Four individuals' experiences during and following a psilocybin truffle retreat in the Netherlands
Journal of Psychedelic Studies April 16, 2021 DOI: 10.1556/2054.2021.00162 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4 |
| Population | Healthy individuals who attended a legal psilocybin truffle retreat in the Netherlands |
| Intervention | psilocybin truffle retreat |
| Dose | high dose |
| Duration | Up to twelve months follow-up |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Narrative Experiential learning Interpretative phenomenological analysis Social connectedness Theme computing Qualitative research Perception Hallucinogen Developmental psychology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 13 |
| Key findings | In a supportive retreat setting, a high dose of psilocybin can lead to enduring positive after-effects lasting up to twelve months, with experiences featuring mystical-type features, changes to sense of self, and a generalized sense of connectedness. |
Abstract
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 match themes that have been identified in previous studies of psilocybin, including variability of the experience, the presence of mystical-type features, significant changes to subjective sense of self, and a generalized sense of connectedness. Participants framed their narrative accounts around moments of key insight, and these insights were related to a sense of connection: to self, others, and to a broader relational ontology. Embodiment, currently an understudied topic in psychedelic research, also emerged as a theme. The case studies presented here provide preliminary evidence to suggest that for healthy individuals in a well-controlled and supportive retreat setting, a high dose of psilocybin can lead to enduring positive after-effects that last up to twelve months.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin Mushroom (Psilocybe semilanceata) Intoxication with Myocardial Infarction 18-year-old man | 1998 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Relief from intractable phantom pain by combining psilocybin and mirror visual-feedback (MVF) Person with leg amputation and phantom-limb pain | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder after psilocybin consumption: a case study 18-year-old man with HPPD after mixed psilocybin and cannabis intoxication | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Microdosing psilocybin for chronic pain: a case series Individuals with chronic neuropathic pain | 2022 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Psilocybin and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Individual with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | 2014 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Psychedelic integration challenges: Participant experiences after a psilocybin truffle retreat in the Netherlands Journal of Psychedelic Studies January 16, 2023
- Memory, trauma, and self: Remembering and recovering from sexual abuse in psychedelic-assisted therapy Journal of Psychedelic Studies October 9, 2024
- The potential of psilocybin use to enhance well-being in healthy individuals – A scoping review Journal of Psychedelic Studies November 29, 2023
- On the mushrooming reports of “quiet quitting”: Employees’ lifetime psilocybin use predicts their overtime hours worked Journal of Psychoactive Drugs July 31, 2023
- Biological studies of clavine alkaloids targeting CNS receptors Frontiers in Psychiatry November 21, 2023
and 6 more in the library
Cites 40
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 13, 2015
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction Journal of Psychopharmacology September 11, 2014
and 35 more in the library