Current geriatrics reports
January 1, 2023
Emily Whinkin, Moira Opalka, Conor Watters et al.
26 citations
Psilocybin, a tryptamine psychedelic found in certain mushrooms, shows promise for alleviating emotional and spiritual distress in palliative care patients. A review of recent research and field reports indicates that psilocybin has significant and sometimes sustained anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, and entheogenic effects with a favorable safety profile. However, the research has limitations, including selection bias toward healthy, white, financially privileged individuals and follow-up periods too short to assess long-term psychospiritual benefits and quality of life. Major legal, ethical, and financial barriers to access exist, likely worsened for geriatric and palliative care patients. More large-scale controlled trials are needed.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 22, 2026
Alka Christnacht, Therry Rose Eparwa, Emily Whinkin et al.
Ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) may help treat postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) when introduced within the first two years after childbirth. Existing medications often fail to work quickly enough, are hard to access, or provide only short-term relief. This retrospective case series describes three individuals who received KAP as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. The report highlights how psychedelic insights gained during sessions may contribute to symptom improvement, suggesting KAP could offer a more effective and sustained therapeutic option for postpartum mental health.
Frontiers in psychiatry
January 1, 2023
Emily Whinkin, Therry Rose J Eparwa, Michelle C Julseth et al.
In patients with problematic substance use, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) was associated with significant reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, as measured by the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales. The average GAD-7 score decreased by 6.71 points, and the average PHQ-9 score decreased by 7.44 points. Improvements in psychosocial and spiritual well-being, measured by the NIH-HEALS scale, increased by an average of 5.13 points but were not statistically significant. Compared to the broader KAP patient population, those with problematic substance use showed significantly greater reductions in anxiety and depression. Undergoing one to six KAP sessions may be a useful therapy for reducing these symptoms in this population.