Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa
Journal of Student Research November 30, 2024 Olga Stefańska, Maksymilian Matuszewski
Anorexia nervosa is a severe psychiatric disorder with low long-term recovery rates under current treatments. Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) may address underlying psychological issues and comorbid disorders. A systematic review of nine studies found a robust positive effect across various psychedelic compounds, including decreased self-reported symptoms, weight gain, and reduced comorbidities. However, reliance on self-reporting, small sample sizes, and lack of blinding and placebo controls challenge the interpretation of results and risk biased reporting. The limited data suggest PAT may be effective, but caution is needed due to significant limitations affecting validity.