Underground small-group therapy of treatment-resistant depression and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) with psilocybin—A retrospective case study
March 10, 2023 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/t6k9b (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case report |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A woman in her early forties with early complex trauma and treatment-resistant depression |
| Interventions | breathing exercises cold exposure physical exercises music psilocybin mushrooms |
| Duration | 1.5 years of intervention, 2.5-year follow-up |
| Topics | Depression Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy PTSD |
| Keywords | Psilocybin therapy Mushroom therapy Entheogenic treatment Hallucinogen therapy Psychedelic medicine Multi-dose Extended strategy Mixed-method Small-group sessions Depression remission Severe depression treatment Chronic depression healing Mood disorder therapy Psychiatric recovery Mental health intervention Trauma processing Trauma-related dissociation Psychological trauma Dissociative disorders Past experiences processing Clinical case report Case study Single-patient study Clinical evidence |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | After six psilocybin sessions over 1.5 years, the woman achieved sustained remission of her treatment-resistant depression, with psilocybin appearing to produce an anti-dissociative effect that facilitated trauma processing. |
Abstract
While a relatively large body of research exists on many aspects of psychedelic therapy, articles describing a complete, successful treatment process are rarely found. This article therefore presents a case of a woman in her early forties with early complex trauma due to domestic violence, sexual abuse and poverty in her childhood, resulting in approximately three decades of treatment resistant depression. Antidepressive medications did not alleviate her depression but resulted in adverse effects and an eventual discontinuation of the medications. Eventually the woman resorted to 'mixed-method' underground small-group sessions that utilized breathing exercises, cold exposure, physical exercises, music, and psilocybin mushrooms. Psilocybin appeared to interrupt trauma-related dissociation, producing an 'anti-dissociative' effect, allowing the woman to re-experience, in a controlled setting, dissociated physical sensations produced by earlier overwhelming events. After a period of approximately 1.5 years, during which time she had six psilocybin sessions, either individually, in the small group, or with friends, she achieved a remission of her depression. A follow-up interview 2.5 years later indicated permanence of the result. Information was acquired from semi-structured retrospective interviews with a total duration of approximately eight hours. This case study may facilitate an improved understanding of the requirements for and the process of alleviating or resolving treatment-resistant depression with psychedelics. Recent clinical trials have utilized one or two doses of psilocybin. This case illustrates the need for adopting a multi-dose strategy over an extended period of time in order to achieve remission.