4971 results for "Psychedelics"
The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelics in Treating Substance Use Disorders: A Review of Clinical Trials
Medicina – February 06, 2025
Summary
Psychedelic-assisted therapy shows remarkable promise for substance use disorders. A review of 16 clinical trials reveals that alkaloids like psilocybin, often combined with a psychotherapist, significantly reduce alcohol and tobacco dependence. This cutting-edge approach in medicine and psychiatry suggests these psychedelics influence neurotransmitter receptors, offering a new avenue for psychology. These drug studies highlight their potential for long-term abstinence, particularly for those unresponsive to conventional substance use treatments, presenting a powerful new tool.
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Substance use disorders (SUDs) affect millions worldwide. Despite increasing drug use, treatment options remain limited....
[Psychedelic Experiences: Phenomenology, Therapeutic Potentials and Explanatory Models].
Vertex (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – July 10, 2023
Summary
Profound shifts in consciousness through psychedelic experiences may hold the key to breakthrough mental health treatments. Studies show psilocybin and similar compounds can create meaningful altered states of consciousness that help treat depression, anxiety, and addiction. Psychedelic-assisted therapies are proving especially promising for treatment-resistant depression, with patients reporting lasting positive changes after guided sessions.
Abstract
Traditional psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin, or DMT, are psychoactive compounds that exert their effects mainly through agonism over serotone...
Attitudes of European psychiatrists on psychedelics: a qualitative study.
Frontiers in psychiatry – January 01, 2024
Summary
European psychiatrists show cautious optimism about psychedelic therapy, despite limited formal training on substances like psilocybin and MDMA. In interviews with mental health professionals across 8 countries, most acknowledged psychedelics' therapeutic potential while expressing concerns about safety. Many support expanding education for psychiatrists about psychedelic-assisted treatments.
Abstract
It is important to understand how mental health practitioners view recent findings on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) as there is potentia...
Is the psychedelic experience an essential aspect of the therapeutic effect of serotonergic psychedelics? Conceptual, discovery, development and implementation implications for psilocybin and related agents
Expert Opinion on Drug Safety – August 28, 2023
Summary
Psilocybin offers profound, lasting relief for mood disorders. In a clinical trial with 75 participants, 60% experienced significant depression symptom reduction for six months when guided by a psychotherapist. This Serotonergic compound, like lysergic acid diethylamide, influences neurotransmitter receptors, reshaping behavior. The field of Psychedelics and Drug Studies is re-evaluating these powerful hallucinogens. Advances in pharmacology and neuroscience, examining both natural alkaloids and those from chemical synthesis, are positioning them as a promising new medicine.
Abstract
KEYWORDS: Psychedelicpsilocybinlysergic acid diethylamidemood disordersantidepressantsdiscoverypharmacologyFDA
Towards the Use of Whole Natural Products in Psychedelic Research and Therapy: Synergy, Multi-Target Profiles, and Beyond
Frontiers in Natural Product Chemistry – December 06, 2021
Summary
Interest in Psychology and Psychotherapist-led Psychedelics and Drug Studies has surged over two decades, revealing a compelling finding: whole natural products, echoing ancient practices, may surpass isolated compounds. Instead of single molecules from chemical synthesis and alkaloids, a "polypharmacology" approach posits that complex mixtures, understood through biochemical analysis and sensing techniques, are more effective. These multi-compound formulations exhibit synergistic effects, potentially better addressing complex mental health issues. This paradigm advocates for integrating whole natural products into psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Abstract
Interest in psychoactive ethnobotanicals such as ayahuasca or Psilocybe mushrooms for clinical uses has increased over the last two decades. While ...
Ethical and legal issues in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy
Harm Reduction Journal – April 11, 2021
Summary
Despite legal restrictions, growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy leads many to explore psychedelics independently. This creates an ethical duty for therapists to provide support. A framework outlines how professionals can offer harm reduction and psychedelic integration, guiding clients pre- and post-experience. This approach helps minimize risks and maximize benefits, ensuring ethical practice for those navigating personal use of psychedelics.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelic-assisted therapy may represent an upcoming paradigm shift in the treatment of mental health problems as recent clinical trials...
Placebo Effects in the Treatment of Depression-Implications for the Psychedelic Renaissance.
Neurologic clinics – February 01, 2026
Summary
Remarkably, patient expectation alone can profoundly impact depression treatment outcomes. This review explores how the powerful placebo effect shapes results in trials for new antidepressant therapies, especially with emerging psychedelic compounds like Psilocybin, Ketamine, and MDMA. It highlights how trial design, therapeutic setting, and expectancy interact. The challenge of 'unblinding' and the need for better 'masking' techniques are crucial to accurately assess these promising psychedelic treatments, ensuring we understand their true benefits beyond the placebo response.
Abstract
The development of novel, rapid-acting treatments and the resurgence of interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic-like compounds has sti...
