Psychedelic Therapy—A New Paradigm of Care for Mental Health
JAMA – August 31, 2023
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
A significant shift is underway in medicine and psychiatry, as growing interest focuses on psychedelics for mental health. These powerful compounds, often derived through chemical synthesis or from natural alkaloids, are now being explored by psychotherapists for treating debilitating conditions. This includes anxiety, posttraumatic stress, eating disorders, and addiction. Their unique interaction with brain chemistry, potentially involving tryptophan pathways, offers new avenues for addressing mental health challenges, easing the profound personal and economic burden of depression and other brain disorders.
Abstract
An increasing number of clinicians and researchers have become interested in the potential of psychedelic drugs for the treatment of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and addictions.1,2