Psychedelics as a treatment for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Journal of Education, Health and Sport February 22, 2024 Krzysztof Marcinkowski, Agata Mazur, Magdalena Madera et al.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition following an extreme event. Conventional treatments using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors do not consistently succeed, so alternative substances are explored. In July 2023, Australia became the first country to allow doctors, under strict control, to use MDMA (ecstasy) and psilocybin for PTSD or depression. Annual PubMed inquiries on 'psychedelics' and 'therapeutic' grew from 92 in 2000 to 738 in 2023, with 8415 total results. The review suggests psychedelics might improve PTSD severity, depression, or pain, but larger studies are needed to assess their role alongside psychotherapy.