Psychedelic-assisted therapy for anxiety and depression in the face of death: A critical review with an anthropological lens
Jenna Varley
Journal of Psychedelic Studies February 25, 2019 DOI: 10.1556/2054.2019.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Anxiety Psilocybin Depression Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Death anxiety Distress Psychotherapist Depression economics Meaning existential Clinical psychology Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Recent clinical trials of LSD and psilocybin for anxiety and depression in terminally ill patients show higher methodological quality and demonstrate a profound impact, but gaps remain in understanding death, the psychedelic experience, and definitions of suffering. |
Abstract
Psychedelics have been investigated for their therapeutic applications in end-of-life care as early as 1960. Recently, there have been four main groups conducting clinical trials for either lysergic acid diethylamide or psilocybin for the treatment of anxiety and depression in patients with terminal illnesses. The recent trials have higher methodological quality and demonstrate the profound impact of psychedelics for this particular patient presentation. However, a number of gaps, including understanding the meaning of death and dying in Western society; the nature of the psychedelic experience and how this lends itself to assisting those who are facing death; and how suffering and psychological distress are defined and understood in current psychiatric and medical frameworks. This article provides a critical evaluation of the recent publications and suggests how anthropology may contribute knowledge to this emerging field.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Paradigm Shift in Psychiatric Research and Development | 2018 | Review | |
| Novel psychopharmacological therapies for psychiatric disorders: psilocybin and MDMA. | 2016 | Review | |
| Systematized Review of Psychotherapeutic Components of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy | 2021 | Systematized review | |
| The Emerging Field of Psychedelic Psychotherapy. | 2022 | Review | |
| Experience of Music Used With Psychedelic Therapy: A Rapid Review and Implications Participants in psychedelic therapy research aged 18–69 with varied backgrounds | 2020 | Rapid review | n = 180 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic-assisted Therapies for Symptom Control in Patients Diagnosed With Serious Illness: A Systematic Review Journal of Pain and Symptom Management February 11, 2022
- Community-based psychedelic integration and social efficacy: An ethnographic study in the Southeastern United States Journal of Psychedelic Studies May 27, 2024
- An encounter with death: a comparative thematic and content analysis of naturalistic DMT experiences and the near-death experience. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- A protocol for a scoping review of psychedelic interventions to alleviate psychological suffering in populations coping with end-of-life issues October 27, 2023
Cites 16
- 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 can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
and 11 more in the library