OBJECTIVES: To describe the demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics of individuals admitted with hexahydrocannabinol (HHC)-associated psychosis and compare with cannabis-associated psychosis. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was undertaken of all admissions to the Adult Acute Mental Health Unit at University Hospital Galway, Ireland, between 1 May 2023 and 31 July 2025, with...
Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is a semi-synthetic cannabinoid that recently emerged as a legal alternative to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Due to emerging concerns regarding its neuropsychiatric safety profile, including psychosis, it was banned in July 2025. We report two cases of HHC-induced psychosis in adolescents requiring inpatient psychiatric admission, both with no prior psychiatric history....
Beliefs in evil spirits and the practice of deliverance from supernatural forces have been widespread throughout history. Many psychological and physical afflictions have been attributed to involuntary demonic possession. Traditional remedies, for those reporting inhabitation by evil spirits, can involve exorcism believed to expel such forces. Similar beliefs may be symptomatic of major mental...
Abstract Objectives: Interest in psilocybin as a treatment for depression has risen over the past decade, fuelled by promising clinical trials and a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. Media coverage plays a critical role in shaping public perceptions, yet little is known about how psilocybin is portrayed in global anglophone online news for the treatment of depression. Methods: This study...
Compassion is the emotion that motivates people to relieve the physical, emotional, or mental pains of others. Engaging in compassionate behaviour has been found to enhance psychological wellness and resilience. However, constant displays of compassionate behaviour can lead to burnout particularly for healthcare workers who inherently practise compassion day to day. This burnout can be relieved...
Abstract Objectives: Understanding variations in knowledge and attitudes of psychiatrists to psilocybin therapy is important for the collective discourse about the potential impact on clinical practice and public health in Ireland. Methods: A 28-item questionnaire was designed based on previous studies and distributed to psychiatrists in Ireland via online mailing lists and at in-person...
This review covers the story of shamans, political upheaval, life-changing and magical experiences, and the most mind-altering substances on earth. No, this is not a review of the latest magical-realism best-seller, but rather a sound scientific and well-researched book by an esteemed psychiatrist and academic, Professor David Nutt. In his latest book ‘ Psychedelics: The revolutionary drugs...
Background: Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the single most frequent reason for attendance at Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Ireland. Research has suggested that parents of children with ADHD experience more parenting stress than parents of non-clinical controls, yet routine treatment for ADHD rarely addresses parental well-being. Mindfulness-based...
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Cannabis is one of the most widely used recreational drugs among people with clinical psychosis, after nicotine and alcohol. There has been a debate in psychiatry about whether or not we can infer a cause-and-effect relationship between the use of cannabis and psychotic disorders. In this editorial, we first present and critically discuss the evidence to date of the association between heavy...
The medium- to long-term consequences of COVID-19 are not yet known, though an increase in mental health problems are predicted. Multidisciplinary strategies across socio-economic and psychological levels may be needed to mitigate the mental health burden of COVID-19. Preliminary evidence from the rapidly progressing field of psychedelic science shows that psilocybin therapy offers a promising...
Meditation and mindfulness are practices that can support healthcare professionals, patients, carers and the general public during times of crisis such as the current global pandemic caused by COVID-19. While there are many forms of meditation and mindfulness, of particular interest to healthcare professionals are those with an evidence base such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)....
Background: Meditation is associated with health benefits; however, there are reports that it may trigger or exacerbate psychotic states. In this review, we aim to collate case reports of psychotic disorders occurring in association with meditative practice and to discuss the relationship between psychosis and meditation. Methodology: We performed case-based analysis of all the existing studies...
The psychedelic research renaissance is gaining traction. Preliminary clinical studies of the hallucinogenic fungi, psilocybin, with psychological support, have indicated improvements in mood, anxiety and quality of life. A seminal, open-label study demonstrated marked reductions in depression symptoms in participants with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The associated neurobiological...
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a group-based intervention similar to mindfulness-based stress reduction, but which includes cognitive therapy techniques. This study investigates its usefulness in the treatment of depressive, anxiety and stress/distress symptoms in cancer patients referred to a psycho-oncology service. It also examines whether effect on depression is mediated by...
We describe a 38-year-old woman who developed symptoms of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) after using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) once and continued to have symptoms of HPPD for nearly 17 years, although she did not use LSD after her first use. The symptoms of HPPD were temporally related to her first LSD use and she responded well to risperidone within a few weeks of...
Abstract The Mayan people of Mexico have a radically different concept of illness than that of western countries. In the absence of any formal psychiatric service in their area, the people continue to rely on the interventions of the traditional healers, which include the use of herbal medicines, prayers and magico-religious rituals. A case history of a Mayan patient with a chronic psychotic...
Abstract Two cases of psychiatric disorder temporally related to the abuse of hallucinogenic amphetamines 3, 4 methylenedi-oxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) are described, suggesting that a variety of psychiatric morbidity may be precipitated by abuse of these drugs, including paranoid psychosis, mixed affective psychosis and...
AbstractA seventeen year old man attended the National Drug Treatment Centre with a paranoid psychosis following ingestion of Methylene dioxy methamphetamine (MDMA). He had been taking MDMA on a recreational basis over a five month period. Although chronic psychosis after heavy use of MDMA has been reported there are no pervious reports of psychosis following recreational use. This report...