A Controlled Study of LSD Treatment in Alcoholism and Neurosis
The British Journal of Psychiatry April 1, 1970 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.116.533.443 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Alcoholics and neurotics referred by Saskatoon psychiatrists for LSD treatment |
| Duration | Up to five LSD experiences at intervals of two weeks; twelve-month waiting period for Control group |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Neurosis Psychotherapist Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 24 |
| Key findings | Controlled studies have not confirmed a therapeutic effect of lysergide in psychiatric conditions. |
Abstract
Favourable results have been reported from the use of lysergide in a wide variety of psychiatric conditions, but controlled studies (2, 3, 4) have not confirmed the existence of a therapeutic effect. In this experiment, alcoholics and neurotics who had been referred by Saskatoon psychiatrists for LSD treatment were allocated at random to Treatment and Control groups after undergoing a series of psychological tests. The members of the Treatment group were offered up to five LSD experiences at intervals of two weeks, whereas those in the Control group were informed that this type of therapy would be made available to them after a twelve-month waiting period. Accounts of the LSD experiences were sent to the referring psychiatrists, who were expected to continue to provide standard treatment to the members of both groups.