Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Journal of Humanistic Psychology – June 19, 2017
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Patients receiving psilocybin for depressive symptoms experienced a profound shift from disconnection to connection, a compelling finding in clinical psychology. Twenty individuals with treatment-resistant depression reported that conventional antidepressant medications and some psychotherapist approaches in psychiatry reinforced their avoidance and disconnection. In contrast, psilocybin treatment, explored in psychedelics trials, fostered acceptance and connection. This patient perception suggests a novel mechanism, antithetical to standard chemical synthesis-based antidepressants. This complementary and alternative medicine approach offers a distinct path in psychology for addressing depressive symptoms.
Abstract
Objective: To identify patients’ perceptions of the value of psilocybin as a treatment for depression. Method: Twenty patients enrolled in an open-label trial of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression participated in a semistructured interview at 6-month follow-up. Thematic analysis was used to identify patients’ experiences of the treatment and how it compared with previous treatments. Results: Two main change processes were identified in relation to the treatment. The first concerned change from disconnection (from self, others, and world) to connection, and the second concerned change from avoidance (of emotion) to acceptance. A third theme concerned comparison between psilocybin and conventional treatments. Patients reported that medications and some short-term talking therapies tended to reinforce their sense of disconnection and avoidance, whereas treatment with psilocybin encouraged connection and acceptance. Conclusions: These results suggest that psilocybin treatment for depression may work via paradigmatically novel means, antithetical to antidepressant medications, and some short-term talking therapies.