Amid magic and menace: psychiatrists’ attitudes to psilocybin therapy

Abstract

Objectives: Understanding variations in knowledge and attitudes of psychiatrists to psilocybin therapy is important for the collective discourse about the potential impact on clinical practice and public health in Ireland.

Methods: A 28-item questionnaire was designed based on previous studies and distributed to psychiatrists in Ireland via online mailing lists and at in-person academic events.

Results: 151 psychiatrists completed the questionnaire (73.3% were under 40 years of age, 76.0% were trainees, and 49.0% were female). In the total sample, 81.5% agreed that psilocybin therapy shows promise in the treatment of psychiatric disorders and 86.8% supported funding research, 86.8% would be willing to refer a patient if it was licensed and indicated, and 78.1% would consider the treatment for themselves, if indicated. Conversely, 6.6% agreed that psilocybin therapy was unsafe even under medical supervision, and 21.9% thought it was potentially addictive. 15.9% of the total sample reported at least one concern including, lack of robust evidence, long-term effectiveness, superiority to current interventions, potential harmful effects, cost and accessibility, and impartiality. Less than half of respondents felt knowledgeable (40.0%) and 9.9% felt adequately prepared to participate in psilocybin therapy. Consultant psychiatrists trended towards less optimism for a potential role in bipolar depression and emotionally unstable personality disorder compared to trainee psychiatrists.

Conclusion: Overall psychiatrists in Ireland held positive attitudes towards psilocybin therapy. However, there was a lack of knowledge evident. Addressing the knowledge gap and aligning with the best available evidence will be key if psychedelic therapy is to prevail in a clinical setting.