Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to treat psychiatric and existential distress in life-threatening medical illnesses and palliative care.
Neuropharmacology – September 15, 2022
Source: PubMed
Summary
Many facing serious illnesses grapple with profound Anxiety, Depression, and Demoralization syndrome, where current Palliative care treatments often fall short, especially for Existential distress. A compelling review highlights Psychedelics, when combined with psychotherapy, as a promising new approach. By examining efficacy data from past research, the analysis suggests these therapies could significantly alleviate these complex psychiatric and existential burdens, forging a new path for patient well-being.
Abstract
Psychiatric and existential distress commonly occur in advanced cancer and other serious, life-threatening or end-of-life medical illnesses and are associated with poor medical and psychiatric outcomes. Currently available treatment modalities in this patient population, including medication and psychotherapy, are limited in effectiveness, especially regarding existential distress. The lack of effective psycho-spiritual interventions is a critical shortcoming in palliative care and represents a high unmet need in medicine. In this commentary, we review the rationale of researching and developing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy as a novel pharmacologic-psychotherapeutic intervention to treat psychiatric and existential distress in life-threatening medical conditions and palliative care. This paper reviews efficacy data from first and second waves of psychedelic research, and future directions for research and implementation science. More rigorous research, especially funded by governments, is needed to assess effectiveness and mechanisms of action of psychedelic therapies to treat psychiatric and existential distress in life-threatening medical illnesses and palliative care. If psychedelic-assisted treatments were made available as approved and prescribable medications in people with serious medical illnesses, it could be a significant development that opens up a pathway for clinical dissemination and public health impact internationally.