The Psychiatric clinics of North America
June 1, 2012
Stephen Ross
54 citations
Serotonergic hallucinogen-assisted psychotherapy may prove safe and effective for treating substance use disorders in controlled trials, offering a novel treatment paradigm. These substances differ from other drugs of abuse by not producing dependence syndromes, with effects on the nucleus accumbens and dopamine ranging from inhibition to slight activation without causing addiction. Risks include adverse psychological events, manageable through careful screening, and low potential for misuse. Their ability to treat addictive, psychiatric, and existential disorders represents a potential paradigmatic shift in psychiatry.
The Psychiatric clinics of North America
June 1, 2023
Shubham Kamal, Manish Kumar Jha, Rajiv Radhakrishnan
32 citations
Interest in using psychedelics to treat treatment-resistant depression is growing, but evidence for classic psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca/DMT remains limited, though early results are promising. Atypical psychedelics such as ketamine have also been studied. Researchers caution that the field may be experiencing a hype bubble. Future work should identify the essential components of psychedelic therapies and their neurobiological mechanisms to support clinical adoption.
The Psychiatric clinics of North America
September 1, 2025
Eric M J Morris, Daniel D Simsion
5 citations
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a third-wave cognitive-behavioral therapy emphasizing acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based actions, has been successfully applied to support recovery from psychosis across multiple contexts. This article outlines how to adapt ACT for individuals experiencing psychosis, offering practical clinical tips for practitioners. It also reviews research literature supporting ACT's efficacy for psychosis and discusses next steps in research and clinical innovations.
The Psychiatric clinics of North America
March 1, 2026
Aaron Keshen, Stephen Touyz, Emilie Lacroix et al.
Innovative pharmacologic treatments for eating disorders, including psychedelics and stimulant medications, are being explored. Preliminary evidence suggests psilocybin may enhance cognitive flexibility and support psychological interventions in some eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. Lisdexamfetamine offers benefits for binge-eating disorder, while medications for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and bulimia nervosa remain understudied. The article underscores the need for robust clinical trials to evaluate these approaches and advocates for integrating novel treatments into existing therapeutic frameworks to address the complex biological and psychological dimensions of eating disorders.
The Psychiatric clinics of North America
June 1, 2024
Lewis Leone, Bryan McSpadden, Annamarie Demarco et al.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy varies widely in how it is implemented, and there is no agreement on the best way to combine the drug experience with psychotherapy. This systematic review evaluates existing approaches to integrating psychotherapy with psychedelics and offers recommendations for developing and optimizing evidence-based treatments that combine both elements to maximize therapeutic benefit and enable clear scientific conclusions.