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Journal of Psychedelic Studies

ISSN 2559-9283

232 papers in the library · 2,809 citations · publishing 2017-2026

Papers

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Whose HOPE? Power, knowledge, and the decolonization of psychedelic ethics

Journal of Psychedelic Studies September 10, 2026 Fernanda Kaingáng, Daiara Tukano, Adana Omágua-Kambeba et al.

Abstract The global expansion of psychedelic research, clinical translation, and policy reform has intensified debates concerning safety, equity, cultural appropriation, and Indigenous rights. A prominent contribution to these discussions is the Hopkins–Oxford Psychedelic Ethics (HOPE) Consensus Statement (Jacobs et al., 2024), which proposes a foundational ethical framework for a field...

Active deep dive therapy (ADDT): A theoretically grounded model for MDMA-facilitated free-associative psychotherapy

Journal of Psychedelic Studies September 10, 2026 Olivier Le Bon

Abstract Background The MDMA-assisted therapy landscape has been dominated by mostly holding-oriented, non-directive models. These approaches prioritize containment of the MDMA experience but leave largely unexploited the unique window of accessibility to unconscious material that MDMA creates. Objective This paper presents Active Deep Dive Therapy (ADDT), a theoretically grounded model for...

Amanitaphobia and the myth of suicide by fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) mushroom ingestion

Journal of Psychedelic Studies August 13, 2026 Kevin Feeney, Tristan Kallweit

Abstract Background and aims In the past 10 years, several publications have made the dubious assertion that Amanita muscaria is commonly used for suicidal purposes, though no primary sources are cited. Despite scientific advances in understanding A. muscaria 's pharmacology, discussion of this psychoactive mushroom in academic publications continues to be shrouded in bias and myth. The present...

From fragmentation to communion: Western dis-integration and indigenous ecosophies

Journal of Psychedelic Studies July 21, 2026 Maria Fernanda Gebara

Abstract Background and aims In contemporary psychedelic science, integration is a central construct for describing how individuals process psychedelic experiences and translate insights into their lives (Bathje et al., 2022; Smith et al. 2024). Yet this term emerges from Western therapeutic paradigms and may not resonate with Indigenous peoples who have stewarded what has been called...

Reporting practices in psilocybin-assisted therapy trials for depression: A descriptive review and temporal overview

Journal of Psychedelic Studies July 13, 2026 Nils Hörnqvist

Abstract Background Research on psilocybin's antidepressant effects has been investigated rigorously over the last 20 years. Psilocybin has been used in both major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment resistant depression (TRD) cohort with promising results. Aims The aim of this review was to summarize the reporting practices used in psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) trials for MDD and TRD....

Trajectories of psychedelic-assisted change: An observational study of a psilocybin retreat program followed by psychotherapeutic interventions

Journal of Psychedelic Studies July 3, 2026 Henry J. Whitfield, Jan Schepers, Natasha L. Mason et al.

Abstract Despite growing interest in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, research investigating the psychotherapeutic components is lacking. This leaves unanswered questions regarding the psychotherapy's necessity and form. This observational study addresses this gap by measuring the outcomes of a psilocybin truffle retreat, followed by the outcomes of two psychotherapy interventions that...

Pivotal physical states: The somatic equivalent to pivotal mental states

Journal of Psychedelic Studies June 26, 2026 Malin V. Uthaug, Jack G. Allocca, Martha N. Havenith et al.

Abstract Background The Pivotal Mental States (PiMS) construct posits that psychedelics and other stress-inducing practices, such as fasting and hypoxia, can evoke transformative mental states through increased serotonin receptor activation in the brain. These states are associated with enhanced cognitive flexibility, accelerated associative learning, and psychological insights that may...

Integrating psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy into addiction care in the Czech Republic: Clinical evidence, safety, and regulatory developments

Journal of Psychedelic Studies June 12, 2026 Zuzana Postránecká, Matyáš Lucký, Viktor Mravčík et al.

Abstract The Czech Republic, like many European countries, continues to face significant challenges in treating substance use disorders (SUDs), with high relapse rates and complex comorbidities often linked to trauma and mental illness. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has re-emerged internationally as a promising therapeutic modality, although available evidence remains heterogeneous...