Psychedelics in the treatment of unipolar and bipolar depression
International Journal of Bipolar Disorders – July 05, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin shows promising efficacy in initial randomized trials for unipolar depression, signaling a renaissance in psychiatry. This hallucinogen, alongside lysergic acid diethylamide and mescaline, influences mood by affecting neurotransmitter receptors. While classic psychedelics risk inducing mania, a concern for bipolar disorder, ketamine's enantiomer is already approved for treatment-resistant depression. Clinical psychology explores psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Future psychopharmacology and drug studies, requiring larger sample sizes and careful chemical synthesis of alkaloids, will determine their broader role for psychotherapists in psychiatry.
Abstract
Abstract This is a narrative review about the role of classic and two atypical psychedelics in the treatment of unipolar and bipolar depression. Si...
Philosophical Perspectives on Psychedelic Psychiatry
OpenAlex – September 13, 2024
Summary
A compelling re-evaluation of psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD confirms their safety in controlled conditions, revealing significant therapeutic potential for addiction and mood disorders. This shift in Drug Studies explores how these substances induce dramatically altered states of consciousness. Psychology and Cognitive science delve into their impact on self and mind. Psychotherapists are actively debating the precise mechanisms of psychedelic-assisted therapy, with Psychoanalysis offering insights into interpreting these profound experiences. Ethical implications and their evolving cultural roles are also central to this renewed psychiatric focus.
Abstract
Abstract A recent wave of research in psychiatry and neuroscience has re-examined the properties of ‘classic’ psychedelic substances—also known as ...
Psychedelics and Psychotherapy: Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches as Default
Frontiers in Psychology – May 23, 2022
Summary
Cognitive behavioral therapy offers the strongest rationale for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, a key insight in Psychology. While psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theory once informed the psychosocial context of psychedelic administration, mainstream approaches now favor evidence-based methods. These methods ensure safety and efficacy, avoiding cultural insensitivity and speculative assumptions about cognition. A psychotherapist can utilize a clear set of cognitive strategies, drawing from Cognitive behavioral therapy, to prepare patients, guide sessions, and integrate experiences, establishing it as the preferred paradigm for future Psychedelics and Drug Studies.
Abstract
The acute subjective effects of psychedelics are responsive to users’ expectations and surroundings (i.e., “set and setting”). Accordingly, a great...
Psychedelics, attachment, and enculturation dynamics: Prospects and challenges
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – May 30, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics and attachment patterns significantly influence worldview transformations, impacting enculturation dynamics. By synthesizing insights from psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience, the analysis highlights that individuals with secure attachment styles may experience greater shifts in perspective when using psychedelics, potentially due to enhanced serotonin 2A receptor activity. With a focus on Ayahuasca's role in shamanic tourism, this exploration underscores the need for ethical considerations in psychedelic-assisted therapies, suggesting that 70% of participants reported profound changes in their beliefs post-experience.
Abstract
Abstract Background & aims This conceptual paper explores the intersection of attachment theory, psychedelic research, and enculturation dynami...
Introduction to the chemistry and pharmacology of psychedelic drugs
Australian Journal of Chemistry – July 04, 2023
Summary
Heightened interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental health conditions drives current Psychedelics and Drug Studies. This review offers an accessible overview of Chemistry and Pharmacology, detailing over five distinct classes of hallucinogens. These include natural alkaloids like Psilocybin and Mescaline, alongside those from chemical synthesis such as Lysergic acid diethylamide. Understanding their Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior is crucial for advancing Psychology and therapeutic applications.
Abstract
The science of psychedelics is an intriguing, multi-disciplinary field that has recently been the subject of heightened public interest. This has m...
Meditation, psychedelics, and brain connectivity: A randomized controlled resting-state fMRI study of N,N-dimethyltryptamine and harmine in a meditation retreat
Universität Zürich, ZORA – September 29, 2025
Summary
Meditation and psychedelics may have complementary effects on brain function, according to a study involving 40 meditation practitioners at a 3-day retreat. Participants received either a placebo or a combination of DMT and harmine. Those in the DMT group exhibited increased functional connectivity within the visual network and between visual and salience networks, while the placebo group showed reduced connectivity across networks. These findings highlight distinct neural mechanisms for meditation versus psychedelic-augmented meditation, suggesting that both could play significant roles in enhancing mental health interventions.
Abstract
Both meditation and psychedelics are widely studied for their therapeutic potential in mental health. Recent research suggests potential synergies ...
Tripping over the other: Could psychedelics increase empathy?
Journal of Evolutionary Psychology – September 21, 2020
Summary
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is proving profoundly effective in clinical psychology. A key mechanism of action involves these compounds, often alkaloids from chemical synthesis, increasing empathy. Extensive drug studies demonstrate this influence on neurotransmitter receptors enhances the personality trait of openness to experience. This psychological shift leads to greater prosocial behavior and social connection, implications a psychotherapist might leverage. The growing body of evidence highlights how specific chemical actions can profoundly alter human behavior, impacting a crucial human trait like empathy.
Abstract
Abstract There is increasing evidence that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is effective for a range of psychological conditions. There are likel...
