Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to treat psychiatric and existential distress in life-threatening medical illnesses and palliative care.
Neuropharmacology September 15, 2022 S Ross, M Agrawal, R R Griffiths et al. 69 citations
Psychiatric and existential distress are common in advanced cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, yet current treatments—including medication and psychotherapy—have limited effectiveness, especially for existential distress. This commentary reviews the rationale for developing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy as a novel intervention, summarizing efficacy data from first and second waves of psychedelic research. The authors conclude that more rigorous, government-funded research is needed to assess effectiveness and mechanisms of action. If approved and prescribable, psychedelic-assisted treatments could have significant clinical and public health impact internationally.