A proposal to evaluate mechanistic efficacy of hallucinogens in addiction treatment
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse – August 22, 2013
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Hallucinogens like Psilocybin offer significant, long-term benefits for drug abstinence, a compelling finding given current addiction treatment failures. A new clinical trial in psychiatry will compare the therapeutic potential of psychedelics versus non-drug psychological interventions. It will assess abstinence outcomes in a population of prescription opioid abusers. Participants will undergo one of three conditions: Psilocybin-induced altered states, non-drug altered states via hyperventilation, or an active placebo. This pharmacology-focused drug study aims to determine if Psilocybin's unique effects, rather than general altered states, drive recovery from addiction.
Abstract
Current treatments for addiction are frequently ineffective. Hallucinogenic therapy has been indicated as helpful for a range of substance use disorders, yet this approach remains understudied and publicly unavailable. It is nonetheless a promising treatment, which has significant, long-term beneficial effects with single doses and a profile characterized by general safety, low toxicity, and non-addictiveness. However, pharmacological interventions, such as hallucinogens, should not be offered if the same effects (e.g. psychological insights/mystical experiences) and outcomes (e.g. decreased drug use) could be achieved absent pharmacological intervention. To date, there have been no clinical comparisons of drug-induced altered states with non-drug-induced states for addiction treatment. We propose and then outline a clinical trial to address this gap in knowledge. The proposed design would evaluate abstinence outcomes in a population of prescription opioid abusers after exposure to one of three conditions: a drug-induced altered state using psilocybin, a non-drug-induced altered state via hyperventilation (Holotropic Breathwork), and an active placebo with niacin. The outcomes of such a study would reveal important differences in therapeutic potential by discriminating hallucinogen-dependent effects from those psychological effects resulting from altered states.