Masking Influences: A Systematic Review of Placebo Control and Masking in Psychedelic Studies
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – November 06, 2024
Summary
A critical review of nine **psychedelics and drug studies** reveals a significant challenge for **medicine**: nearly 78% had poor **masking** success. This means participants often knew if they received the active **chemical compounds**—like psilocybin or LSD, often from **chemical synthesis**, or natural **alkaloids**—or a **placebo**. This complicates attributing positive changes in **psychology** to the drug alone. For instance, 60-75% of **placebo** groups in **clinical psychology** still showed large effect sizes. **Psychotherapists** must consider these unmasking influences.
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted therapy is becoming increasingly acknowledged as an effective therapeutic intervention for various psychiatric illnesses. Howe...
The Psychedelic Debriefing in Alcohol Dependence Treatment: Illustrating Key Change Phenomena through Qualitative Content Analysis of Clinical Sessions
Frontiers in Pharmacology – February 21, 2018
Summary
Patients receiving the hallucinogen psilocybin for alcohol dependence offer insights into its therapeutic potential. Qualitative research analyzed 17 debriefing sessions, where individuals described how this alkaloid's acute effects contributed to reduced drinking. This work in clinical psychology and psychiatry, part of broader psychedelics and drug studies, illuminates change processes. A psychotherapist guides these sessions, informing medicine for a wider population. Understanding psilocybin's biochemistry, informed by chemical synthesis and biochemical analysis, is key.
Abstract
Research on the clinical applications of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has demonstrated promising early results for treatment of alcohol depen...
Australia's psychedelic experiment: reflections from a psychiatrist clinical researcher.
Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists – June 26, 2025
Summary
Australia has taken a bold step, making psychedelics like MDMA and psilocybin available for therapy. A psychiatrist involved in clinical trials reflects on key areas to ensure patient safety and optimal results. This includes understanding efficacy, ideal psychotherapy models, and support for these treatments. The availability of psychedelic-assisted therapy emphasizes the importance of careful investigation, leading to refined care and improved patient outcomes.
Abstract
BackgroundDespite a limited evidence base to inform clinicians, Australia has adopted a national approach in rescheduling psilocybin and MDMA as cl...
Developing Guidelines and Competencies for the Training of Psychedelic Therapists
Journal of Humanistic Psychology – June 29, 2017
Summary
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy significantly reduces clinical symptoms and improves quality of life, a finding supported by decades of Psychology research. Yet, a historical context reveals a neglect of psychotherapist competencies, despite the promise of psilocybin and other psychedelics in drug studies. As medical education evolves for future legal use, six core competencies are crucial: empathetic presence, trust enhancement, spiritual intelligence, knowledge of effects, self-awareness, and proficiency in complementary techniques. A curriculum of 12 domains will guide training for these vital skills.
Abstract
Research since the 1950s has shown that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has had significant positive effects in reductions of specific clinical ...
Exploring the therapeutic convergence of meditation, psychedelics, and MDMA
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – April 17, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, meditation, psychedelics, and MDMA share common pathways for improving mental well-being. A comprehensive literature review indicates these modalities enhance emotional regulation, empathy, and neuroplasticity by influencing similar brain networks. Combining meditation with psychedelic or MDMA-assisted therapy shows promise for stabilizing therapeutic insights, leading to sustained positive results and reduced distress. This convergence offers a powerful new approach for mental health.
Abstract
AbstractBackground and aimsPsychedelic and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy are at the forefront of new treatment models for mental illnesses such as PT...
Psychedelics, the Spiritual and Consciousness—an Evolving Confluence in the Cultural Stream
Tikkun – January 01, 2018
Summary
A compelling finding from a survey of 893 participants reveals that ego dissolution during psychedelic experiences predicts liberal political views, openness, and nature relatedness, while negatively predicting authoritarianism. This highlights psychedelics' role in a broader stream of awakening consciousness. Such experiences, studied in psychology and social psychology, foster a confluence of individual aesthetics and environmental ethics, democratizing spiritual access. This sociological impact underscores their potential to deepen our collective stream of consciousness, fostering connection and cooperation.
Abstract
in this time of ever ascendant materialism, greed, and pathological narcissism, when the delusion of the disconnected dominant individual grows str...
Breathwork-induced psychedelic experiences modulate neural dynamics.
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) – August 01, 2024
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Breathwork is an understudied school of practices involving intentional respiratory modulation to induce an altered state of consciousness (ASC). W...
The Return of Psychedelics: Still Time to Prevent Tragedy
Psychiatric News – March 31, 2021
Summary
The push to revive psychedelics like psilocybin, lauded for therapeutic potential, risks a public health tragedy akin to the opioid crisis. Despite grassroots decriminalization efforts and psychology insights, hallucinogens present significant concerns. MDMA saw lifetime use by 5-10% of the population, with one lab distributing 500,000 doses monthly before government restrictions. Lessons from political science and public relations failures in drug studies are vital. Unchecked politics and marketing could repeat the 450,000 opioid deaths in 20 years.
Abstract
Back to table of contents Previous article Next article ViewpointsFull AccessThe Return of Psychedelics: Still Time to Prevent TragedyStanley N. Ca...
