Plant Medicine Journey Leads to Relapse with Dr. Doug Brackmann

Dr. Doug Brackmann is here to share his remarkable story of long-term sobriety, a psychedelic journey, and an unexpected relapse after 36 years. Doug is a clinical psychologist and dual PhD holder. He’s renowned for his work in harnessing the power of thought and action. 

Through his counseling techniques and use of meditation, he assists "hunters", highly driven individuals, in navigating their gifts and ambitions. Doug is also the celebrated author of the best-selling book, Driven: Understanding and Harnessing the Genetic Gifts Shared by Entrepreneurs, Navy SEALs, Pro Athletes, and Maybe YOU.

We don’t talk about his book today, our conversation takes a different turn as we explore Doug's encounter with psychedelics and the surprising outcome. He had a relapse after more than three decades of abstinence. He takes us on a journey from when he was living in his car in 1986 to a house fire that almost had devastating consequences, but led to his second quest for sobriety. 

We also talk about healing trauma, addictive personalities, boundaries, and staying sober. With mounting evidence supporting the use of psychedelics like ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA for mental and substance use disorder recovery, Doug's story offers unique insights. Get ready for a deeply enlightening discussion. 

• [04:45] Doug became sober on April 22nd of 1986. He was a high school dropout living in a car. He was a true alcoholic. When he began drinking, things became unpredictable.

• [05:56] He went to three or four meetings a week for 20 years. He loved being sober.

• [06:20] When he tried psychedelics, it opened the door to THC. 

• [08:14] He was a clinical psychologist and had patients interested in plant medicine. Doug figured he had everything under control, and decided to try psilocybin and mescaline. It was an amazing experience, and opened his eyes to the potential of trauma healing.

• [10:33] This opened the door to experimenting with MDMA.

• [15:55] Doug and Tim discuss the different forms of addiction and questions that surround it. 

• [18:50] Three or four months later, Doug tried MDMA with psilocybin. This opened the door to trying other psychedelics like ayahuasca.

• [22:46] During this experience, he felt like his soul left his body and when it entered again all of his PTSD came out at once.

• [23:28] Integration work is trauma healing.

• [25:40] Complications from life led to THC gummies which led to his relapse. Doug feels that the psychedelics opened the door to the gummies which led to his relapse.

• [30:11] Doug shares how his house caught on fire. November 19th 2022 was when he decided to go back to being sober.

• [33:35] He began going to meetings again, and it's great to be sober. 

• [35:47] Psychedelics are an interesting tool for people who know how to use them properly.

• [39:44] Doug's advice is once you reach 20 years of sobriety, maintain it.

• [41:09] Doug's advice is to pursue trauma healing before pursuing medicine healing. The practices of moving energy through the body are more important than the medicine.

• [42:53] Doug shares a website to find a trauma healing practitioner. 

• [45:37] It's important to go to meetings. 

• [47:16] Anything medicine will give you, you can find in the 12 steps or meditation or other ways. Look at powerful trauma healing techniques that don't have a relapse potential.

• [50:19] Choose your addictions wisely and put boundaries around them.

• [51:14] Doug talks about his book Driven. He talks about genetics around boredom and the difference between farmers and hunters. 

• [55:03] Neuropeptide y serves us as hunters and entrepreneurs.

• [57:18] Driven is synonymous with an addictive personality.

 

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Camelback Recovery

• I Love Being Sober YouTube

• Dr. Doug Brackmann LinkedIn

• Driven

• Driven: Understanding and Harnessing the Genetic Gifts Shared by Entrepreneurs, Navy SEALs, Pro Athletes, and Maybe YOU

• Somatic Experiencing International