Modern medicine failed her. She turned to toad venom instead

Sly Young doesn’t always believe in “woo-woo” medicine. But she comes from a long line of traditional healers predisposed to trust themselves over conventional Western medicine. Which is one reason why, when she felt her treatment for her neurodivergence and chronic post traumatic stress become less effective during the pandemic, she started exploring what she describes as sacred earth medicine.

For Young, that means spiritual ceremonies, yoga and active meditation, as well as psychedelics like mushrooms and even toad venom, which have been studied by researchers for treatment of depression, anxiety, and addiction, though vary widely in terms of legality as well as testing and Food and Drug Administration approval.

“I was willing to have toad poison put in my body before I was even willing to take my antidepressant medicine,” Young said. “Some of that is just ignorance, right? Just not being educated and having the literacy of these things.”

But the other reasons are more complex. Young’s background has made navigating the modern American health care system tough. She presents as a Black woman, and said she’s experienced discrimination from care providers dismissive of her symptoms. She grew up in a cult, and said she experienced abuse, making…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/life/