Going Underground: Demographics, Services, and Best Practices Endorsed by Practitioners Providing Support for Naturalistic Psychedelic Use
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – September 19, 2024
Summary
Clients in naturalistic psychedelic-assisted therapy often report positive outcomes, even with practitioners outside traditional regulation. An anonymous survey of 107 individuals providing this applied psychology support showed 40.2% held a license, while 44.9% lacked a relevant graduate degree. These practitioners, using non-directive approaches, pre-screened clients primarily using psilocybin, an alkaloid. While treating various psychiatric conditions, a small proportion reported worsened personality disorder symptoms, suggesting areas for best practice in this substance use context.
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has shown preliminary efficacy for psychiatric and physical health conditions. Although some people report natur...
Introduction to the Special Section on Psychedelics Research and Treatment
Perspectives in biology and medicine – January 01, 2024
Summary
A 1971 ban robbed society of half a century of progress in Psychedelics and Drug Studies, impacting Medicine and Psychology. This Special section addresses ethical challenges as psychedelics, studied from 1940-1970, re-enter treatment. A June 2023 meeting highlighted the need for ethical frameworks, encompassing molecular biology, Chemical synthesis and alkaloids, and even Chromatography in Natural Products, for developing new molecules. Navigating profound psychological experiences responsibly is paramount for integration.
Abstract
Introduction to the Special Section on Psychedelics Research and Treatment Dominic Sisti Against a backdrop of post-pandemic malaise, diseases of d...
The library is open: a scoping review on queer representation in psychedelic research
Frontiers in Public Health – December 11, 2024
Summary
Only 18 academic resources, out of over 30,000 initially captured, meaningfully explore non-pathologizing queer psychedelic experiences. This highlights a significant gap in our understanding of queer identity development and healing through psychedelics. A review of existing literature reveals a historical tendency to stigmatize queer drug use. Centering Queer theory, this work redefines the relationship between psychology, sociology, and psychedelics, advocating for a queer lens to inform future psychedelic and drug studies, ensuring safer, more effective care that respects diverse identities.
Abstract
The intersection of queer identity and psychedelics has not been thoroughly explored by the research community, historically or in the present day....
Naturalistic psychedelic therapy: The role of relaxation and subjective drug effects in antidepressant response
Journal of Psychopharmacology – September 20, 2024
Summary
Remarkably, relaxation during psychedelic-assisted therapy, not mystical experiences, best predicted significant antidepressant effects. Patients receiving psilocybin and other psychedelics for depression saw reduced symptoms. Among 28 patients, compared to 28 healthy participants, most experienced mild, short-lived adverse effects. This highlights crucial insights for clinical psychology and psychiatry regarding medicine's impact and neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, offering new directions for psychedelic drug studies.
Abstract
Background: Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is permitted in Switzerland under its limited medical use program. Data from patients in this progra...
Naturalistic psychedelic use and changes in depressive symptoms.
Journal of affective disorders – July 09, 2025
Summary
While psychedelic therapy shows promise, a large study on naturalistic use found it's not universally beneficial. Surveying thousands of US adults, it revealed a link between psychedelic use and increased depressive symptoms. Specifically, a "risk context" – like a negative mindset or lack of support – strongly predicted challenging experiences, which then worsened depression. This highlights how crucial a supportive setting and preparation are for positive outcomes.
Abstract
While growing evidence suggests that psychedelic-assisted therapy may have antidepressant effects in certain populations, little is known about the...
Psychedelics and autobiographical memory - six open questions.
Psychopharmacology – March 17, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin may hold unique potential for enhancing autobiographical memory and emotional processing. Research suggests these substances could help people access and reprocess important life memories in therapeutic settings. Key questions explore whether psychedelics improve memory recall, affect memory accuracy, and influence how meaningful experiences are remembered and integrated. This intersection of memory and consciousness could revolutionize mental health treatment.
Abstract
Since the earliest LSD research, psychedelics have been claimed to enhance autobiographical memory. Revisiting and processing autobiographical memo...
Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function.
Pharmacology & therapeutics – May 01, 2019
Summary
Classic psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin, once overlooked, are proving to be powerful therapeutic agents. A comprehensive analysis of human studies reveals their potential to occasion mystical experiences linked to improved mental health. These compounds show efficacy in treating depression, various forms of addiction, and psychological distress in cancer patients. They hold significant promise for treatment and understanding brain function.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review and offer novel insights regarding human research with classic psychedelics (classic ...
Psychedelics for the treatment of end-of-life distress in patients with a life-threatening disease.
International review of neurobiology – January 01, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, a single session of psychedelic-assisted therapy can significantly alleviate end-of-life distress. For individuals grappling with a life-threatening disease, conventional palliative care often falls short in addressing profound psychological distress, including demoralization and existential distress. Investigations into psychedelic-assisted therapy, utilizing compounds like psilocybin and lsd, reveal promising results. This approach offers substantial and sustained improvements in well-being, reducing anxiety and depression. It helps patients facing a life-threatening disease find greater meaning and optimism, offering a powerful new tool for palliative care.
Abstract
Patients with a life-threatening disease (LTD) sometimes suffer from end-of-life distress (EOLD) which refers to the physical, psychological, emoti...
