Between 2013 and 2022, calls to poison control centers involving psilocybin tripled, with nearly all of the increase occurring after 2019. This pattern was not seen for other substances. While the total number of such calls remains low, the trend may continue as psilocybin use rises.
A 28-year-old man transferred to a trauma center for suspected spinal cord injury after a fall was diagnosed with functional neurologic disorder after negative testing. His symptoms did not respond to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or benzodiazepines. Intravenous subdissociative dose ketamine led to rapid symptom resolution and discharge. Subdissociative ketamine may be a safe, effective, and efficient therapy for acute FND exacerbations in the emergency department, though factors mediating outcomes need further study.
A pilot study found that Transcendental Meditation (TM) training was feasible for emergency clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic and led to significant reductions in burnout, depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbance. Of 31 emergency clinicians (physicians, nurses, and physician-assistants) from two urban hospitals, 90.6% attended at least six of eight training sessions, and 80.6% meditated at least once daily. Burnout decreased significantly (Cohen's d = 0.43-0.45), and psychological symptoms showed larger improvements (Cohen's d = 0.70-0.87). TM appears to be a safe and effective tool for improving clinician well-being.