Can psychedelic compounds play a part in drug dependence therapy?
The British Journal of Psychiatry 2015 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.148031 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with substance dependency |
| Interventions | Psilocybin Ketamine Ibogaine Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Ketamine Psilocybin Addiction Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Drug Psychotherapist Pharmacology |
| Citations | 58 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic drug therapy is being revisited in psychiatry for treating drug dependence, though clinical and legal limitations remain. |
Abstract
Summary After a 40-year hiatus there is now a revisiting of psychedelic drug therapy throughout psychiatry, with studies examining the drugs psilocybin, ketamine, ibogaine and ayahuasca in the treatment of drug dependence. Limitations to these therapies are both clinical and legal, but the possibility of improving outcomes for patients with substance dependency imposes an obligation to research this area.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Argues that psychedelic drug therapy, including ayahuasca, is being revisited for drug dependence and warrants research despite clinical and legal limitations.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ayahuasca for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca: Psychological and Physiologic Effects, Pharmacology and Potential Uses in Addiction and Mental Illness | 2018 | Review | |
| Developments in harmine pharmacology — Implications for ayahuasca use and drug-dependence treatment | 2012 | Review | |
| The Use of Classic Hallucinogens/Psychedelics in a Therapeutic Context: Healthcare Policy Opportunities and Challenges | 2021 | Review | |
| Advances in Psychedelic Medicine | 2019 | Review | |
| Beyond Psilocybin: Reviewing the Therapeutic Potential of Other Serotonergic Psychedelics in Mental and Substance Use Disorders Individuals with mental and substance use disorders | 2023 | Scoping review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 36
- The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act Neuropharmacology June 5, 2018
- Cessation and reduction in alcohol consumption and misuse after psychedelic use Journal of Psychopharmacology May 14, 2019
- Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Journal of Psychopharmacology June 25, 2018
- Exploring the therapeutic potential of Ayahuasca: acute intake increases mindfulness-related capacities Psychopharmacology November 27, 2015
- Ayahuasca enhances creative divergent thinking while decreasing conventional convergent thinking Psychopharmacology July 19, 2016
and 31 more in the library
Cites 5
- Mystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness Journal of Psychopharmacology September 28, 2011
- Ketamine Psychedelic Therapy (KPT): A Review of the Results of Ten Years of Research Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 1, 1997
- Hallucinogen use predicts reduced recidivism among substance-involved offenders under community corrections supervision Journal of Psychopharmacology 2014
- The Use of Hallucinogens in the Treatment of Addiction Addiction Research & Theory 1996
- Dr. Leary's Concord Prison Experiment: A 34-Year Follow-up Study Journal of Psychoactive Drugs December 1, 1998