Suicide of a patient shortly after psilocybin-assisted psychedelic therapy: A case report
Felix Müller, Thomas Sauer, Corina Hänny, Markus Mühlhauser, Undine E. Lang
Psychiatry Research January 29, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116381 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 60-year-old man with recurrent depression and history of delusions |
| Intervention | psilocybin-assisted therapy |
| Topics | Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Telepathy Psychotherapist Alternative medicine |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin-triggered delusions and emotional dysregulation may have contributed to the death of a patient with recurrent depression and history of delusions. |
Abstract
• A 60-year-old man with recurrent depression and history of delusions died after psilocybin-assisted therapy. • Psilocybin-triggered delusions and emotional dysregulation may have contributed. • Weak therapeutic alliance hindered assessment of patient's internal state. • Delusional symptoms may contraindicate psychedelic interventions. • This case emphasizes the need for thorough assessment and close follow-up in complex cases.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prolonged adverse effects from repeated psilocybin use in an underground psychedelic therapy training program: a case report | 2025 | Case study | |
| Refractory CRPS pain treated with psilocybin: A case report A patient with refractory complex regional pain syndrome | 2024 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Underground small-group therapy of treatment-resistant depression and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) with psilocybin—A retrospective case study A woman in her early forties with early complex trauma and treatment-resistant depression | 2023 | Case report | n = 1 |
| Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine dependence: a case report involving daily methamphetamine use A 36-year-old transwoman who was a daily methamphetamine user | 2024 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Long‐COVID symptoms improved after MDMA and psilocybin therapy: A case report 41-year-old fully vaccinated female with Long-COVID syndrome | 2024 | Case report | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Implementing psychedelic-assisted therapy: History and characteristics of the Swiss limited medical use program Neuroscience Applied 2025
- The science of psychedelic medicine. Nature Medicine February 6, 2026
- Effect of psilocybin therapy on suicidal ideation, attempts, and deaths in people with psychiatric diagnoses: a systematic review and meta-analysis Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology September 1, 2025
- Psychedelics for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Narrative Review with Candidate Mechanisms of Action. CNS Drugs July 10, 2025
- Classifying Psychedelic-Related Complications Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences 2026
and 4 more in the library
Cites 11
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. New England Journal of Medicine November 3, 2022
- Single-Dose Psilocybin Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder JAMA August 31, 2023
- Adverse effects of psychedelics: From anecdotes and misinformation to systematic science. Journal of Psychopharmacology February 2, 2022
- Therapeutic Alliance and Rapport Modulate Responses to Psilocybin Assisted Therapy for Depression Frontiers in Pharmacology March 31, 2022
and 6 more in the library