Journal of Humanistic Psychology
April 28, 2017
Alexander Belser, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Thomas Cody Swift et al.
305 citations
In psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for cancer patients with anxiety, participants commonly reported feelings of interconnectedness, emotional range, meaningful visual phenomena, and revised life priorities. Most described exalted joy, bliss, love, and transient distress, while some experienced lasting identity changes, synesthesia, catharsis, improved relationships, and forgiveness. The findings suggest psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may effectively treat psychological distress in cancer patients.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
June 25, 2018
Tehseen Noorani, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Thomas Cody Swift et al.
285 citations
In a follow-up study of a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot, 12 of 15 original participants were interviewed about 30 months after their psilocybin sessions. Participants described gaining vivid insights into their self-identity and reasons for smoking, and reported that experiences of interconnectedness, awe, and curiosity persisted long after the drug's acute effects. The content of the psilocybin experience overshadowed short-term withdrawal symptoms. Participants also emphasized the importance of preparatory counseling, strong rapport with the study team, and a sense of momentum from being engaged in the treatment. Beyond quitting smoking, many reported lasting positive changes such as increased aesthetic appreciation, altruism, and pro-social behavior.
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
June 14, 2017
Thomas Cody Swift, Alexander Belser, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes et al.
187 citations
In psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for cancer patients with anxiety, participants described reconciling with death, acknowledging cancer's place in life, and emotionally uncoupling from the disease. The immersive and sometimes distressing psilocybin session led to spiritual or religious interpretations, a felt reconnection to life, reclaiming presence, and greater confidence about cancer recurrence. Patients also reported anxiety and trauma related to cancer and a perceived lack of emotional support. The findings suggest psychological mechanisms—such as emotional uncoupling and reconciliation with death—that may underlie large reductions in anxiety and depression observed in recent trials.
PLoS ONE
August 24, 2022
Mary M. Sweeney, Sandeep M. Nayak, Ethan Hurwitz et al.
60 citations
Psychedelic drug experiences and near-death or other non-ordinary experiences both change people's beliefs about death, but direct comparisons are rare. In a survey of 3,192 individuals who reported such experiences, those from non-drug causes (e.g., near-death) were more likely to involve unconsciousness, clinical death, or imminent danger. Both groups reported similar reductions in fear of death, high personal meaning, spiritual significance, and psychological insight. However, psychedelic participants scored higher on standardized measures of mystical and near-death features, while non-drug participants more often rated their experience as the single most meaningful of their lives. Among psychedelics, ayahuasca and DMT produced stronger positive enduring effects than psilocybin and LSD.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
September 27, 2022
William Barone, Michiko Mitsunaga-Whitten, Lia Osunfunláyò Blaustein et al.
14 citations
Anxiety related to life-threatening illness is a common problem that current treatments only partially address. In a pilot clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for this condition, participants described key therapeutic experiences: processing trauma and grief, having mystical and existential experiences, engaging more fully with the present moment with less physiological arousal, and facing fears about illness and death. Outcomes included better ability to cope with their illness, reduced psychological symptoms, improved vitality and quality of life, and greater emotional resilience even after medical relapse. The findings suggest that MDMA-assisted therapy may help people reconnect to life and build emotional resources for dealing with existential distress.