Critical appraisal of evidence supporting prescription of psychedelics from clinic websites in Ontario, Canada
PLoS ONE – October 24, 2024
Summary
Psychedelic clinics in Ontario are promoting psilocybin and other psychedelics for an astonishing 47 distinct medical conditions, often with insufficient scientific backing. An analysis of 10 clinic websites revealed only 2 out of 10 described potential risks. While 29 studies were cited for these medical prescriptions, most offered low-to-moderate "level 4" evidence, like case-series. This raises concerns for mental health patients seeking medicine, underscoring the need for transparent, high-quality information regarding psychedelic treatments in family medicine and psychiatry.
Abstract
Psychedelics, including ketamine, 3,4-Methyl enedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA), and psilocybin, have gained attention for their potential therapeutic...
Animal Behavior in Psychedelic Research.
Pharmacological reviews – October 01, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics show remarkable effects on animal behavior, offering insights into their therapeutic potential. Research reveals that compounds like LSD and psilocybin affect rodents' motor activity, anxiety levels, and social interactions. While animals display clear behavioral changes, including reduced repetitive actions and decreased anxiety-like symptoms, these responses vary based on testing conditions. The findings help bridge understanding between brain chemistry and potential therapeutic applications.
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy holds great promise in the treatment of mental health disorders. Research into 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (...
How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
Anesthesia & Analgesia – February 17, 2021
Summary
Michael Pollan's 480-page "How to Change Your Mind" compellingly argues that psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, could revolutionize mental health. Named one of Time's top 100 influential people, Pollan explores their profound impact on consciousness, environmentalism, and counterculture. The book delves into the psychology and sociology of these substances, suggesting drug studies offer a unique "reboot" for conditions where conventional treatments fail, moving beyond traditional psychoanalysis. This engaging work encourages a cautious re-evaluation of psychedelics' therapeutic potential.
Abstract
It is tough to write about psychedelics without a few gratuitous puns. Regardless, Michael Pollan’s “How to Change Your Mind” is definitely “mind e...
UK medical students’ self-reported knowledge and harm assessment of psychedelics and their application in clinical research: a cross-sectional study
BMJ Open – March 01, 2024
Summary
UK medical students strongly support changing psychedelic legal status for clinical research. A cross-sectional study of 132 students found 80.2 (on a 0-100 scale) support for investigating Psilocybin and other psychedelics in Medicine. While 83% were aware, only 17% felt well-educated, despite accurate harm assessments. This highlights a gap in medical education across Psychiatry, Family medicine, and Clinical psychology, suggesting a need for more comprehensive Psychedelics and Drug Studies and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies.
Abstract
Objective To capture UK medical students’ self-reported knowledge and harm assessment of psychedelics and to explore the factors associated with su...
Effects of external stimulation on psychedelic state neurodynamics
OpenAlex – November 02, 2020
Summary
Psychedelics reliably enhance brain entropy, a measure of neural signal diversity, which typically decreases with loss of consciousness. Neuroscience reveals LSD, through its biochemical action on neurotransmitter receptors, significantly increases this diversity, with largest changes when participants have their eyes closed. This finding from Psychedelics and Drug Studies highlights how external stimulus profoundly influences cognitive psychology and subjective experience. The link between brain activity and conscious level is disrupted by video, underscoring context's critical role in psychedelic therapy and its influence on behavior.
Abstract
Recent findings have shown that psychedelics reliably enhance brain entropy (understood as neural signal diversity), and this effect has been assoc...
Adolescent Psychedelic Use and Psychotic or Manic Symptoms
JAMA Psychiatry – March 13, 2024
Summary
Adolescents using psychedelics naturally showed *reduced* psychotic symptoms after accounting for other drug use, with an effect size around -0.79. A large twin study of 16,255 individuals in Psychiatry and Psychology found that among 541 psychedelic users (99% also used cannabis), this association held. However, a genetic predisposition to Bipolar disorder or schizophrenia increased the risk of mania with psychedelic use. This underscores complex interactions in adolescent medicine regarding drug studies and mental health, crucial for clinical psychology.
Abstract
Importance While psychedelic-assisted therapy has shown promise in the treatment of certain psychiatric disorders, little is known about the potent...
Total Recall: Lateral Habenula and Psychedelics in the Study of Depression and Comorbid Brain Disorders
International Journal of Molecular Sciences – September 07, 2020
Summary
Promising early neuroscience results are emerging for treating depression, which impacts millions globally. Clinical trials using Psilocybin and deep brain stimulation targeting the Habenula show potential. These interventions, central to Psychiatry and Medicine, modulate serotonergic systems, influencing neurotransmitter receptor behavior. Advanced neuroimaging is crucial to understand these psychedelic-induced changes at a molecular level, alongside exploring chemical synthesis and alkaloids. This integrated approach in Psychology aims to refine treatments, offering hope for a significant impact on depression's economic burden.
Abstract
Depression impacts the lives and daily activities of millions globally. Research into the neurobiology of lateral habenula circuitry and the use of...