Psychedelic ethics in practice: The case of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in Norway

Journal of Psychedelic Studies June 10, 2026 Sina Susanna Schüttler, John Nathaniel Parker, Daniel Münster

Psychedelic therapies are moving from the margins of medicine into clinical practice, bringing unresolved ethical questions to the forefront. Among them, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) has gained the widest medical acceptance, particularly for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). In August 2025, this development reached a new stage as Norway became the first country to approve...

Optimizing music for psychedelic-assisted therapy: Examining contemporary practices, traditional entheogenic rituals, and musically-induced peak experiences

Journal of Psychedelic Studies June 2, 2026 Brandon Reynante, Jack H Buchanan

Abstract Background and Aims Music has been associated with psychedelic experiences throughout human history, from ancient shamanic healing rituals to contemporary psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), and is considered integral for positive therapeutic outcomes. Yet optimized protocols and best practice standards for the use of music in PAT are lacking. Methods This interdisciplinary literature...

Effect of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy on anxiety symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of Psychedelic Studies May 29, 2026 Alex P. Hood, Gary R Elkins

Abstract Background and Aims Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is a novel, transdiagnostic treatment in which the 5-HT2A receptor agonist psilocybin is combined with psychotherapy. Studies to date have evaluated PAP's effects on depression, substance use, and end-of-life adjustment. Relatively less attention has been given to its effects on anxiety symptoms, which are highly comorbid with...

Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of drug testing use among psychedelic users

Journal of Psychedelic Studies May 28, 2026 Lev Korchagin, Jonathan Fridman, Mario Mikulincer et al.

Abstract Background and aims This study explores the factors influencing the use of drug-testing kits as a harm reduction strategy among recreational psychedelic users in Israel. Methods Using an online survey of 422 participants, we collected data on attitudes toward testing psychedelic substances, harm reduction attitudes in the context of testing kits, accessibility to testing kits, and...

Development and assessment of a psychedelic-assisted therapy music playlist for clinical trials: Theory, intentionality, and metrics

Journal of Psychedelic Studies May 28, 2026 Rafaelle Lancelotta, Paul Nagib, Stacey B. Armstrong et al.

Abstract Background and Purpose Music plays a central role in psychedelic-assisted therapy, yet few methodologies exist to create and assess therapeutic playlists. This study aimed to illustrate a methodology for developing and evaluating a music playlist for a clinical psilocybin trial using an integrative framework grounded in theory, intentionality, and metrics. Methods A playlist was...

Oni pae mera: Ayawaska among the Shipibo-Konibo and the crisis of western universalism

Journal of Psychedelic Studies May 28, 2026 Pedro Favarón, Keith Williams, Andrée-anne Bédard

Abstract The visionary beverage known as ayawaska ( yage, oni , caapi , camaranti , etc.) among the Indigenous Nations of the Amazon has, over the past century, generated increasing academic interest and popular fascination, leading to a boom in psychedelic tourism and “neo-shamanism”. This article attempts to account for the uses of ayawaska within the contemporary cultural context of the...

Psilocybin use in Puerto Rico: Patterns, motivations, and personality correlates from an online survey

Journal of Psychedelic Studies April 15, 2026 Jean C. Vélez Rodríguez, Yanice Duquesne-Maldonado, Julián M. Hernández Torres et al.

Abstract Background and aims Psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in fungi commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms,” is consumed for both spiritual and recreational purposes. However, psilocybin use in Puerto Rico remains understudied. This exploratory cross-sectional survey aimed to describe patterns of use, motivations for consumption, explanatory factors, personality traits, and...

Psychedelic-assisted therapy for death acceptance in terminal illness: A scoping review

Journal of Psychedelic Studies April 15, 2026 Hannah Whitmore, Brian T Anderson, Elena Flowers et al.

Abstract Background and Aims Mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and existential distress are common among individuals with terminal illness. Preliminary evidence suggests that death acceptance may protect against these issues, but there is limited research on the role of psychedelic-assisted therapy in fostering death acceptance. This scoping review aims to explore the...

