LSD in the Treatment of Alcoholism
American Journal of Psychiatry October 1, 1969 DOI: 10.1176/ajp.126.4.481 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Single-blind study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 95 |
| Population | Alcoholic patients |
| Interventions | LSD sodium amobarbital-methamphetamine hydrochloride |
| Duration | One-year follow-up |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Methamphetamine Significant difference Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 57 |
| Key points | All treatment groups improved significantly in drinking and employment, but LSD treatment showed no greater efficacy than other treatments or routine care. |
Abstract
Ninety-five alcoholic patients took part in a single-blind study of the efficacy of LSD treatment, which featured four treatment groups: LSD given with and without a therapist present, sodium amobarbital-methamphetamine hydrochloride given with a therapist present, and routine clinic care. At one-year follow-up, with 87 percent of the patients reporting, all groups showed significant improvement in the areas of drinking and employment, but there was no significant difference between groups on any improvement criterion measure. This study thus lends no support to the claims made for the efficacy of LSD treatment in alcoholism.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With Life-threatening Diseases Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases | 2014 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 12 |
| Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Experienced hallucinogen users | 1994 | Double-blind, saline placebo-controlled, randomized study | n = 12 |
| Acute Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Subjects Healthy subjects (8 women, 8 men) | 2014 | Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study | n = 16 |
| Changes in global and thalamic brain connectivity in LSD-induced altered states of consciousness are attributable to the 5-HT2A receptor Healthy human participants | 2018 | Double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over study | n = 24 |
| LSD-induced entropic brain activity predicts subsequent personality change. Healthy adults | 2016 | Balanced-order, placebo-controlled study | n = 19 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 36
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Psychopharmacology March 8, 2012
- Emotional breakthrough and psychedelics: Validation of the Emotional Breakthrough Inventory. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 11, 2019
- Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern‐era clinical studies Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica October 30, 2020
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin Molecules May 15, 2021
- The Experimental Use of Psychedelic (LSD) Psychotherapy JAMA June 15, 1970
and 31 more in the library
Cites 6
- A Clinical Study of LSD Treatment in Alcoholism American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1969
- Subjective Reactions to Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD-25) Archives of General Psychiatry May 1, 1962
- Treatment of Alcoholism with Lysergide Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol June 1, 1967
- A Controlled Trial of Abreaction with Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (Lsd-25) The British Journal of Psychiatry 1963
- Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) in the Treatment of Alcoholism. Archives of General Psychiatry October 1, 1968
and 1 more in the library