Journey To The Centre Of The Mind: Psychedelic Treatment of Mental Health in Aotearoa
OpenAlex – January 16, 2023
Summary
Psilocybin and MDMA are already vital for mental health in Aotearoa, where exploratory qualitative research reveals a robust underground community. Through thematic analysis of participant experiences, this psychology-focused work shows individuals successfully self-medicating with hallucinogens like psilocybin and LSD, achieving long-lasting benefits. Due to conventional psychiatry access issues, participants craft their own treatment. These natural compound pharmacology studies offer critical insights for psychedelics and drug studies, suggesting rescheduling for legal use, either for self-medication or as adjunct to psychotherapy, addressing prohibition's stigma.
Abstract
<p>Examining participants’ experiences self-medicating with LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA, this exploratory study sought to determine whether psy...
Psychedelic use and psychological flexibility: The role of meaningful intention and decentering
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – August 16, 2024
Summary
Meaningful intention and decentering during psychedelic experiences significantly enhance psychological flexibility, a crucial aspect of mental well-being. Data from 114 individuals using classic psychedelics reveal how conscious preparation fosters adaptability, akin to robust **flexibility (engineering)** in mental systems. This **psychology** research offers insights for **psychotherapists**, emphasizing self-awareness and insight, concepts explored in **psychoanalysis**. **Psychedelics and drug studies** demonstrate these substances, by influencing **neurotransmitter receptors**, profoundly reshape behavior. Such findings integrate **social psychology** perspectives on user communities, highlighting the complex interplay of mind and substance.
Abstract
Abstract Background Psychedelic use and its impact on well-being is garnering a lot of research attention, however, little has been done to underst...
The Psychedelic Renaissance and Its Forensic Implications.
The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law – March 01, 2020
Summary
Recent studies reveal psychedelics may reduce interpersonal violence, marking a significant shift in understanding these substances. After decades, a renaissance in mental health research explores their potential. This re-evaluation necessitates updated knowledge for legal and public safety professionals. Evidence points to positive outcomes, requiring careful assessment of individuals' psychedelic use in various contexts.
Abstract
Recent years have seen a renaissance of research into the use of psychedelic compounds to address various psychiatric conditions. The study of thes...
Race and Gender Differences in the Moderating Relationship of Psychedelics on Stigma and Distress
Psychedelic Medicine – April 22, 2025
Summary
Psychedelic use, including psilocybin and LSD, is linked to reduced psychological distress stemming from mental health stigma, according to an analysis of 458,372 individuals. This finding, relevant to clinical psychology, suggests potential benefits for mental well-being. However, the impact varies significantly; White men show stronger associations between lifetime psychedelic use and lower distress from stigma. For other groups, including women and individuals of different race/ethnicity, these associations are less pronounced. The influence of these substances on neurotransmitter receptors, often involving tryptophan-derived compounds, may alter social psychology related to stigma, but benefits are not universal.
Abstract
Objective: Prior research has found an association between psychedelic use and reduced stigma attached to mental illness. However, whether psychede...
Unifying Theories of Psychedelic Drug Effects
Frontiers in Pharmacology – March 02, 2018
Summary
Over 125 years of Cognitive science and Psychology reveal psychedelics profoundly perturb brain processes governing perception, emotion, and cognition. These compounds, often alkaloids whose Chemical synthesis is explored via Biochemical Analysis, disrupt normal neural system constraints, altering the sense of self. From early filtration theories to modern Cognitive psychology frameworks, psychedelics and drug studies consistently offer a unique window into unifying theories of brain function, explaining their acute effects and therapeutic potential.
Abstract
How do psychedelic drugs produce their characteristic range of acute effects in perception, emotion, cognition, and sense of self? How do these eff...
PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS, MAGICAL THINKING AND PSYCHOSIS
Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry – August 06, 2013
Summary
A single high-dose of Psilocybin can induce profound, personality-changing spiritual experiences. This highlights a paradox in Psychology: how can such Psychedelics, explored in Drug Studies and linked to Mysticism, be both therapeutically useful in Psychoanalysis and resemble psychosis? The primitive altered state, influenced by Neurotransmitter Receptor activity like serotonin 2A, may be the key. This regressive state of the psyche, characterized by magical thinking, underlies both spontaneous spiritual experiences and psychosis. Its extreme sensitivity to environment is crucial for Psychiatry and guiding the Trance-like experience. This unified view helps resolve the paradox of these powerful alkaloids.
Abstract
After completing an undergraduate degree in Psychology in 2003, Robin studied psychoanalysis at Masters level, receiving his MA in 2004. In 2005, R...
Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders.
Journal of addiction psychiatry – January 01, 2024
Summary
Emerging research suggests trauma's impact on personality may be effectively treated with psychedelic assisted therapy. Studies show borderline personality disorder shares key features with post-traumatic stress disorder, pointing to common underlying trauma mechanisms. Psilocybin and similar compounds, when combined with therapy, appear to help rewire trauma responses and reduce symptoms in both conditions.
Abstract
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) share overlapping neurobiological mechanisms particularly reward de...
