Perspective: Can psychedelic-assisted therapy be a promising aid in compulsive sexual behavior disorder treatment?
Magdalena Wizła, Shane W. Kraus, Karol Lewczuk
Comprehensive Psychiatry March 24, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152303 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Problematic pornography use Behavioral addictions |
| Key points | Proposes that psychedelics, through mechanisms shared with mindfulness, could enhance treatment of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder by reducing experiential avoidance and shifting neural activity. |
Abstract
Recently, there has been an increase in studies yielding evidence for psychedelics' anxiolytic and anti-depressive qualities. Preliminary evidence for treatment in substance addiction is also available. In our manuscript, we present a perspective on the possible effectiveness and mechanisms of action of psychedelics' introduction in the treatment of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) and other p roblematic sexual behaviors, which are considered representative of the so-called “behavioral addiction” category. Evidence for the efficacy of Mindfulness Based Interventions in CSBD treatment is promising. Psychedelics- and mindfulness-induced states share common characteristics on both a subjective and objective level. One of the proposed mechanisms regards reduction of experiential avoidance through the promotion of exposure and acceptance. On the neurophysiological level, a shift from higher- to lower-level association regions and an impact on 5- HT2A receptors is observed. Elaborated mechanisms explain the possible enhancement of therapeutic processes by psychedelics. Psychedelics' relative safety and low addictive potential support their introduction into traditional forms of therapy for CSBD and other out of control behaviors.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders. | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Learning to Let Go: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of How Psychedelic Therapy Promotes Acceptance | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Awe: a putative mechanism underlying the effects of classic psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | 2018 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ethical and legal issues in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Towards psychedelic apprenticeship: Developing a gentle touch for the mediation and validation of psychedelic-induced insights and revelations. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Incremental efficacy systematic review and meta-analysis of psilocybin-for-depression RCTs Psychopharmacology April 23, 2025
- Emerging Interventions in Behavioral Addictions: A Narrative Review of Psychedelics and Neuromodulation. Brain Sciences September 12, 2025
- Exploring the Frontiers of Psychedelics: A New Chromatographic Method for Detection and Quantification of Psilocybin and Psilocin in Psilocybe cubensis Mushrooms ACS Omega July 10, 2025
- Sex and psychedelics: a wide-lens look at a burgeoning field Medical Humanities January 6, 2025
Cites 38
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- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Psilocybin in 9 Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry November 15, 2006
and 33 more in the library