Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Literature Review

Summary

Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) shows promise in improving mental health outcomes related to trauma, as traditional treatments for PTSD have not significantly advanced since the 1980s. The prevalence of PTSD is about 8% over a lifetime and nearly 4% currently, highlighting an urgent need for effective therapies. The analysis indicates a positive correlation between PAP and enhanced quality of life for individuals with trauma-related disorders.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Psychopharmacology to treat major mental illnesses and trauma-related disorders has been around since the 1950s and peaked around the 1980s, without substantial advancement since that time.Subsequently the psychiatric understanding and treatment of mental illness radically changed over the span of those 30 years (Braslow, 2019).Despite our understanding of trauma continuing to advance, and the name posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) having become a household name since it first appeared in the DSM III in 1980(Crocq, 2000), our treatments leave much to be desired with regard to resolution of the root cause.Consequently, the inadequacy of trauma competent treatments and applications have brought about a lack of quality of life for patients and intense taxation on systems of care.The consequences of the multitude of clinical, social, and financial burdens as a result of ineffective treatments are enormous.The impact of trauma morbidity and mortality is further amplified by considerable detrimental disruptions in family, workplace, and societal contexts.The prevalence of PTSD in the general population for a lifetime is approximately 8%, and just under 4% for the current year, making it the fifth most prevalent mental disorder in the United States (Krystal, 2017).Despite this pervasiveness and costly impact, there seems to be no visible horizon for advancements in pharmaceutical medications or the systems that administer them, in order to heal symptoms or enhance outcomes in persons with a diagnosis of PTSD.On the other hand, use of psychedelics for numerous ailments goes back centuries, and was once considered a societal norm."The structured psychedelic use that has long been a part of ritual healing experiences for human societies is slowly regaining credibility in Western medicine for its potential to treat various mental health conditions… it is argued that a "psychedelic renaissance" anchored in the lessons of antiquity can potentially help shift healthcare systems-and perhaps the broader societytowards practices that are more humane, attentive to underlying causes of distress, and supportive of human flourishing" (George, 2021, p. 1).This thesis is a content analysis on Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP), and how it is being used to improve mental health outcomes by measure of quality of life, above and beyond the current standards of treatment for trauma.The results suggest there is a positive correlation between mental health outcomes with use of PAP.

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