Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders.
Journal of addiction psychiatry – January 01, 2024
Source: PubMed
Summary
Emerging research suggests trauma's impact on personality may be effectively treated with psychedelic assisted therapy. Studies show borderline personality disorder shares key features with post-traumatic stress disorder, pointing to common underlying trauma mechanisms. Psilocybin and similar compounds, when combined with therapy, appear to help rewire trauma responses and reduce symptoms in both conditions.
Abstract
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) share overlapping neurobiological mechanisms particularly reward deficiency and stress-like anti-reward processes. And so, BPD may be reclassified as a "traumatic personality stress disorder" (TPSD) with ensuing common therapeutic strategies that may stabilize dopaminergic reward function such as psychedelic-assisted therapy. Integrated therapeutic strategies may be further supported by genetic studies aimed at assessing similarities between the two therapeutic entities. In this perspective we theorize that psychedelic assisted therapy (PAT) may play a role in the treatment of trauma induced personality disorders. This study identifies PAT as a pathway for treating both BPD and PTSD, proposing that reframing BPD as TPSD could lead to more effective, personalized interventions, ultimately improving the quality of life for those affected by trauma. Such a reclassification might also mitigate stigma, enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, and optimize therapeutic interventions for a broader range of diagnostic categories characterized by anhedonia, negative affective states, hypervigilance, and dissociation.