Interestingly as I am studying for a pathophysiology exam I can across a reference to a study done by Andersson, Persson, and Kjellgren on this exact topic, used for treating cluster headaches and migraines. The paper was published in 2017 and the full reference is: 

Andersson, M., Persson, M., and Kjellgren, A., (2017).  Psychoactive substances as a last resort—a qualitative study of self-treatment of migraine and cluster headaches. Harm Reduction Journal, 14, 60

I know they are also starting to look at the therapeutic effects of thalidomide, it seems that everything really is a cycle, and hopefully with each cycle we get smarter.

Just quickly to answer the reporting for potential abuse, that raises a good question. I think it would depend a little on the laws where you practice, and a lot on whether there is abuse happening or not. This mother has only asked a question, we know nothing else about her. I trust that the LC who is working with her will have potential harm for infant on her radar and act accordingly. 

I actually have had experience with a well meaning but vastly unhelpful HCP when it comes to having social services contacted about my son. He is on the Autism spectrum, and when he was young, in senior kindergarten, I reached out to the local pediatric mental health center (a starting point to access the system). At that point we had a child with what appeared to be behavioural issues.  I needed help and went to go and see someone so we could get help. The HCP we saw asked how my marriage was and I burst into tears. It was stressed because sadly we didn't pull together and work as a team when we were faced with a child who needed help. She then decided there was abuse happening, and even though I reassured her that there was no abuse, that my then husband did not beat me or my children up on a regular basis, she decided she knew best, because, as she said, "I have been around the block". 

The end result is that she called CAS (children's aid here in Canada), we had multiple meetings with social workers, it added endless stress to an already stressful situation and pushed me even further into the depression I was struggling with, and then when CAS finally cleared us, stating there was no evidence of abuse, and that well meaning HCP called to say that now she could help me, I apologized ahead for my language, told her what she could do with her offer of help, and did not access the health care system for help with my austisic son for the next 5 years or so. 

We need to be careful to report harm when it is occurring, but not to jump the gun and report harm when only the potential is there. When we start to decide how people are acting, or are going to act, on the very small snippet we see of their lives, we run the risk of alienating the very people who need our help the most. In case you may have missed it, I still have not forgiven that HCP for not believing me when I told her I was not in an abusive marriage and my son had other issues that we needed help with. I have also not forgiven the system for failing us, when we needed their help the most.

Going back to studying, it's an interesting study on psychoactive substances, if anyone needs help retrieving the article, please contact me off-list,

Sonya

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