Chronic Stress
August 12, 2020
Alan K. Davis, Lynnette A. Averill, Nathan D. Sepeda et al.
83 citations
Among U.S. Special Operations Forces Veterans who completed a psychedelic treatment program with ibogaine and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine in Mexico between 2017 and 2019, retrospective reports showed very large reductions in suicidal ideation, cognitive impairment, PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety from 30 days before to 30 days after treatment, along with a large increase in psychological flexibility. Increased psychological flexibility was strongly linked to reduced cognitive impairment and mental health symptoms. Most participants rated the experience among the top five most personally meaningful, spiritually significant, and psychologically insightful experiences of their lives. The findings are preliminary due to the retrospective, self-report, non-randomized design.
Chronic Stress
January 1, 2021
Alan K. Davis, Yitong Xin, Nathan D. Sepeda et al.
66 citations
Among 313 Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), acute psychedelic effects were associated with decreases in racial trauma symptoms. Greater psychological insight and less intense challenging experiences during the psychedelic session predicted larger symptom reductions. Increases in psychological flexibility partially mediated these improvements. The findings suggest psychedelics may help reduce racial trauma in BIPOC, with psychological flexibility playing a key mediating role.
Chronic Stress
July 11, 2021
C. Healy, K. A. Lee, Wendy D’andrea
39 citations
Child maltreatment is linked to higher posttraumatic stress symptoms and internalized shame, especially when emotional abuse or neglect is involved. People who used psychedelics intentionally for therapy reported fewer complex trauma symptoms and less internalized shame, even when their maltreatment histories were similar. Those with more than five such psychedelic sessions showed the largest differences in trauma symptoms and shame. Psychedelic use also weakened the link between emotional maltreatment and trauma symptoms. No connection was found between maltreatment or psychedelic use and facial emotion recognition.
Chronic Stress
January 1, 2022
Sarah Kuburi, Anne-Marie Di Passa, Vanessa K. Tassone et al.
14 citations
A systematic review of neuroimaging studies on psychedelics for major depressive disorder found that psilocybin, ayahuasca, and LSD alter brain activity and connectivity in ways linked to antidepressant response. Key changes include amygdala activity and functional connectivity alterations, shifts in medial and ventromedial prefrontal cortex connectivity, and decreased global brain network modularity. One ayahuasca study reported increased limbic activity. The evidence, based on only four datasets, suggests the default mode and limbic networks may be important targets for future research, but more data are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.