Expert Opinion on Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy for People with Psychopathological Psychotic Experiences and Psychotic Disorders
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction April 1, 2024 Joseph T. Torre, Mehdi Mahammadli, Sonya C. Faber et al. 31 citations
Experts in psychiatry, clinical psychology, and psychedelic research agree that excluding people with personal or family histories of psychosis, bipolar disorder, or similar conditions from psychedelic clinical trials may be justified only when protocols offer minimal psychological support. In interviews with 12 experts, themes derived from interpretative phenomenological analysis indicated that psychedelic-, ketamine-, and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy with high levels of support are not necessarily contraindicated for all such individuals and may benefit some. Factors like specific symptoms, illness duration, severity, therapeutic alliance, trauma's role, and available supports could help predict outcomes. More research is needed to develop a safe protocol for this population.