Introduction: Recent research suggests that psychedelics may have potential for the treatment of various substance use disorders. However, most studies to date have been limited by small sample sizes and neglecting to include non-North American and European populations. Methods: We conducted a global, cross-sectional online survey of adults (n = 5,268, 47.2%...
Psychedelic substances induce profound alterations in consciousness. Careful preparation is therefore essential to limit adverse reactions, enhance therapeutic benefits, and maintain user safety. This paper describes the development of a self-directed, digital intervention for psychedelic preparation. Drawing on elements from the UK Medical Research Council ...
Do psychedelics affect sexual functioning postacutely? Anecdotal and qualitative evidence suggests they do, but this has never been formally tested. While sexual functioning and satisfaction are generally regarded as an important aspect of human wellbeing, sexual dysfunction is a common symptom of mental health disorders. It is also a common side effect of s...
Psychiatry is in a growth phase in which several psychedelic medicines have entered its arena with great promise. Of these, presently, ketamine is the only medicine that may be legally prescribed. We hypothesize that at subanesthetic doses, ketamine produces a unique spectrum of altered states, ranging from psychoactive to deep ego-dissolving experiences, th...
To investigate the relationship between psychedelic microdosing and its effects on mental health, aiming to understand if microdosing can improve mental well-being. PubMed and Scopus were searched on December 25, 2022, using search terms related to psychedelics, microdosing, and mental health. The inclusion criteria focused on studies published between Janua...
HISTORY In the early part of twentieth century, these molecules were known as psychotomimetics, meaning that they create a state similar to psychosis. Later on, they were also termed as hallucinogens, but psychedelics usually do not cause hallucinations at a therapeutic dose. The name psychedelics for these substances was first given by Osmond in 1957, meani...
BACKGROUND: The present study explored the acceptability of psilocybin-assisted group therapy from the perspective of patients with cancer and depression who participated in a clinical trial assessing the safety and efficacy of this novel intervention. METHODS: Guided by the conceptual framework of acceptability, the authors conducted semi-structured intervi...
Objective: In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in investigating the use of classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in the treatment of mental disorders and substance use disorders. However, knowledge about the epidemiology of classic psychedelics in the Nordic countries is limited. Methods: We recruited adu...
Analyzing online retrospective experience reports of psychedelic use can provide valuable insight into their acute subjective effects. Such reports are unexplored in relation to mystical states, which are thought to be a therapeutic mechanism within psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. We created a set of words that, when encountered in an experience report, ...
Executive function deficits, common in psychiatric disorders, hinder daily activities and may be linked to diminished neural plasticity, affecting treatment and training responsiveness. In this pioneering study, we evaluated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin-assisted frontal-midline theta neurofeedback (NF), a neuromodulation technique l...
INTRODUCTION: The mechanisms by which the psychedelic drug psilocybin, a novel rapid-acting antidepressant, improves depressive symptoms are still unclear. One candidate mechanism is the impact of the phenomenology of the psychedelic experience, with positive phenomenology hypothesised to be associated with positive long-term outcomes and fearful phenomenolo...
Expectancy effects for many psychoactive substances appear to play a role in consumption, problematic use, subjective responses to acute administration, and subsequent effects. Expectancies of psychedelics have received little attention in published research despite their reputation for creating dramatic changes in subjective state. Psilocybin-assisted treat...
Abstract Introduction It is not known how self-perception and self-recognition are influenced when one is highly self-focused under the influence of psilocybin. Here we examine self-reports of mirror self-recognition and self-perception during a psilocybin experience. Methods Reddit posts were examined in a systematic manner. Posts that were written by indiv...
Introduction: The classic psychedelic psilocybin, found in some mushroom species, has received renewed interest in clinical research, showing potential mental health benefits in preliminary trials. Naturalistic use of psilocybin outside of research settings has increased in recent years, though data on the public health impact of such use remain limited. Met...
Background Psilocybin has been studied for its potential therapeutic benefits, particularly for the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. While more research is needed as psilocybin-assisted therapy becomes more prevalent, future pharmacists will probably be involved at some level. At present, phar...
Patients characterized by stress-related disorders such as depression display elevated circulating concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and a hyperactive HPA axis. Psychedelics are demonstrating promising results in treatment of such disorders, however the mechanisms of their therapeutic effects are still unknown. To date the evidence of acute and pe...
INTRODUCTION: While the majority of current research and development surrounds depression, demoralization, and substance use disorders, there are numerous reports of psychedelics having beneficial effects in other branches of medicine, including for headache disorders and chronic pain. AREAS COVERED: This perspective reviews conventional forms of treatment f...
Psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) experiences can range from very positive to highly challenging (e.g., fear, grief, and paranoia). These challenging experiences contribute to hesitancy toward psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy among health care providers and patients. Co-use of 3,4-Methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) with psilocybin/LSD anec...
Background: Psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) have gained renewed interest due to recent findings that PAT can enhance therapeutic outcomes. In 2019, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved breakthrough therapy status to psilocybin for the treatment of depression, but PAT has yet to be approved as a therapeutic treatment for mental...
