Drugs Education Prevention and Policy
December 10, 2020
Monnica T. Williams, Alan K. Davis, Yitong Xin et al.
100 citations
Psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA may reduce symptoms of racial trauma among Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) after a racist experience. In a cross-sectional survey of 313 diverse BIPOC in the US and Canada, participants retrospectively reported mental health symptoms 30 days before and 30 days after using a psychedelic. Analysis showed significant decreases in traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and stress following the experience. A strong positive relationship emerged between acute psychedelic effects (mystical-type, insight, and challenging experiences) and reductions in psychopathology, even after controlling for prior discrimination and time since the experience. The findings suggest psychedelics could lessen the negative impact of racial trauma, though further research on psychedelic-assisted therapy for race-based trauma is needed.
The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse
September 3, 2023
Alan Kooi Davis, Yitong Xin, Nathan Sepeda et al.
29 citations
Combined ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT assisted therapy produced rapid and large improvements in mental health among trauma-exposed Special Operations Forces Veterans. In a sample of 86 male veterans, self-reported PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, insomnia severity, and post-concussive symptoms all significantly decreased from baseline to one-month follow-up. Satisfaction with life, psychological flexibility, and cognitive functioning also significantly improved. The therapeutic effects appeared durable up to six months. The study was a prospective clinical program evaluation conducted in Mexico, and the authors call for future controlled research to confirm these findings.
Frontiers in Epidemiology
March 23, 2022
Alan K. Davis, Brooke J. Arterberry, Yitong Xin et al.
20 citations
Asian females had the highest prevalence of past-year hallucinogen use (35.06%), two or more times that of White males and females and Native American males. More than half of White males and females, Multiracial males, and Hispanic males had ever used psilocybin or LSD, while less than a quarter of Black males and females reported lifetime psilocybin use. Native American males had the lowest lifetime MDMA use (17.62–33.30%) but the highest lifetime peyote use (40.37–53.24%). Pacific Islander males had the highest lifetime mescaline use (28.27%), and Pacific Islander males and females had the highest lifetime DMT use (15.68–38.58%).
Military psychology : the official journal of the Division of Military Psychology, American Psychological Association
January 1, 2024
Stacey B Armstrong, Yitong Xin, Nathan D Sepeda et al.
19 citations
Among 45 U.S. Special Operations Forces Veterans with risky alcohol use who completed ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT treatment in Mexico, alcohol use dropped substantially from an average of 7.2 drinks per drinking day before treatment to 3.6 at one month and 4.0 at six months post-treatment. At one month, 24% were abstinent, 33% were non-risky drinkers, and 42% still risky drinkers; by six months, 16% were abstinent, 31% non-risky, and 53% risky. Responders (abstinent or non-risky) showed very large improvements in PTSD symptoms and cognitive functioning compared to non-responders, while demographics did not differ. The findings suggest psychedelic-assisted therapy may help those with complex trauma and alcohol misuse who have not responded to traditional treatments.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
August 21, 2023
Stacey B. Armstrong, Adam W. Levin, Yitong Xin et al.
12 citations
Among 856 U.S. mental health professionals—social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists—there were no differences in confidence that psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) would be effective. However, psychiatrists showed a better understanding of PAT than social workers. Psychologists rated PAT as more acceptable than social workers did, and psychologists also rated it as a more reasonable treatment approach than both social workers and psychiatrists. Social workers perceived greater disadvantages of PAT than psychologists and psychiatrists, and they were less likely than both other groups to believe PAT could permanently improve clients' lives. The findings indicate a need for education and training across professions as PAT moves toward approval.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
February 13, 2025
Yitong Xin, Roland R Griffiths, Alan K Davis
1 citation
Among ayahuasca users who report encountering an entity during their experience, males and females show different patterns of religious belief change. Before the encounter, males were more likely to identify as atheists and less likely to hold religious beliefs than females. After the encounter, both sexes became less atheist or agnostic and more religious, but the shift was larger for males: the proportion of religious males rose significantly, while the increase for females was not statistically significant. These results suggest that sex is linked to how religious beliefs shift after an entity encounter, pointing to the importance of considering sex in psychedelic research on spirituality.
Psychedelic Medicine
May 9, 2026
Yitong Xin, Alan K. Davis, Susan Yoon et al.
People with higher psychological resilience before an ayahuasca retreat reported more intense acute challenging experiences, such as nausea or emotional distress. Resilience also moderated how those challenging experiences related to later meaning-making: among participants with higher baseline resilience, the link between acute difficulty and a subsequent search for meaning in life was stronger. The findings suggest that resilience may help individuals transform difficult psychedelic moments into psychospiritual growth, pointing to the value of incorporating resilience-building into retreat preparation and integration programs.