Current perspectives on psychedelic therapy: use of serotonergic hallucinogens in clinical interventions
Albert Garcia‐romeu, William A. Richards
International Review of Psychiatry July 4, 2018 DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2018.1486289 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy Serotonin |
| Citations | 186 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic therapy has evolved from mid-20th-century psycholytic and psychedelic models, which emphasized set and setting, to modern clinical research revisiting their therapeutic potential. |
Abstract
Humans have used serotonergic hallucinogens (i.e. psychedelics) for spiritual, ceremonial, and recreational purposes for thousands of years, but their administration as part of a structured therapeutic intervention is still a relatively novel practice within Western medical and psychological frameworks. In the mid-20th century, considerable advances were made in developing therapeutic approaches integrating administration of low (psycholytic) and high (psychedelic) doses of serotonergic hallucinogens for treatment of a variety of conditions, often incorporating psychoanalytic concepts prevalent at that time. This work contributed seminal insights regarding how these substances may be employed with efficacy and safety in targeted therapeutic interventions, including the importance of optimizing set (frame of mind) and setting (therapeutic environment). More recently, clinical and pharmacological research has revisited the effects and therapeutic potential of psychedelics utilizing a variety of approaches. The current article provides an overview of past and present models of psychedelic therapy, and discusses important considerations for future interventions incorporating the use of psychedelics in research and clinical practice.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 161
- Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle Diseño interior 2009
- Learning to Let Go: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of How Psychedelic Therapy Promotes Acceptance Frontiers in Psychiatry February 21, 2020
- Psilocybin therapy for females with anorexia nervosa: a phase 1, open-label feasibility study Nature Medicine July 24, 2023
- Comparative acute effects of mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide, and psilocybin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study in healthy participants. Neuropsychopharmacology October 1, 2023
- Meditation Increases the Entropy of Brain Oscillatory Activity Neuroscience February 4, 2020
and 156 more in the library
Cites 154
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- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
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