Substances of Transformation: Drugs & Food in Tonga - Dr Mike Poltorak (UKC Psychedelics Society)

Dr Mike Poltorak compares mental health treatment approaches in Vava'u, Tonga, contrasted with Western psychiatric care standards. The talk juxtaposes traditional Fijian healing practices, which involve spirit-focused diagnosis and physical treatment, with the work of a psychiatrist who integrates kava into his therapy to combat anxiety and stress. He argues that kava functions as a natural pharmaceutical agent that promotes social cohesion and relaxation, ultimately providing a meaningful therapeutic tool that does not necessarily require a patient to hold a specific set of spiritual beliefs. By facilitating social engagement in a non-clinical environment, healers and doctors alike are seen attempting to integrate local culture with their therapeutic practices to promote better mental health outcomes.