
UP-TO-DATE, RESEARCH BASED INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHEDELICS.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy training: An argument in support of firsthand experience of nonordinary states of consciousness in the development of competence
This perspective on experiential training delves into the potential benefits and counterarguments related to integrating firsthand experience of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PaT) to enhance the competency of trainees.
An estimate of the number of people with clinical depression eligible for psilocybin-assisted therapy in the United States
Percentage of patients who are eligible are 24% (lower-bound), 56% (mid-range), and 62% (upperbound). Variance was largely influenced by the removal of alcohol and substance use disorders as exclusion criteria.
The association between diverse psychological protocols and the efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy for clinical depressive symptoms: a Bayesian meta-analysis
Compared with manualized nondirective psychological support, the other three psychological approaches did not differ significantly. The improvement of depressive symptoms was not associated with the psychological protocols in adult patients receiving psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Adverse events in studies of classic psychedelics: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Reports of serious AEs (SAEs) and nonserious AEs (NSAEs) requiring medical or psychiatric attention in classic psychedelic research were rare. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 3504 participants from 114 studies, SAEs were reported for no healthy participants and approximately 4% of participants with preexisting neuropsychiatric disorders; however, for most studies, there was concern for underdetection or incomplete AE reporting.
The clinic for psychedelic difficulties: where people go when the trip never really ends
This is a useful newspaper article discussing persisting difficulties that occur for some after taking psychedelics and gives contact details for potential sources of help.
Social identity processes as a vehicle for therapeutic success in psychedelic treatment
We outline the relevance of the ‘social cure’ model, supported by strong empirical evidence in social identity and health literature, emphasizing the importance of group contexts and social identity-based relationships in the theraputic effects of psychedelics.
FIVE guide: Pharmacology & drug interactions of 5-Meo-DMT
This guide was put together in a collaborative effort with F.I.V.E. to inform and educate persons interested in 5-MeO-DMT about the pharmacology, drug interaction risks, potential for Serotonin Toxicity, and some risk management or stratification tools.
Validation of the Swiss Psychedelic Side Effects Inventory: Standardized assessment of adverse effects in studies of psychedelics and MDMA
We aimed to create a standardized tool for recording clinically relevant side effects of psychedelics and MDMA, including their severity, duration, impact, and treatment-relatedness.
National Institutes of Health awards $2.4 million grant to cross-disciplinary team of researchers to study psychedelics for methamphetamine addiction
The Louisiana Addiction Research Center at LSU Health Shreveport have been awarded a five-year, $2.4 million research grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to uncover critical insights into how psychedelics could be used as a therapeutic to treat methamphetamine addiction.
Pharmacological and non-pharmacological predictors of the LSD experience in healthy participants
The pharmacodynamic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are diverse and different in different individuals. Effects of other psychoactive substances have been shown to be critically influenced by non-pharmacological factors such as personality traits and mood states. The aim of this study was to determine pharmacological and psychological predictors of the LSD effects in healthy human subjects.
Efficacy and safety of psychedelics for the treatment of mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis
We aim to systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness and safety of psychedelics [psilocybin, ayahuasca (active component DMT), LSD and MDMA] in treating symptoms of various mental disorders.
MindBio announces sustained antidepressant response 3-months post treatment in microdosing depression clinical trials
MindBio's thesis is that microdosing psychedelic medicines is a globally scalable, effective, affordable way to treat patients and will not have the same cost and time burden on patients that clinic based hallucinogenic treatments present.
Comparative oral monotherapy of psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ayahuasca, and escitalopram for depressive symptoms: systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
Of the available psychedelic treatments for depressive symptoms, patients treated with high dose psilocybin showed better responses than those treated with placebo in the antidepressant trials, but the effect size was small.
MDMA plus exposure therapy for PTSD
MAPS have just given a grant of $200K to see if MDMA can enhance the effectiveness of Massed Exposure Therapy (MET). MET delivers 10 x 90min exposure therapy sessions over 10 days and has been shown to be pretty much as effective to the one 90min session per week for 10 weeks of standard Prolonged Exposure Therapy. As MAPS comment "This study is one of the first trials exploring whether psychedelic-assisted therapy can enhance an existing evidence-based PTSD therapeutic treatment."
Antidepressants and psychedelics: Interaction risks & tapering guide
Ben Malcolm (aka the Spirit Pharmacist) produces some of the best material available on psychedelic drug interactions.
The FDA’s decision on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: A call for pragmatism and scientific rigor
What is particularly surprising is the stark contrast between the FDA’s decision and the conclusions reached by the Dutch State Committee on MDMA. Based on the same body of evidence, the Dutch committee (consisting of scientists, psychiatrists, legal experts, drug prevention and harm reduction specialists) arrived at a radically different conclusion: MDMA-AT is promising, effective, relatively safe and warrants more scientific research to further explore its therapeutic potential.
“SIZE MATTERS”: High strength ecstasy pills are back, so harm reduction communications need to adapt
Average pill strength has increased in 2024, back to pre-pandemic levels (>180mg MDMA); Total pill weight can be a simple indicator of high strength pills and flag up the need for extra caution.
Rejecting ecstasy: Ben Malcolm's response
I wanted to put together an article and video explaining my perspective on the FDA's recent decision of not approve MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of PTSD (at least at this time).
The therapeutic potential of psychedelics on reducing rumination: A mini-review
The results from six studies demonstrate a significant association between psychedelic use and lower levels of rumination, providing evidence that rumination may serve as a key cognitive factor in psychedelic treatment.
Preferences and attitudes toward music in nonclinical uses of psychedelics
Contrary to clinical recommendations, only 10% and 22%, respectively, of survey respondents agreed that music for psychedelic experiences should be unfamiliar and without understandable lyrics. Furthermore, our data suggest potential unique benefits of psychedelic experiences devoid of music, particularly with the shortest and longest acting substances.