Anxiety and Affective Symptoms Related to the Use of Classic Psychedelics: A Systematic Review.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences October 23, 2024 Grace Viljoen, Felix Betzler 5 citations
A systematic review of 39 papers examined whether classic psychedelics can cause anxiety and affective disorders, finding that persistent problems are rare and typically occur in people with multiple risk factors such as overdose, polydrug use, unstructured recreational settings, psychosocial stress, or personal or family psychiatric history. In clinical psychedelic-assisted therapy, enduring anxiety or mood symptoms were uncommon; acute anxiety that arose during sessions usually resolved on its own without extra treatment. The role of emotional catharsis in therapy is discussed. Recommendations to improve safety include strengthening the therapeutic alliance, ensuring adequate mental preparation, acclimating to high doses, and providing ongoing therapeutic support.