A prospective study of weekly psychedelic microdosing found that participants reported improved well-being, emotional stability, and reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms over four weeks. However, baseline positive expectancy scores predicted these improvements, suggesting a significant placebo response. The findings caution against overinterpreting the therapeutic value of microdosing.
This article examines the treatment of mental illnesses with psychedelic substances from a psychotherapeutic perspective, focusing on the role of integrating psychedelic experiences. It asks how extraordinary experiences under the influence of psychedelics can be harnessed for psychotherapeutic progress. After an introductory overview of phases of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), it describes a possibility for psychotherapeutically guided integration of psychedelic experiences using the example of treating treatment-resistant depressed patients with psilocybin in a clinical trial (EudraCT: 2019–003984–24; NCT04670081). The integration of psychedelic experiences into daily life is a scientifically little-studied but essential part of PAT. Evidence-based protocols should be developed to increase the efficacy and safety of therapy through integration methods. With the introduction of PAT into established healthcare systems, integration of psychedelic experiences is expected to become increasingly important.