Insights from the psychedelic experience integration session: Verbatims differentiate 3-month abstinence in alcohol use disorder with depressive symptoms
Maria Garcia Garcia, Dahbia Belahda, Carine Graux, Chris Serrand, Noe Igounenc, Felix Sergent, Thibault Mura, Amandine Luquiens
Journal of Affective Disorders January 19, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121215 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy |
| Intervention | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy |
| Topics | Addiction Depression |
| Keywords | Abstinence Depressive symptoms Psychotherapist Clinical psychology Narrative review Craving |
| Key findings | Responders to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy reported narratives of inner dialogue and adaptive coping, whereas non-responders emphasized sensory and affective descriptions and suppressive coping. |
Abstract
Responders were distinguished by narratives of inner dialogue and adaptive coping, while non-responders emphasized sensory and affective descriptions and suppressive coping. Inner dialogue may constitute a distinct therapeutic mechanism, highlighting the importance of preparation and integration in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study | 2018 | Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis | n = 12 |
| Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Substance Dependence—Qualitative Results Therapists, expert researchers, and individuals who underwent ayahuasca-assisted... | 2014 | Qualitative study | n = 29 |
| Exploring ayahuasca‐assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada Indigenous adults in Canada who participated in ayahuasca-assisted ceremonial retreats | 2019 | Qualitative study | n = 11 |
| Self-reported negative outcomes of psilocybin users: A quantitative textual analysis Users who self-reported psilocybin experiences on an online platform | 2020 | Qualitative study | n = 346 |
| Reports of self-compassion and affect regulation in psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder: An interpretive phenomenological analysis. non-Hispanic White cisgender men and women with alcohol use disorder | 2023 | Qualitative study | n = 13 |
Citations in the library
Cites 25
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Quality of Acute Psychedelic Experience Predicts Therapeutic Efficacy of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Frontiers in Pharmacology January 17, 2018
- The Standardized Psychometric Assessment of Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) in Humans Pharmacopsychiatry July 1, 1998
- Emotional breakthrough and psychedelics: Validation of the Emotional Breakthrough Inventory. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 11, 2019
- Factor Analysis of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire: A Study of Experiences Occasioned by the Hallucinogen Psilocybin Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 2012
and 20 more in the library