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Expectancies for Cannabis-Induced Emotional Breakthrough, Mystical Experiences and Changes in Dysfunctional Attitudes: Perceptions of the Potential for Cannabis-Assisted Psychotherapy for Depression

Mitch Earleywine, Maha N. Mian, Brianna R. Altman, Joseph A. de Leo

Cannabis July 11, 2022 DOI: 10.26828/cannabis/2022.02.02 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Survey-based experimental study Peer reviewed
Sample size 1,000
Population Cannabis users
Intervention Cannabis-assisted psychotherapy session
Topics Depression Psychedelic-assisted therapy Cannabis Mystical experience
Keywords = tetrahydrocannabinol Mystical experiences Oceanic boundlessness
Citations 11
Key findings Cannabis users expect that cannabis-assisted psychotherapy would reduce depression through both anticipated psychedelic-like subjective effects and expected changes in dysfunctional attitudes.

Abstract

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has established antidepressant effects. Cannabis users appear to expect high doses administered in a session much like psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to create comparable subjective effects. The current studies explored expectations of antidepressant effects of such cannabis-assisted sessions to replicate and extend previous work. Users not only expected a cannabis-assisted psychotherapy session to decrease depression, but also to alter some of the same mediators of psychedelic or psychological treatments. Over 500 participants in Study I envisioned a cannabis-assisted therapy session akin to those used in psychedelic therapies and reported the effects that they expected on depression as well as relevant subjective reactions. A second sample of over 500 participants responded to identical measures and an index of dysfunctional attitudes that appears to mediate antidepressant effects of psychotherapy. Expectancies of cannabis-induced antidepressant effects covaried with expected psychedelic effects. Participants also envisioned that cannabis-assisted therapy would alter dysfunctional attitudes, which served as a separate, unique path to expected antidepressant effects unrelated to the subjective effects of psychedelics. These results add support to arguments for relevant clinical trials of cannabis-assisted psychotherapy and suggest that cannabis users would expect it to work in ways similar to psychedelics as well as cognitive therapy.

Comparable studies

Other experimental studies on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Long-term follow-up of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for psychiatric and existential distress in patients with life-threatening cancer Participants with cancer-related psychiatric distress who completed a parent randomized... 2020 Long-term within-subjects follow-up analysis n = 15
LSD-Assisted Psychotherapy in Patients with Terminal Cancer Cancer patients 1973 Experimental study n = 60
Study protocol for “Psilocybin in patients with fibromyalgia: brain biomarkers of action” Participants with fibromyalgia 2024 Protocol for a mechanistic study n = 20

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Depression Psychedelic-assisted therapy Cannabis Mystical experience Mysticism