Traumatic Psychedelic Experiences.
Abigail E. Calder, Vincent J Diehl, Gregor Hasler
Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences April 29, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2025_579 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | PTSD |
| Keywords | Acute stress disorder Adverse effects Post-traumatic growth Post-trip difficulties Trauma-related symptoms Traumatic psychedelic experiences |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | Traumatic psychedelic experiences are rare, extreme, and largely preventable, but can lead to prolonged trauma-related symptoms in some individuals. |
Abstract
Psychedelic experiences involving extreme feelings of horror, helplessness, and perceived threats can be traumatizing. Traumatic psychedelic experiences are a rare, extreme, and largely preventable form of challenging experience which can arise due to frightening psychedelic drug effects, unsafe settings, and emergence of pre-existing trauma. Some people recover quickly, but others develop prolonged anxiety, sleep disturbances, derealization, or other potentially trauma-related symptoms. This chapter discusses the causes, phenomenology, and potential outcomes of traumatic psychedelic experiences, as well as how to prevent them and minimize their negative impact.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelic Psychiatry's Brave New World. | 2020 | Review | |
| Reviewing the Potential of Psychedelics for the Treatment of PTSD | 2020 | Review | |
| Novel psychopharmacological therapies for psychiatric disorders: psilocybin and MDMA. | 2016 | Review | |
| MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD: Are memory reconsolidation and fear extinction underlying mechanisms? | 2018 | Review | |
| Clinical applications of hallucinogens: A review. | 2016 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- Key competencies for psychedelic treatment in real-world mental health care settings. General Hospital Psychiatry 2025
- Recalled childhood trauma and post-psychedelic trajectories of change in a mixed-methods study Scientific Reports November 27, 2025
- Practitioner perspectives on extended difficulties and optimal support strategies following psychedelic experiences: a qualitative analysis. Harm Reduction Journal December 9, 2025
- Persistent Altered States: Psychological Treatment of Psychedelic Adverse Effects Tidsskrift for Norsk psykologforening December 1, 2025
- Psychedelics in the age of reproducibility: Reflections on aura, set and setting and the medicalization of mystical-type experiences. International Journal of Drug Policy 2026
and 8 more in the library
Cites 45
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Nature Medicine June 1, 2021
- Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Journal of Humanistic Psychology June 19, 2017
- Survey study of challenging experiences after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms: Acute and enduring positive and negative consequences Journal of Psychopharmacology August 31, 2016
- MDMA-assisted therapy for moderate to severe PTSD: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Nature Medicine October 1, 2023
and 40 more in the library