Journal of Psychedelic Studies
August 5, 2022
John Clifton, Annabelle M. Belcher, Aaron D. Greenblatt et al.
6 citations
Abstract Background and aims There is growing evidence that psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic substance, may be useful in the treatment of substance use disorders. However, there is a lack of data on the beliefs and attitudes towards psilocybin amongst Black individuals diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This study characterized psilocybin use patterns and perception of risk amongst...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
June 23, 2022
David Wyndham Lawrence
5 citations
Abstract Background N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (N, N-DMT) is a naturally occurring tryptamine-based alkaloid and classic psychedelic. The potent psychoactive properties of N, N-DMT are mediated by serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor agonism. There are limited investigations into the physiologic effects of inhaled N, N-DMT, despite this being one of the most common routes of administration. Heart rate...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
June 23, 2022
Shevaugn Johnson, Chris Letheby
1 citation
Abstract In this opinion piece we propose the investigation of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). BDD is a psychiatric disorder characterised by appearance-based preoccupations and accompanying compulsions. While safe and effective treatments for BDD exist, non-response and relapse rates remain high. Therefore, there is a need to investigate...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
June 16, 2022
Ignas Šatkauskas
Abstract Aims The paper discusses the concepts of hallucination and psychedelic experience in philosophical and anthropological contexts, where these terms bring in presuppositions regarding body and soul, nature and culture. Method The discussion of the concepts is presented in the context of the debate between Viveiros de Castro's Amerindian perspectivism and Meillassoux's speculative...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
June 9, 2022
Annie M. Mccartney, Hugh McGovern, Alexander de Foe
8 citations
Abstract Psychedelic substances such as psilocybin and ketamine may represent the future of antidepressant treatment, due to their rapid and prolonged effects on mood and cognition. The current body of psychedelic research has focused on administration and treatment within a psychiatric context. Here, instead, we put to the test the contention that it is necessary to evaluate the current state...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
June 8, 2022
Bradley Armour Garb, Mitchell Earleywine
10 citations
Abstract Mystical experiences frequently precede decreases in human suffering or increased functioning. Therapies that include the ingestion of psychoactive substances in supportive environments often lead to improvements that correlate with the magnitude of the mystical experiences generated. A close look at these phenomena from a philosophy of science perspective might put empiricists in a...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
May 16, 2022
Gregory M. Nixon
Peter Sjstedt-Hughes has brought together a collection of essays that on first glance seem to be about disparate subjectsthe process metaphysics of A. N. Whitehead, the philosophy and phenomenology of psychedelic experience, and the ontological worldview of panpsychism. Yet, the book is thematically united and Sjstedt-Hughes impressively weaves these philosophical threads together to produce a...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
April 19, 2022
M. Winkelman
3 citations
Amanita muscaria is the most iconic mushroom in the world, with an ancient prehistory that can only be glimpsed in the remnants of myth and folklore. This fame of A. muscaria transcends time, with its iconic image still displayed in contemporary movies, video games, children’s books, and holiday art, yet most people are unaware of its true significance. Its reputation ranges from the foundation...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
March 22, 2022
Sam Gandy
19 citations
Abstract Mystical experiences are often described as being among the most profound and meaningful events of a person’s life. Their occurrence, while a normal but uncommon phenomenon, is reliably occasioned by psychedelic substances under the appropriate conditions, although care is needed around the context of usage to help ensure safe and beneficial experiences. The occurrence of mystical...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
March 11, 2022
Mark Kang, Lindsay Mackay, Devon Christie et al.
1 citation
Abstract Despite growing availability of several evidence-based approaches in the treatment of substance use disorders, existing pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions continue to have significant limitations, such as low treatment retention rates and high rates of relapse. There is a need to develop new strategies and models to address these limitations and target underlying...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
January 21, 2022
Chris Letheby, Jaipreet Mattu
19 citations
Abstract Serotonergic (or “ classic” ) psychedelics have struck many researchers as raising significant philosophical questions that, until recently, were largely unexplored by academic philosophers. This paper provides an overview of four emerging lines of research at the intersection of academic philosophy and psychedelic science that have gained considerable traction in the last decade:...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
December 15, 2021
Malin V. Uthaug, Natasha L. Mason, Martha N. Havenith et al.
