A long-term follow-up of a randomized trial found that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy produced lasting reductions in anxiety, depression, hopelessness, demoralization, and death anxiety in people with cancer-related psychiatric distress. At an average of 3.2 and 4.5 years after psilocybin administration, 60–80% of participants still showed clinically significant antidepressant or anxiolytic responses. Most participants (71–100%) attributed positive life changes to the therapy and rated it among the most personally meaningful and spiritually significant experiences of their lives. The study's conclusions are limited by the crossover design of the original trial, but the results suggest psilocybin-assisted therapy may promote long-term relief from cancer-related distress.
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy reduces posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms more than a low dose, with effects lasting at least 12 months. In a double-blind trial, 28 people with chronic PTSD received either 100 mg, 125 mg, or 40 mg of MDMA during psychotherapy sessions. The active dose groups showed larger reductions in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale scores one month after two sessions, with mean changes of -26.3 for 125 mg, -24.4 for 100 mg, and -11.5 for 40 mg. At 12-month follow-up, 76% no longer met PTSD criteria. No serious adverse events occurred, and the treatment was well-tolerated.