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Research into Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anorexia Nervosa Should be Funded.

Lauren S Otterman

Journal of Bioethical Inquiry March 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s11673-022-10220-9 (opens in new tab)

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AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Topics LSD Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy
Keywords Anorexia nervosa Eating disorders Health research ethics Informed consent Mental health treatment Medical research Psychiatric care
Citations 9
Key points Argues that research into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa should be funded based on evidence for its efficacy in other mental illnesses.

Abstract

Eating disorders are debilitating diseases that have twin impacts on the body and mind and are associated with a number of physiological and psychological comorbidities (Blinder, Cumella, and Sanathara 2006; Casiero and Frishman 2006), including increased suicide risk (Arcelus et al. 2011; Lipson and Sonneville 2020). In addition, eating disorders are growing in prevalence (Gilmache et al. 2019) and impact women at much higher rates than men (Bearman, Martinez, and Stice 2006), especially in adolescence (Spriggs, Kettner, and Carhart-Harris 2021). Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a particularly devastating eating disorder, with one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder (Sullivan 1995). Despite the severity of the condition, current treatments for AN are limited in their efficacy (Khalsa et al. 2017). Based on the growing body of evidence demonstrating the short-term and long-term efficacy of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of other mental illnesses, I argue that research into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for AN should be funded.

Comparable studies

Other theoretical and historical papers on LSD and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Psychedelics and Psychotherapy: Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches as Default 2022 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Flashback: psychiatric experimentation with LSD in historical perspective. 2005 Historical analysis
LSD therapy in Dutch psychiatry: changing socio-political settings and medical sets. 2002 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Psychedelics and psychotherapy in Canada: Humphry Osmond and Aldous Huxley. 2018 Historical analysis
Psychedelic crossings: American mental health and LSD in the 1970s. 2019 Historical analysis

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