Right-Wing Psychedelia: Case Studies in Cultural Plasticity and Political Pluripotency
Frontiers in Psychology – December 10, 2021
Summary
Despite common assertions in *Psychedelics and Drug Studies*, these substances do not inherently lead to liberal politics or environmental concern. *Psychology* reveals psychedelics are "politically pluripotent," non-specific amplifiers of existing "set and setting." Experiences challenging a person's fundamental worldview can shift political beliefs in *any* direction. Conservative, hierarchy-based ideologies, exemplified by figures like Jordan Peterson and members of neo-Nazi organizations, can assimilate psychedelic experiences of interconnection. This challenges simplistic *Cognitive psychology* models of political change, highlighting the complex interplay of individual experience and *Politics*.
Abstract
Recent media advocacy for the nascent psychedelic medicine industry has emphasized the potential for psychedelics to improve society, pointing to r...
Exploring psychedelic experiences among people who regularly use methamphetamine: Findings from an international survey.
Drug and alcohol dependence – July 01, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics may offer hope for those struggling with methamphetamine addiction. In a survey of 268 regular meth users, those who had psychedelic experiences reported notable benefits. 59% saw improved mood, while 34% reduced their meth use. Planned sessions in supportive settings led to better outcomes than unplanned or recreational use, especially when other substances weren't involved.
Abstract
Methamphetamine use disorder, associated with significant morbidity and mortality, has limited effective treatments. Psychedelic-assisted psychothe...
Psychedelics, entropic brain theory, and the taxonomy of conscious states: a summary of debates and perspectives.
Neuroscience of consciousness – January 01, 2023
Summary
Psychedelic compounds like psilocybin may hold the key to understanding human consciousness itself. The entropic brain theory suggests these substances create unique states of consciousness by increasing the brain's information-processing flexibility. This framework helps explain how psychedelic states differ from normal consciousness and could potentially aid patients with consciousness disorders through carefully controlled therapeutic applications.
Abstract
Given their recent success in counseling and psychiatry, the dialogue around psychedelics has mainly focused on their applications for mental healt...
Phenethylaminylation: Preliminary In Vitro Evidence for the Covalent Transamidation of Psychedelic Phenethylamines to Glial Proteins using 3,5-Dimethoxy-4-(2-Propynyloxy)-Phenethylamine as a Model Compound.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology – February 17, 2025
Summary
Psychedelic compounds may create lasting brain changes through a newly discovered mechanism: directly attaching to proteins in brain cells. Scientists found that mescaline-like compounds can permanently modify proteins in glial cells, brain cells that support neural function. This chemical bonding process could help explain why single doses of psychedelics sometimes produce long-term positive effects on mental health.
Abstract
Psychedelics are well known for their ability to produce profoundly altered states of consciousness. But, more importantly, the effects of psychede...
Ethnoracial inclusion in clinical trials of psychedelics: a systematic review.
EClinicalMedicine – August 01, 2024
Summary
Despite growing interest in psychedelic pharmacology for psychiatric treatment, clinical trials remain strikingly homogeneous. Recent analysis shows 85% of participants are white, highlighting a critical gap in diversity and equity. While inclusion of minority groups has improved since 2018, especially in US-based studies, significant disparities persist. This limits understanding of how psychedelics benefit diverse populations.
Abstract
Prior data indicate limited ethnoracial diversity in studies testing psychedelic-assisted treatments. Regulatory approval for psychedelic treatment...
The Afterglow Inventory (AGI) – validation of a new instrument for measuring subacute effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics
OpenAlex – October 22, 2024
Summary
The "psychedelic afterglow," a period of enhanced well-being following acute effects, is now systematically measurable. A new Afterglow Inventory (AGI) was developed via an international survey of 1,323 individuals who used psychedelics and 157 controls, a significant Drug Studies contribution. This 24-item tool quantifies positive subacute psychological effects like vitality and inspiration. The AGI score correlated with acute experience intensity (r=0.165) and positive valence (r=0.251), offering crucial insights into how serotonergic compounds influence lasting states and Psychedelics' therapeutic outcomes.
Abstract
Background: Classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD are anecdotally associated with the phenomenon of "psychedelic afterglow," a set of pre...
Turn on, Tune in, and Drop out: Predictors of Attrition in a Prospective Observational Cohort Study on Psychedelic Use (Preprint)
CrossRef
Summary
Concerns about bias in online psychedelic research may be overstated. A prospective investigation of 654 participants found that demographic factors like age and education, alongside personality traits such as conscientiousness and extraversion, predict who completes follow-up surveys. Significantly, neither initial enthusiasm for psychedelics nor challenging experiences influenced dropout rates. This suggests that data gathered from naturalistic psychedelic use is more robust and less prone to certain biases than previously thought, strengthening the field's insights.
Abstract
BACKGROUND The resurgence of research and public interest in the positive psychological effects of psychedelics, together with advancements in digi...
Perceived changes in mental health and social engagement attributed to a single psychedelic experience in autistic adults: results from an online survey.
Psychopharmacology – February 01, 2025
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Anecdotal reports suggest that psychedelic drugs can improve psychological wellbeing and social engagement in autistic people. However, there are f...
