A proposal to evaluate mechanistic efficacy of hallucinogens in addiction treatment
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse August 22, 2013 Brittany Vasae Burdick, Bryon Adinoff
Current treatments for addiction are often ineffective. Hallucinogenic therapy shows promise for substance use disorders, with single doses producing significant, long-term beneficial effects and a safety profile of low toxicity and non-addictiveness. However, if the same psychological insights and decreased drug use could be achieved without drugs, pharmacological interventions may be unnecessary. No clinical comparisons of drug-induced versus non-drug-induced altered states for addiction treatment exist. A proposed clinical trial would evaluate abstinence in prescription opioid abusers after psilocybin, hyperventilation (Holotropic Breathwork), or an active placebo with niacin, aiming to distinguish hallucinogen-specific effects from those of altered states generally.