Qualitative studies and anecdotal reports suggest that experiences with ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew found in Central and South America, may be followed by individuals enduringly feeling more grateful and connected to nature. Yet, to date, these changes have been understudied. Here, participants (N = 54) completed validated surveys related to gratitude, nature relatedness, and nature...
Abstract Background The use of psychedelics is currently increasing in the United States. Awareness of clinical trials investigating the therapeutic applications of psychedelics may result in a record number of people who use psychedelics for the first-time. This study aimed to develop a harm-reduction resource to facilitate safe and successful psychedelic experiences outside of regulated...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has shown preliminary efficacy for psychiatric and physical health conditions. Although some people report naturalistic psychedelic use with so-called "underground" practitioners, little is known about PAT that occurs outside of controlled clinical settings or perspectives of these practitioners. We conducted an anonymous online survey of individuals who...
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has emerged as a potential treatment for a variety of mental health conditions, including substance use disorders and depression. Current models of PAP emphasize the importance of psychotherapeutic support before, during, and after ingestion of a psychedelic to maximize safety and clinical benefit. Despite this ubiquitous assumption, there has been...
Editorial on the Research Topic Down the rabbit hole -the psychological and neural mechanisms of psychedelic compounds and their use in treating mental health and medical conditions Psychedelic substances have demonstrated promising therapeutic effects across a wide range of mental health conditions including depression (1-13) anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety (14-16) and social...
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is currently being studied as a possible treatment option for multiple disorders. Despite promising safety and efficacy findings, the high costs of the current PAP model makes it questionable if the treatment will be scalable. Non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogs have been developed as a potential cost-effective alternative, but it is unclear what...
Psychedelic MedicineAhead of Print Psychedelic Research as a Career Path: A Roundtable Discussion with Early Career Researchers in the FieldModerators: Jacob S. Aday, Natasha L. Mason, Participants: Bo Jarrett Wood, Hannah M. Kramer, Cynthia E. Ortiz, M. Frances Vest, Caroline Sagrera, and C. J. HealyModerators: Jacob S. Aday*Address correspondence to: Jacob S. Aday, PhD, Department of...
Psychedelic drugs are currently being investigated for their potential to facilitate a variety of long-lasting psychological changes. One area that has yet to be systematically investigated in psychedelic research, however, regards changes in aesthetic experience (i.e., one’s attitudes, perceptions, and expression of art). This is surprising given the wealth of anecdotes directly noting...
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. We conducted a global, cross-sectional online survey of adults (n = 5,268, 47.2% women) self-reporting past or current psychedelic use and...
ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ARTICLES ASAPPREVViewpointNEXTExpectancy Effects Cannot Be Neglected in MDMA-Assisted Therapy ResearchL. Jacob FlamelingL. Jacob FlamelingInstitute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 AK, The NetherlandsMore by L. Jacob Flamelinghttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1425-1180, Jacob S. AdayJacob S. AdayDepartment of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,...
Background: In the wake of positive clinical trial outcomes of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders, there has been an influx of financial investment into psychedelic drug development from the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. Psychedelics are now a multibillion dollar industry, with hundreds of companies that are seeking to commercialize...
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew that has been the focus of an increasing number of investigations for its potential therapeutic effects. In addition to psychiatric improvements, qualitative studies and anecdotal reports suggest that ayahuasca use may influence gratitude and relationships with nature. Yet, to date, these specific changes have been understudied. Here, participants (N = 54)...
Psychedelic drugs are currently being investigated for their potential to facilitate a variety of long-lasting psychological changes. One area of psychological functioning that has yet to be systematically investigated in psychedelic research regards aesthetic experiences. This is surprising given the notable acute changes in perception induced by the drugs as well as the wealth of anecdotal...
Background: An emerging controversy in psychedelic therapy regards the appropriateness or necessity of psychedelic therapists having personal experience using psychedelics themselves. Although there are a number of potential advantages and disadvantages to personal use among psychedelic therapists, no studies to date have measured their use or other aspects of their training. Materials and...
RationalePsychedelic research continues to garner significant public and scientific interest with a growing number of clinical studies examining a wide range of conditions and disorders. However, expectancy effects and effective condition masking have been raised as critical limitations to the interpretability of the research.ObjectiveIn this article, we review the many methodological...
BACKGROUND: Despite an increasing body of research highlighting their efficacy to treat a broad range of medical conditions, psychedelic drugs remain a controversial issue among the public and politicians, tainted by previous stigmatisation and perceptions of risk and danger. OBJECTIVE: This narrative review examines the evidence for potential harms of the classic psychedelics by separating...
BACKGROUND: Incorporating 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as an adjunct to psychotherapy has shown promise in recent years for treating various mental health conditions, particularly those involving trauma. However, concerns about declines in mood and cognition during the days following dosing, also known as 'Blue Mondays', have been raised as limitations to its clinical use. Although...
Psychedelic drugs are increasingly being incorporated into therapeutic contexts for the purposes of promoting mental health. However, they can also induce adverse reactions in some individuals, and it is difficult to predict before treatment who is likely to experience positive or adverse acute effects. Although consideration of setting and dosage as well as excluding individuals with psychotic...
Abstract Psychedelic drugs are well-known for transiently altering perception, and in particular, for their visual effects. Although scientific interest into the substances’ effects on perception increased during the first era of psychedelic research during the early to mid-20th century, there is currently no source where these findings have been synthesized. In addressing this gap, the current...
Psychedelic drugs and virtual reality (VR) each have the capacity to disrupt the rigidity and limitations of typical conscious experience. This article delineates the parallels among psychedelic and VR states as well as their potential synergistic applications in clinical and recreational settings. Findings indicate that, individually, psychedelics and VR are used in analogous ways to alter...
Research into the basic effects and therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs has grown considerably in recent years. Yet, pressing questions remain regarding the substances' lasting effects. Although individual studies have begun monitoring sustained changes, no study to-date has synthesized this information. Therefore, this systematic review aims to fill this important gap in the...
Public and scientific interest into psychedelic drugs has grown steadily over much of the last two decades, before an exponential increase in recent years. We contend that 2019, in particular, involved myriad notable changes in the science, industry, and deregulation of psychedelic drugs. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for professionals to keep up-to-date on these advancements...
During the 1950s and 1960s, there was a tremendous surge in research into the effects of psychedelic drugs. When discussing this period of research, the discovery of the psychoactive properties of LSD in 1943 is often presented as the main, and sometimes only, driving force of the boom in research. This "Great Person," or "Great Chemical," historiographical lens fails to acknowledge other...
While interest in the study of psychedelic drugs has increased over much of the last decade, in this article, we argue that 2018 marked the true turning point for the field. Substantive advances in the scientific, public, and regulatory communities in 2018 significantly elevated the status and long-term outlook of psychedelic science, particularly in the United States. Advances in the...
In their recent paper titled “MDMA-assisted therapy for moderate to severe PTSD: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial”, Mitchell et al.1 report on the results from a study researching the potential use of 3,4-methylenedioxy methamphetamine-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We applaud the efforts made to further establish the efficacy...