Treating addiction with psychedelics - are we waking up?
European Psychiatry April 1, 2021 Jackelyne Gabrielle Jesus de Miranda, Mario Barbosa, I. Figueiredo et al.
Classic psychedelics such as LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin have been used in sacramental contexts since ancient times and were studied in psychiatry in the 1950s–1960s before research halted due to countercultural associations. Modern research has renewed interest in these substances for treating cancer-related distress and addiction. This review of articles from 2010–2020 finds that psychedelics, as 5HT2AR agonists, can occasion mystical experiences—characterized by a strong sense of unity—that may produce abrupt, sustained changes in behavior and perception. Research on psychedelics for substance use disorders is at an early stage, but results show promise with no clinically significant adverse events when high-risk individuals are excluded. Psilocybin for specific addictions may become available in the near future if safety and efficacy continue to be demonstrated.