15 citations
Abstract Background Holotropic breathwork (Grof ® Breathwork), was developed by Stanislav Grof and Christina Grof as a ‘non-drug’ alternative technique to evoke altered states of consciousness (ASC). Interestingly, although HBW has been anecdotally reported to evoke experiences and mental health effects corresponding to those of psychedelic substances, the scientific literature on the matter is...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
November 19, 2021
Pratheek Mangini, Lynnette A. Averill, Alan K. Davis
18 citations
Abstract Background & aims Special Operations Forces Veterans (SOFV) have unique treatment needs stemming from multiple repeated forms of combat exposure resulting in a complex sequela of problems including alcohol misuse and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Current approved pharmacologic treatments for alcohol misuse and PTSD are lacking in adherence and efficacy, warranting novel treatment...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
October 1, 2021
Alan K. Davis, Pratheek Mangini, Yitong Xin
10 citations
Abstract Trauma exposure across the lifespan produces risks for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, as well as global disability in functioning. This retrospective clinical chart review is the first of its kind to assess the utility of sublingual ketamine-assisted body-centered psychotherapy in trauma-exposed patients in a real world clinic setting. De-identified clinical...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
September 17, 2021
Riccardo Miceli Mcmillan
13 citations
Abstract Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is an emerging psychiatric treatment that is attracting significant scientific, medical, and public attention. Whilst preliminary results from empirical studies are promising, the medical use of these compounds is highly controversial. Surprisingly, and despite the current controversies caused by the re-medicalisation of psychedelics, bioethicists...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
September 15, 2021
Benjamin R. Lewis, Kevin Byrne
1 citation
Abstract The recently published Imperial College study of a Phase II, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial comparing psilocybin-assisted therapy to a six-week titration of escitalopram for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) should raise concerns for this illness category as a target of early psychedelic research given a goal of FDA approval. There are three reasons why MDD is the wrong...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
August 26, 2021
Kim van Oorsouw, Malin V. Uthaug, Natasha L. Mason et al.
16 citations
Abstract Background and aims There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that the psychedelic plant tea, ayahuasca, holds therapeutic potential. Uthaug et al. (2018) demonstrated that a single dose of ayahuasca improved mental health sub-acutely and 4-weeks post-ceremony in healthy participants. The present study aimed to replicate and extend these findings. A first objective was to assess...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
July 15, 2021
Zoe W. Jahn, Joel A Lopez, Sara de la Salle et al.
36 citations
Abstract Background Few studies have assessed the epidemiology of hallucinogenic substance use among racial and ethnic groups of varying age cohorts. Use of psychedelic substances may differ among people of color (POC), due to factors such as stigma and discriminatory drug enforcement practices against POC. The lack of inclusion of POC in psychedelic research further underscores the importance...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
May 27, 2021
Petter Grahl Johnstad
53 citations
Abstract Background and aims This article presents a mixed methods study of challenging psychedelic experiences or “bad trips”, with the aim of exploring the nature and characteristics of such experiences. While challenging psychedelic experiences have been studied in previous research, the article posits that the focus of this research has been overly narrow in terms of the characteristics and...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
May 6, 2021
Federico Cavanna, Carla Pallavicini, Virginia Milano et al.
31 citations
Abstract Background and aims The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences represent a major challenge to the mental health and well-being of the general population. Building on previous work on the potential long-term benefits of psychedelics, we hypothesized that lifetime use of these drugs could be linked to better mental health indicators in the context of the ongoing pandemic. Methods Two...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
April 19, 2021
Cody Gilbert, Mitch Earleywine, Maha N. Mian et al.
3 citations
Abstract Background Ayahuasca's effects on symptoms of depression have generated considerable optimism. Clients frequently report more concern about some symptoms than others, and available treatments alter symptoms differentially. Few studies address the symptom specificity of this psychoactive brew. Aims We examined self-reported effects of ayahuasca on the individual symptoms of depression...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
April 16, 2021
Anna Lutkajtis
13 citations
Abstract This article reports on the experiences of four healthy individuals who attended a legal psilocybin truffle retreat in the Netherlands. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach, using semi-structured interviews to gain an understanding of participants' psilocybin experiences and their after-effects. The experiential themes that emerged from these case studies closely...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
April 16, 2021
Henrik Børsting Jacobsen, Audun Stubhaug, Bjørn Holmøy et al.
10 citations
Abstract Background Psilocybin is emerging as a promising therapeutic agent for a wide range of psychiatric conditions, and clinical trials on psilocybin-assisted treatment are forthcoming in Scandinavian countries. However, little is known about attitudes towards this psychedelic compound among the general public in Nordic countries. This might represent a confound, and reduce the validity of...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
March 26, 2021
Hannah Marie Dressler, Stephen Bright, Vince Polito
12 citations
Abstract Backround and aims Having entered the recent public and research zeitgeist, microdosing involves consuming sub-perceptual doses of psychedelic drugs, allegedly to enhance performance, creativity, and wellbeing. The results of research to date have been mixed. Whereas most studies have reported positive impacts of microdosing, some microdosers have also reported adverse effects. In...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
March 12, 2021
Jerry B. Brown
53 citations
Brain Muraresku is a practicing attorney and a student of ancient languages (Greek, Latin and Sanskrit), whose twelve-year odyssey through the archives of Western religion culminated in the publication of The Immortality Key (TIK).According to Muraresku, this work, which "presents the pagan continuity hypothesis with a psychedelic twist," addresses two fundamental questions: "Before the rise of...