“I can objectively view my trauma without feeling like I'm there”: Reddit discussions on self-reported use of psychedelics to address co-occurring substance use and mental health needs

Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 30, 2026 Emma Yuanqi Gu, Natalia M. Irvine, Megan Miller et al.

Abstract Introduction While the relationship between substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health conditions is well established, treatment for these co-occurring conditions is difficult to manage. Research on the potential for psychedelic treatments to address SUD and mental health conditions has recently seen a resurgence. This study aimed to explore narratives on the influence of...

Ayahuasca experiences in Uruguay: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of Neovegetalismo and Santo Daime

Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 30, 2026 Ismael Apud, Juan Scuro, Frank Lozano Jara et al.

Abstract Background This study presents the qualitative findings of interdisciplinary research exploring ayahuasca-induced experiences in two distinct groups in Uruguay: a neo-shamanic group rooted in the Peruvian vegetalismo tradition and a Santo Daime Church. Aims Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, the study examines similarities and differences in subjective experiences during a...

Classic psychedelic medicines for adolescent refractory mental health disease

Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 26, 2026 Aly Shah Aziz

Abstract Adolescent refractory mental health disorders are rising globally, contributing to long-term morbidity and substantial societal burden. Conventional psychotropic medications and psychotherapeutic approaches sometimes fail to provide adequate relief, necessitating an interest in novel investigational interventions. Classic psychedelic compounds—Psilocybin, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide...

Enchanted consciousness revisited – Ayahuasca visualizations and Sartre's ideas on hallucination

Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 9, 2026 Lajos Horváth

Abstract The aim of the paper is to complement Sartre's concept of enchanted consciousness. The first section of the paper studies the contradictions inherent in Sartre's mescaline experiment and the limits of his phenomenological analysis of hallucination. The second section argues that Benny Shanon's phenomenological cognitive psychology, which is based on the typology of ayahuasca...

The long roots of ibogaine: A journey from plant to pharmaceutical

Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 9, 2026 Genís Ona, Sidsel Marie

Abstract Background and aims Ibogaine, one of the oldest psychedelic alkaloids introduced to Western society and medicine, has a largely overlooked history prior to Howard Lotsof's accidental identification of its anti-addictive properties in the 1960s. This manuscript explores some previously hidden aspects of ibogaine, with a focus on the entangled cultural, colonial, and scientific histories...

Exploring associations between connectedness and death anxiety following a psychedelic experience

Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 9, 2026 Noah N T Barr, Briony Larance, Matthew J. Schweickle et al.

Abstract Background and aims Increased connectedness has been proposed as one mechanism through which psychedelics might reduce death anxiety. This study examined whether changes in connectedness—across intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal domains—were associated with changes in death anxiety following a significant psychedelic experience. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional...

Exploring barriers and opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) therapists in psychedelic-assisted therapy: A qualitative study

Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 1, 2026 Yvan Beaussant, Candace Oglesby, Kim Roddy et al.

Abstract Background and aims Psychedelic-assisted therapies (PAT) have emerged as promising treatments for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders. However, the underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in PAT research and clinical practice limits equitable access and the generalizability of outcomes. This study explored the...

How does the internal family systems model of psychotherapy support clients in the integration of their psychedelic experiences? An interpretative phenomenological analysis of clients' testimonies

Journal of Psychedelic Studies February 19, 2026 Sophie Sarrassat, Suzannah Hill

Abstract Background and aims An increasing number of individuals seek psychedelics for mental illness, and when seeking psychotherapy in the aftermath, psychotherapists have an ethical duty to attempt to reduce harms and maximise benefits from these experiences. The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of therapy is sometimes chosen as the therapeutic approach in psychedelic-assisted...

Low-income group psilocybin assisted therapy for depression: An Oregon feasibility study

Journal of Psychedelic Studies February 12, 2026 Matthew Hicks, Olivia Hicks, Ryan Bradley et al. 2 citations

Abstract Background and aims Despite growing popularity and increasing legal access, psychedelic therapy remains financially inaccessible to many. This study was designed to test the feasibility of conducting group psilocybin therapy in low-income adults with depression in Oregon's regulated psilocybin program. Methods An open label, uncontrolled design was used. After a medical screening...