LSD-assisted therapy in patients with anxiety: open-label prospective 12-month follow-up.
The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science – September 01, 2024
Source: PubMed
Summary
A groundbreaking clinical trial reveals that LSD-assisted therapy offers lasting relief from anxiety and depression. Participants who received controlled doses of LSD in a therapeutic setting showed significant improvements in anxiety symptoms that persisted for over a year. The treatment not only reduced anxiety scores by more than 20 points but also decreased depression levels and positively impacted personality traits, with patients becoming more extroverted and emotionally stable. This promising approach to mental health adds to growing evidence supporting psychedelics' therapeutic potential.
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are a major public health burden with limited treatment options. We investigated the long-term safety and efficacy of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)-assisted therapy in patients with anxiety with or without life-threatening illness. This study was an a priori-planned long-term follow-up of an investigator-initiated, two-centre trial that used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period, random-order, crossover design with two sessions with either oral LSD (200 μg) or placebo per period. Participants (n = 39) were followed up 1 year after the end-of-study visit to assess symptoms of anxiety, depression and long-term effects of psychedelics using Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Global (STAI-G), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Persisting Effects Questionnaire and measures of personality traits using the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory. Participants reported a sustained reduction of STAI-G scores compared with baseline (least square means (95% CI) = -21.6 (-32.7, -10.4), d = 1.04, P < 0.001, for those who received LSD in the first period (94 weeks after the last LSD treatment) and -16.5 (-26.2, -6.8), d = 1.02, P < 0.05, for those who received LSD in the second period (68 weeks after the last LSD treatment)). Similar effects were observed for comorbid depression with change from baseline BDI scores of -8.1 (-13.2, -3.1), d = 0.71, P < 0.01, and -8.9 (-12.9, -4.9), d = 1.21, P < 0.01, for the LSD-first and placebo-first groups, respectively. Personality trait neuroticism decreased (P < 0.0001) and trait extraversion increased (P < 0.01) compared with study inclusion. Individuals attributed positive long-term effects to the psychedelic experience. Patients reported sustained long-term effects of LSD-assisted therapy for anxiety.