Investigational psilocybin treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder: a qualitative study of participant experience, trauma engagement, and differences from standard treatment.
EClinicalMedicine December 1, 2025 Nadav Liam Modlin, Victoria Williamson, Guy M Goodwin et al. 2 citations
Psilocybin treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, when delivered with standardized preparation and support, may allow patients to engage with trauma-related material indirectly through affective, somatic, and self-transcendent experiences, such as feelings of unity or dissolution of self, rather than requiring direct confrontation with traumatic memories as in standard therapies. This qualitative study, nested within a phase 2 trial involving 21 adults with PTSD, identified four core themes: non-pharmacological factors for psychological safety and trust, the experiential nature of psilocybin treatment, engagement with trauma-related material, and comparative reflections on prior therapies. The findings suggest psilocybin offers a meaningful therapeutic opportunity, but larger controlled studies are needed.