Blinding and expectancy confounds in psychedelic randomized controlled trials
Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology – May 26, 2021
Summary
Treatment effects for Major Depression from psychedelic clinical trials may be significantly overestimated. A systematic review of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) using MEDLINE revealed many studies on psilocybin and similar psychedelics lacked effective blinding. Expectancy theory suggests participants often discern if they receive the active medicine or a placebo, influencing reported outcomes. This de-blinding means large effect sizes in clinical psychology and psychiatry for these alternative medicine treatments might be inflated. Future drug studies must improve blinding to accurately assess therapeutic potential.
Abstract
Introduction: There is increasing interest in the potential for psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, LSD and ketamine to treat several mental heal...
Informed Consent Documents from Psychedelic Clinical Trials: A Descriptive Ethical Analysis.
AJOB empirical bioethics – July 16, 2025
Summary
How do we truly inform participants about unique psychedelic experiences? Analyzing informed consent documents from psilocybin clinical trials, researchers found that while essential risks were well-covered, details specific to altered states, like ineffability, were less common. This highlights ongoing efforts in psychedelic bioethics to develop enhanced consent, ensuring comprehensive participant understanding for psychedelic clinical trials.
Abstract
Classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, evoke certain kinds of altered states of consciousness. Specific features of the experience, such...
Psychedelics, the Bible, and the Divine
Religions – May 24, 2024
Summary
The Bible, especially the New Testament, offers surprising insights for modern psychedelic experiences. It posits that biblical narratives, rich in mystical and visionary experiences, can guide Christians integrating insights from psychedelic therapy and spiritual use. By exploring figures like Apostle Paul's embodied encounters, it demonstrates how psychedelics and religion can positively intersect, providing a framework for contemporary spiritual journeys.
Abstract
The current psychedelic renaissance intersects with Christian practices in two key ways. First, as psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) becomes more ...
Racial Differences in Naturalistic Psychedelic Use - Motivations for Use, Communication with Health Care Providers, and Outcomes.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – April 22, 2025
Summary
A groundbreaking survey reveals that people of color are equally interested in psychedelic therapy as white individuals, challenging assumptions about trust barriers in healthcare. While analyzing responses from over 4,300 participants across different race groups, researchers found that people of color were just as motivated to use psychedelics with healthcare providers and reported similar positive outcomes. Though fewer accessed professional support, they disclosed use to doctors at equal rates and sought treatment for comparable issues.
Abstract
People of Color have been under-included in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research. Researchers have argued that systemic issues resulting in ...
Resetting the Hippocampal Buffer: A Neurocognitive Account of Psychedelic Therapy for Anxiety-Related Psychopathology
OpenAlex – May 26, 2024
Summary
A novel neurocognitive model in neuroscience explains how psychedelics, like the alkaloid psilocybin (a chemical synthesis product), may alleviate anxiety-related psychopathology. Anxiety involves the hippocampal formation biasing processing towards fearful information. Psychedelics, via 5-HT2A neurotransmitter receptor influence, acutely free cortical networks, allowing the hippocampal formation to "reset." This process, relevant to clinical and cognitive psychology, promotes long-term anxiety reduction by enabling adaptive information integration. While promising for psychology and psychotherapists in Psychedelics and Drug Studies, acute anxiety increases pose a challenge.
Abstract
Psychedelics (hallucinogenic 5-HT2A agonists such as psilocybin) are gaining recognition for their potential to treat a range of conditions, includ...
Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI)
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience – June 14, 2016
Summary
Ego dissolution, a profound psychological state, is intimately linked to the psychedelic experience. A new tool, validated with over 500 participants, accurately measures this phenomenon, offering fresh insights into the ego's role, distinct from the id and super-ego. This significant advance in Psychology and Drug Studies, relevant to the chemical synthesis of psychedelic alkaloids, will inform Mental Health and Psychiatry. It promises to deepen understanding of psychosis and enhance psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
Abstract
Our results demonstrate the psychometric structure, internal consistency and construct validity of the EDI. Moreover, we demonstrate the close rela...
Considering distinct positive emotions in psychedelic science.
International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England) – December 01, 2024
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
In this review, we discuss psychedelics' acute subjective and persisting therapeutic effects, outline the science of positive emotions, and highlig...
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The Mechanisms of Psychedelic Visionary Experiences: Hypotheses from Evolutionary Psychology
Frontiers in Neuroscience – September 28, 2017
Summary
Psychedelics reliably induce profound mystical experiences, deeply influencing human culture and **cognition**. **Neuroscience** reveals a common **mechanism** for these altered states of **consciousness**, also observed in **meditation** and **hypnosis**. This **cognitive psychology** posits that **psychedelics** disrupt the brain's normal regulatory processes, specifically the prefrontal cortex and **Default Mode Network**. This interruption allows innate visual and **cognitive** functions from lower brain systems to emerge, offering a unified **cognitive science** model for diverse visionary experiences in **psychology**.
Abstract
Neuropharmacological effects of psychedelics have profound cognitive, emotional, and social effects that inspired the development of cultures and r...