Among 72 patients prescribed buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in office-based opioid treatment, 90.3% reported practicing at least one category of meditation-based intervention (MBI) on at least a daily (39.6%) or weekly (41.7%) basis. The most common type was spiritual meditation (67.7%), followed by nonmantra meditation (61.3%), mindfulness meditation (54.8%), and mantra meditation (29.0%). Interest in MBI was motivated by improving general health and well-being (73.4%), treatment outcomes (60.9%), and relationships (60.9%). Perceived benefits included reduced anxiety or depression (70.3%), pain (62.5%), substance use (60.9%), cravings (57.8%), and withdrawal symptoms (51.6%). The findings suggest high acceptability for adopting MBI in this population.
Psychedelic compounds like psilocybin and LSD are being studied again as potential treatments, but research usually excludes people at risk for psychosis. This narrative review examines the historical and theoretical links between psychedelics and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), including the psychotomimetic hypothesis. The authors compare the phenomenological experiences induced by psychedelics with those of SSDs, finding both overlap and important qualitative differences that challenge a simple equivalence. They review neural mechanisms involving serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate. Clinical evidence shows psychedelics can worsen existing psychotic illness and may trigger psychosis in vulnerable individuals, though the risk magnitude is not well quantified. The authors suggest potential therapeutic applications for carefully selected symptoms in stable patients using low-dose, controlled approaches and provide recommendations for managing psychosis-related risk.