Underground MDMA-, LSD- and 2-CB-assisted individual and group psychotherapy in Zurich: Outcomes, implications and commentary
Ben Sessa, Friederike Meckel Fischer
Drug Science, Policy and Law March 24, 2015 DOI: 10.1177/2050324515578080 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA LSD Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist Mainstream Context archaeology Group psychotherapy Law |
| Citations | 39 |
| Key findings | Underground psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy persisted in Europe after prohibition, exemplified by a Zurich psychotherapist's practice until her 2009 arrest, raising psychopharmacological, moral, ethical, and legal issues relevant to the current resurgence of psychedelic research. |
Abstract
Underground psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has persisted in Europe despite the banning of the substances LSD and MDMA in the 1960s and 1980s, respectively. This article describes the work of a Zurich-based psychotherapist providing individual and group psycholytic psychotherapy, whose practice persisted for several years before she was arrested in 2009. The article provides commentary on the psychopharmacological, moral, ethical and legal issues of this case and discusses these issues in the context of the growing medical research of psychedelic substances as mainstream treatments for psychiatry.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lasting Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of (??)Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (???Ecstasy???) in Recreational Users Persons who ingested large doses of MDMA | 1991 | Case study | n = 2 |
| Further Studies in the Therapeutic Value of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Mental Illness Patients with mental illness | 1957 | Case series | |
| Coma, Hyperthermia, and Bleeding Associated with Massive LSD Overdose a Report of Eight Cases People who self-administered large amounts of pure LSD powder intranasally | 1975 | Case series | n = 8 |
| Using a MDMA- and LSD-Group Therapy Model in Clinical Practice in Switzerland and Highlighting the Treatment of Trauma-Related Disorders Patients with chronic complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD), dissociative,... | 2022 | Case series | |
| Persistent Palinopsia Following Ingestion of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) Patients who developed persistent palinopsia after LSD ingestion | 1996 | Case series | n = 3 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 25
- The influence of therapists’ first-hand experience with psychedelics on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy research and therapist training Journal of Psychedelic Studies October 5, 2018
- Investigation of self-treatment with lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin mushrooms: Findings from the Global Drug Survey 2020 Journal of Psychopharmacology March 6, 2023
- Assessment of the Acute Effects of 2C‐B vs. Psilocybin on Subjective Experience, Mood, and Cognition Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics May 30, 2023
- Research ethics aspects of experimentation with LSD on human subjects: a historical and ethical review. Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy June 1, 2019
- Why Psychiatry Needs 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: A Child Psychiatrist's Perspective Neurotherapeutics May 5, 2017
and 20 more in the library
Cites 16
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Psilocybin in 9 Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry November 15, 2006
- Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With Life-threatening Diseases The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease March 4, 2014
- The safety and efficacy of {+/-}3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: the first randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 19, 2010
- Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986
and 11 more in the library