Psilocybin-assisted therapy may help treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which current treatments often fail to relieve, especially in U.S. military veterans. This open-label pilot study will test two psilocybin doses (15 mg and 25 mg) combined with psychotherapy in 15 veterans with severe, treatment-resistant PTSD. The primary safety outcome tracks adverse events and suicidal ideation; the primary PTSD outcome uses the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale-5. Follow-up continues for 6 months after the second session. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Among 856 U.S. mental health professionals—social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists—there were no differences in confidence that psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) would be effective. However, psychiatrists showed a better understanding of PAT than social workers. Psychologists rated PAT as more acceptable than social workers did, and psychologists also rated it as a more reasonable treatment approach than both social workers and psychiatrists. Social workers perceived greater disadvantages of PAT than psychologists and psychiatrists, and they were less likely than both other groups to believe PAT could permanently improve clients' lives. The findings indicate a need for education and training across professions as PAT moves toward approval.
Among a sample of 180 American psychiatrists (mean age 48.4, 65.5% male, 24.1% trainees), about one-third (32.8%) reported personal use of and social connection to psychedelics. Psychiatrists with such personal connection tended to be younger and have fewer years of practice. Those with personal and social connection were more likely to disagree that using illegal drugs is morally wrong, that users should go to prison, are weak-minded, have no future, are poorly educated, are dishonest, or make them angry. Personal and social proximity to psychedelics is associated with less stigma toward drug use and people who use drugs.
A methodology for designing and evaluating a music playlist for a clinical psilocybin trial was developed, combining theory, therapeutic goals, and metrics. The playlist was structured across pre-peak, peak, and post-peak phases of the psilocybin experience. Spotify API metrics (Beats Per Minute, Danceability, Energy, Valence) and a novel human-rated Transcendence measure were used to assess tracks. Most musical features followed the expected emotional arc of the psilocybin experience, but nature-based tracks were sometimes misclassified as high-energy by the Spotify API, revealing algorithmic limitations. Transcendence ratings indicated continued emotional depth during post-peak phases. This proof-of-concept model shows the value of integrating intentional design with algorithmic and experiential metrics, though Spotify metrics may lack stability and generalizability.