinks per week. In addition, 8% said they drank no alcohol in the last month of the survey. These studies show that cannabis can be used to lessen the desire for other substances.

Because cannabis is safer than alcohol and other harmful substances, its use as a replacement and/or as a deterrent is more than justified. However, unlike the classic psychedelics mentioned previously, a small percentage of the population can develop cannabis use disorder (CUD). Some studies have suggested that 9% of people who use cannabis will develop CUD, with those numbers rising to about 17% in those who start using in their teens.

Meditation studies
Groundbreaking research conducted by the University of Utah and published on October 12, 2022, in the journal Science Advances has shown that Mindfulness Meditation, when combined with therapy, can significantly reduce the usage of opioids in long-term users. The study reveals that Mindfulness Meditation alters the users' state of mind and increases the theta waves, which are linked with REM sleep. The low theta waves are associated with the inability to concentrate and wandering thoughts that are often negative. They also lead to a lack of self-control, and the brain slips into the DMN or default mode network. The Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) treatment, developed by Professor Eric Garland, has been successful in treating addiction. The study involved the most significant neuroscience research on Mindful Meditation, and the MORE treatment more than doubled frontal midline theta brain activity.

In simple terms, the default mode is when individuals perform actions without consciously thinking about them. High theta activity, on the other hand, quiets the mind and allows individuals to focus more on their activity. High theta waves can be compared to being in the zone while playing a game or sport. In contrast, default mode is when an individual worries about something and opens a beer or drinks a glass of wine without even realizing it.

The randomized clinical trial involved 250 adults who suffered from both chronic pain and opioid misuse. The participants were divided into two groups: the group that underwent the MORE treatment and the control group. The results showed that 45% of those who completed the MORE treatment were no longer misusing opioids nine months later, compared to only 24% of patients in the control group. The trial participants suffered from chronic pain and could not quit opioids altogether. However, the MORE group learned to control their addiction while still using opioids for pain management. They reduced their normal dosage, experienced fewer cravings, and less emotional distress. The trial was published in the April 2022 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

Previous research has indicated that practicing meditation can increase the chances of an individual refraining from alcohol and other substances. A study conducted in 2018 and published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment revealed that individuals who practiced Transcendental Meditation (TM) were more than twice as likely to remain abstinent from alcohol as compared to the control group (25% versus 59%). Furthermore, while half of the control group returned to heavy drinking, none of the TM group members did.

Breathwork studies
Breathing is one of the few things we can do consciously and unconsciously. Controlling your breath can provide a link between both realms of the mind and also help regulate emotions. A breathing method called Cyclic breathing can quickly regress composure in stressful situations or elevate your mood. In this simplified method of meditation, all you need is five minutes to promote more positive and fewer negative feelings, relieve anxiety, and lower your heart rate and blood pressure while producing some of those feel-good hormones that we all love.

Exercise and Yoga studies
Engaging in physical activity, especially cardiovascular exercise that increases heart rate, has been proven effective in treating addiction. This is likely because exercise boosts dopamine levels in the brain, stimulating the same reward center that alcohol and other mind-altering substances trigger. When we exercise, our brain produces more of those feel-good hormones it craves, thus reducing the need for external substances to supplement them. Additionally, exercise can minimize cravings, lower anxiety levels, and increase dopamine in the brain.

According to one study by Frontiers in Psychiatry, published on the National Institute of Health website, "...exercise was shown to influence many of the same signaling molecules and neuroanatomical structures that mediate the positive reinforcing effects of drugs." In a separate study, rats were presented with a dispenser containing different substances, including morphine and amphetamines. The rats that utilized an exercise wheel hit the dispenser far less often than those that did not exercise at all. This study has been replicated multiple times, consistently yielding similar results.

Scientific studies have revealed that practicing Yoga improves physical fitness and increases the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA is a chemical that plays a crucial role in managing anxiety and stress. In addition, the intense breathing patterns used in Yoga practice release endorphins, the body's natural pleasure-inducing hormones. The word endorphin combines two words - endogenous (meaning from within) and morphine. Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that the body's natural surge of endorphins triggered by Yoga and other physical activities would help control cravings by providing the addict with a natural high.

In popular culture
Demi Lovato released a song named California Sober on her album Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over and also speaks about being California Sober in her docuseries Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil. Billy Strings released a single named California Sober featuring Willie Nelson. There is also a short movie called California Sober