PURPOSE: The potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies (PAT) to address existential distress in cancer populations is attracting increasing attention. However, this novel approach is challenged by stigma, hype, and misconceptions. The current study aimed to investigate the knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes of advanced cancer patients and carers regarding psychedelics and their potential...
The nature and role of the psychological support provided in psychedelic-assisted treatments for psychiatric disorders are currently the object of debate. How this support is conceptualized-as a vector for therapeutic change or framework for risk minimization-has far-reaching consequences in terms of how these treatments should be regulated, delivered, and studied. To determine whether...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has demonstrated substantial efficacy across a range of mental disorders. However, heterogeneity between patients confers differential responsiveness. This systematic review aims to explore factors which may predict therapeutic responses to PAT. A systematic search was performed from inception through to March 2024 and studies that assessed predictors of...
Ritual is a cultural-psychological technology that facilitates transitions by establishing safety, trust, and shared meaning. In psychedelic therapy, ritual remains underdeveloped despite the heightened vulnerability and suggestibility inherent in non-ordinary states. Without clear frameworks, ritual applications can become prescriptive or ethically problematic—particularly when elements are...
Personality disorders (PDs) are characterized by rigid and maladaptive patterns of self- and interpersonal functioning, leading to high clinical burden and limited treatment outcomes. Schema Therapy (ST), an integrative psychotherapy rooted in cognitive-behavioral principles, conceptualizes PDs in terms of Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS)-pervasive cognitive-affective structures formed through...
Journal of Psychoactive DrugsApril 23, 2026Brayan Jonas Mano-Sousa, Maria Clara Gama Fontes, Ana Clara Anacleto Gonçalves et al.
Suicide, particularly in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), remains a pressing global health issue, with over 700,000 annual deaths. Existing treatments often have limited efficacy and delayed onset, creating a need for rapid-acting interventions. Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian psychedelic, has shown potential for rapidly reducing suicidal ideation. Our systematic review evaluated the...
Despite the existence of current treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD), depression symptoms and burdens often persist, prompting the need for novel therapies, including psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), with promising potential for early and durable antidepressant responses. Objectives: This research aims to compare pharmacist opinions regarding logistical and ethical considerations...
Amidst a growing prevalence of adolescent mental ill-health, there is a pressing need to develop effective therapeutic interventions. Despite promising results from adult trials of psychedelic-assisted therapies (P-AT), translating these interventions to adolescents presents challenges. Therapeutic outcomes in paediatric contexts cannot be inferred from adult studies due to age-dependent...
Abstract Background and Aims Mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and existential distress are common among individuals with terminal illness. Preliminary evidence suggests that death acceptance may protect against these issues, but there is limited research on the role of psychedelic-assisted therapy in fostering death acceptance. This scoping review aims to explore the...
Background: Conventional psychological and pharmacological substance abuse treatments are limited to moderate effect sizes and fail to magnify outcomes when combined. Analog psychedelic agents N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 5-methoxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) show therapeutic potential for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders including substance addictions. Methods: This...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD tends to produce mild, transient adverse effects, but concerns about long-term safety and inconsistent reporting of adverse events highlight the need for further research.
Nicotine addiction is a major contributor to preventable morbidity and mortality globally, forming the biological basis of the tobacco pandemic. Despite the availability of nicotine replacement therapies and behavioral interventions, relapse rates remain high due to nicotine’s profound impact on neurochemical reward pathways. To explore and review novel and emerging treatment modalities that...
PsychedelicsApril 2, 2026Dalia N. Balsamo, Prachi Garodia, Nima Fayazmanesh et al.
The integration of music into psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as a key aspect of therapeutic psychedelic experiences, providing a significant enhancement in emotional processing and insight generation. This review examines the interplay between music and psychedelics, and explores how this integration can enhance therapeutic outcomes in various conditions with a broader emphasis...
Research on the therapeutic effects of psychedelics in psychiatry, commonly referred to as Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT), has expanded substantially in recent years. The context-dependent nature of psychedelics has sparked discussion about the importance of the psychotherapeutic environment in achieving beneficial outcomes. This study explores the contribution of psychotherapeutic factors...
Australia recently down-scheduled and authorised psychedelic-assisted therapies, including psilocybin, for certain mental health conditions. Evidence is emerging for potential application in substance use disorder treatment. However, regulatory developments have outpaced implementation readiness. While service leaders and clinicians are crucial to implementation, little research examines their...
Background Following Australia’s landmark 2023 decision to approve psilocybin and MDMA for clinical use, psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is beginning to emerge within regulated mental health settings. This study investigates psychologists’ views on the relevance of psychedelic therapists’ lived-living experience (LLE) with psychedelics. While discussion around LLE is growing, little is known...
Importance: Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) trials have high levels of functional unblinding, which biases results when comparing PAT with blinded interventions. Because PAT is effectively always open label, treatment results should be compared with those of open-label traditional antidepressants (TADs), so potential benefits associated with patients knowing their treatment is equal between...
There is growing interest in novel approaches to treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including the use of psychedelic substances combined with psychotherapy, often referred to as psychedelic-assisted therapy, to better meet the needs of patients who do not prefer or respond to traditional evidence-based treatments. Among these treatments, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine...
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Background: Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) may be an effective intervention for a range of mental disorders. However, there appears to be a relative lack of qualitative evidence to complement emerging quantitative findings. To our knowledge, no reviews have systematically mapped the literature on qualitative studies on PAP for the treatment of mental disorders with the intent to...