Among 27 Special Operations Forces Veterans who reported risky drinking before a psychedelic clinical program in Mexico, retrospective reports showed very large reductions in alcohol use and post-traumatic stress symptoms from before to after treatment, with 85% reducing drinking to non-risky levels (33% abstinent, 52% non-risky drinking). Psychological flexibility increased substantially and was strongly associated with both reductions. The authors call for rigorous longitudinal studies to determine whether psychedelic-assisted therapy holds promise for this population.
Trauma exposure across the lifespan increases risks for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and disability. In a retrospective chart review of 18 patients (average age 45) who completed six sessions of sublingual ketamine-assisted body-centered psychotherapy in an outpatient clinic, improvements in depression were statistically significant and meaningful, with a medium effect size. Improvements in PTSD symptoms and global disability were meaningful but not statistically significant. No improvements in anxiety were observed. The study was underpowered and unrepresentative, requiring replication with larger, more diverse samples.