Psychedelics in Psychiatry: New Treatment Paradigms or Addictive Treatment Strategies? A Narrative Review
Marco Otto Toscano, Serena Chiara Civardi, Federico Durbano
Pharmaceutical Science December 9, 2025 DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.1014070 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Narrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction |
| Keywords | Enthusiasm Narrative review Perspective graphical Ambivalence Value mathematics Psychotherapist Symbol formal Interpretation philosophy Credibility Epistemology Addiction treatment |
| Key findings | Psychedelics show therapeutic potential for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders and offer heuristic value for studying brain networks and consciousness, but the evidence remains preliminary and not unequivocal. |
Abstract
Scientific interest in psychedelics, documented since the nineteenth century, has recently resurged after decades of prohibition. Contemporary research highlights their therapeutic potential in treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders, alongside their heuristic value for studying brain networks and consciousness. This chapter reviews the historical trajectory, traditional uses, mechanisms of action, and clinical evidence regarding key substances used in traditional or shamanic medicine (ayahuasca, mescaline, psilocybin, and ibogaine) and the psychedelic symbol of the hippy revolution, LSD. It further examines regulatory challenges and ethical concerns, including informed consent, cultural respect, and professional boundaries. Phenomenological debates on ego dissolution and the emergence of “non-subjective psychedelics” are discussed. Overall, psychedelics appear as “molecules of complexity,” integrating biological, psychological, and social dimensions, and suggesting a paradigm shift in psychiatry. Despite these promising developments, that in the chapter are underlined, the conclusive discussion emphasized that the data are still preliminary and not unequivocal. This caveat has to be strongly underlined: an excess of enthusiasm may expose treated people to more risks than benefits if research is not rigorously conducted.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account | 2016 | Review | |
| Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents Animal models and cellular studies | 2018 | Review | |
| A narrative review of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. | 2013 | Review | |
| The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies | 2018 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 90
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Nature Medicine June 1, 2021
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder JAMA Psychiatry August 24, 2022
and 85 more in the library