Journal of Psychopharmacology
January 9, 2020
Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Tara C. Malone, Matthew M. Yalch et al.
353 citations
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.
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 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.
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
March 18, 2021
Stephen Ross, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Sharon L. Lo et al.
133 citations
People with advanced cancer face elevated risks of desire for hastened death, suicidal ideation, and completed suicide. Loss of meaning, a component of demoralization, predicts these outcomes. In a randomized controlled trial, psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy produced rapid and sustained improvements in depression, demoralization, and hopelessness. Secondary analyses showed that among participants with elevated suicidal ideation at baseline, reductions in suicidal ideation appeared as early as 8 hours and persisted for 6.5 months. Large reductions in loss of meaning emerged 2 weeks after treatment and remained significant at 6.5 months and at 3.2 and 4.5 year follow-ups. The findings suggest psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may be an effective antisuicidal intervention for cancer patients due to its positive impact on hopelessness and meaning-making.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
April 3, 2018
Tara C. Malone, Sarah E. Mennenga, Jeffrey Guss et al.
128 citations
Cancer patients who receive psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy often have personalized experiences that extend beyond their diagnosis, centering on self-compassion, love, acceptance of death, and past trauma. In a double-blind trial, 29 patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression received either psilocybin or niacin with psychotherapy. Psilocybin produced rapid and lasting reductions in anxiety and depression. Detailed accounts of four participants show that while the content of each psilocybin session was unique, common themes emerged. The findings highlight how the subjective effects of psilocybin can address individual spiritual and psychological needs.
November 3, 2012
Charles S. Grob, Anthony P. Bossis, Roland R. Griffiths
52 citations
Psilocybin, a hallucinogen, shows promise in alleviating distress in patients with mental health issues. In a study involving 200 participants, 60% reported significant reductions in anxiety and depression after treatment sessions with a trained psychotherapist. This suggests that psilocybin could serve as a valuable tool in psychiatry, offering an alternative to traditional medications. The findings highlight the potential of psychedelics in enhancing psychological well-being and support their inclusion in complementary and alternative medicine studies for better mental health outcomes.
Journal of Palliative Medicine
April 1, 2020
Yvan Beaussant, Justin J. Sanders, Zachary Sager et al.
39 citations
Experts in serious illness care and psychedelic research hold polarized views on psychedelic-assisted therapies for patients with serious illness, ranging from strong support for medical utility to reluctance due to risks such as delirium or worsening psychological distress. Research priorities focus on patients with clinically diagnosed psychosocial distress like depression, anxiety, or demoralization, though some roles extend beyond traditional medical diagnosis. Essential safety and efficacy guidelines are needed for integrating these therapies into existing care models. The study proposes a conceptual framework for such integration based on interviews with 17 experts from the United States and Canada.
Psychedelic Medicine
May 16, 2025
Roland R. Griffiths, William A. Richards, Robert L. Jesse et al.
14 citations
In clergy from various world religions who had never used psychedelics, two supported psilocybin sessions (20 mg/70 kg, then 20 or 30 mg/70 kg) led to sustained positive changes in religious practices, attitudes about their religion, and effectiveness as a religious leader, as well as in non-religious attitudes, moods, and behavior, compared with a waitlist control group. At 16‑month follow‑up, 96% rated at least one experience among the top five most spiritually significant of their lives, 42% rated it the single most profound, and 79% reported positive effects on daily sense of the sacred. No serious adverse events occurred, though 46% rated an experience among the top five most psychologically challenging of their lives.
Alternative and Complementary Therapies
January 13, 2021
Anthony P. Bossis
6 citations
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Oxford University Press eBooks
December 1, 2022
Stephen Ross, Anthony P. Bossis
Major academic centers are resuming clinical research into psilocybin and other serotonergic psychedelics combined with psychotherapy to treat psychiatric and existential distress in terminally ill patients. Despite advances in palliative care for medical and pain symptoms, effective treatments for depression, anxiety, and demoralization at the end of life remain scarce. The World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine have identified addressing spiritual and existential distress as essential for improving emotional well-being and quality of life in advanced illness. This chapter covers the history, anthropology, neuropharmacology, safety, and efficacy data from two waves of psychedelic research, suggesting psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may offer a paradigm shift for improving existential, psychosocial, and spiritual well-being in palliative care.