Meaning and Psychedelics in Palliative Care: A Narrative Review.
Journal of pain and symptom management March 1, 2026 William B Alexander, Eric D Hansen, Brian T Anderson et al. 1 citation
Loss of meaning is a hallmark of demoralization syndrome, a prevalent condition in palliative care linked to diminished quality of life, increased symptom burden, and higher suicide risk. Existential psychological interventions improve psychosocial outcomes, but evidence for their effect on demoralization is limited. Psychedelic therapies, which enhance meaning-making and integrate existential approaches, show promise for existential distress and demoralization in early clinical trials. Novel combined pharmacological and psychological interventions like psychedelic therapy warrant further investigation.