The Role of Psychedelics in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: An Overview of Systematic Reviews.
Brain Sci September 28, 2025 Sabrina Correa da Costa, Nicholas L. Bormann, Tyler Oesterle et al. 3 citations
Substance use disorders affect over 48.5 million Americans, and available treatments often fail even with adequate adherence. This overview of 16 systematic reviews examined evidence on serotonergic psychedelics and ketamine for treating substance use disorders. Preliminary evidence suggests these compounds may offer advantages over traditional treatments and could eventually become part of next-generation therapies under specific circumstances. However, significant challenges remain: high risk of bias and methodological limitations in existing studies warrant caution, and associated risks are not negligible. The use of psychedelic drugs for substance use disorders remains experimental, and current evidence is insufficient to support clinical practice.