Psychedelics
April 29, 2025
Ishan Pasricha, Caroline Peacock, Roman Palitsky et al.
3 citations
Spiritual health practitioners (healthcare chaplains) increasingly facilitate psychedelic-assisted therapy. A qualitative study of 15 such practitioners (60% female, average age 46.57) found two main themes: initial motivations and ongoing sources of meaning. Personal psychedelic experiences were a key initial motivator. Ongoing fulfillment came from witnessing healing in others and positive personal impacts of facilitating care. Personal experiences provide valuable firsthand knowledge of psychedelic phenomenology but may introduce bias. Training guidelines from the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, emphasizing self-literacy and reflection, may help address these risks. The authors introduce a reflective learning exercise based on these findings.
Psychedelics
January 8, 2026
Rachel Yehuda, Amy Lehrner, Miryam Sperka et al.
2 citations
The original manual for MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for PTSD, developed by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), introduced concepts like “inner healing intelligence” from transpersonal traditions, which lacked clear grounding in trauma science and were difficult to standardize. In response, a new model called Integrative MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy (IMAP) is proposed. IMAP is a principle-guided, patient-driven approach rooted in humanistic and trauma-focused psychotherapy. It offers flexible, relationally attuned support for nonlinear therapeutic processes, drawing on contemporary PTSD theories and evidence-based trauma interventions while retaining experiential approaches. The model invites empirical study to determine essential therapeutic elements in psychedelic contexts.
Psychedelics
August 5, 2025
Elliot Marseille, Jennifer Mitchell
2 citations
A commentary on a cost-effectiveness analysis of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, published after the FDA declined to approve the treatment in 2024, identifies two key limitations that reduce its relevance for healthcare decision-makers. The analysis compared MDMA therapy to placebo-based therapy instead of standard-of-care treatments, and it used a pricing strategy of $36,000 for the three MDMA doses that threatens accessibility. Alternative modeling indicates that at a price of approximately $10,500, MDMA therapy could be extremely cost-effective, around $160 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), or even cost-saving. Future research should incorporate realistic treatment comparators, comprehensive healthcare utilization data, and pricing models balancing economic viability with public health goals.
Psychedelics
April 10, 2024
Vivek Seelamneni
1 citation
Psychedelics may increase peripheral levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein involved in neural plasticity. A meta-analysis by Shafiee et al. found that psychedelics elevate BDNF levels, suggesting a possible mechanism for their therapeutic effects in psychiatric disorders. This commentary discusses two approaches to understanding psychedelic mechanisms: identifying novel pathways and examining effects on known neurobiological processes underlying psychiatric conditions. The findings support the idea that BDNF upregulation could contribute to the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, though further research is needed to clarify the relationship.
Psychedelics
January 25, 2024
Katarina Leão
1 citation
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Psychedelics
July 1, 2026
Etienne Artru
The psychedelic renaissance has lasted longer than the first wave of research in the 1950s and 60s, yet fundamental questions about subjective experience and its role in therapy remain. This article revisits a neglected aspect of psychedelic phenomenology: birth or rebirth experiences, which were prominent before prohibition but have largely disappeared from contemporary discourse. Drawing on memory science, clinical data, and phenomenological analysis, the authors examine the hypothesis that some birth experiences reflect the emergence of implicit, affective, and sensorimotor traces rather than implausible episodic memories. These "body memories" are relived as present-moment experiences shaped by the therapeutic setting, suggesting many somatic phenomena may go unrecognized as memory-related. This hypothesis invites a broader reconsideration of somatic experiences in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, requiring a phenomenological and interpretive framework currently absent from research.
Psychedelics
July 1, 2026
Stacy Rush
Psychedelic-assisted interventions yield variable outcomes, partly because existing preparation and integration models overlook the role of internal guidance. This paper introduces the SIGNAL Model, which treats emotions as adaptive physiological signals that convey information about unmet needs, threats, values, and identity. The model proposes that psychological distress arises when these emotional signals are suppressed or misinterpreted, and that therapeutic gains depend on an individual's capacity to engage with these signals as organizing influences. Five testable hypotheses are offered to guide empirical research, and clinical implications include assessing emotional awareness before psychedelic work and structuring integration around skills for recognizing and responding to emotions.
Psychedelics
June 28, 2026
Joost J. Breeksema, Ulf Bremberg, Jens H. van Dalfsen et al.
Psychedelic therapies face layered complexity from interactions between pharmacological and extra-pharmacological factors, and their embeddedness in societal, legal, and regulatory systems. This is compounded by epistemic fragmentation: dominant biomedical paradigms often clash with knowledge from social sciences, humanities, or Indigenous traditions. Though interdisciplinary engagement is increasingly recognized as necessary, existing calls rarely specify structural or pedagogical conditions for operationalizing it. Addressing these complexities requires moving beyond superficial collaboration; genuine interdisciplinary progress needs researchers capable of productive friction across epistemic cultures. The authors propose cultivating T-shaped competencies and intersectoral training as a structural response to these systemic challenges.
Psychedelics
June 24, 2026
Oliver Davis
Psychedelics are interruptive, deautomating political technologies that can foster radical democracy rather than reinforce liberal-democratic systems. The article argues that understanding the political implications of psychedelics requires reconceiving psychedelic mysticism and phenomenology to recognize their embodied, agential, and politically potentiating dimensions, correcting neuro-centric views and incomplete phenomenologies. It also links the deautomating aspects of psychedelic experience to an analysis of anti-democratic forces like automation, administrative reason, and computationalist abstraction.
Psychedelics
May 30, 2026
Vinicius Ryu Kami, Beatriz Borges Bueno Salle, Giovanni Porto et al.
A scoping review mapped Brazilian research on psychedelics for psychiatric disorders, identifying 18 studies with 831 participants. Most research focused on Ayahuasca (13 studies), followed by Ibogaine and DMT. Key findings suggest rapid antidepressant effects of Ayahuasca and vaporized DMT, while Ibogaine showed potential for extending abstinence in substance use disorders. Limitations include small sample sizes, regional centralization of research (primarily in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Norte), and challenges regarding functional unblinding. The review concludes that Brazilian scientific production connects traditional Ayahuasca practices with clinical research, but future studies need larger multicentric trials and more rigorous blinding strategies.
Psychedelics
May 16, 2026
Nádia Valéria Moreira Santos, Cristiane Ferreira Silveira, Camila Gutieres Dos Santos Soares Costa et al.
Interviews with nine Brazilian participants who took ayahuasca in neoshamanic ceremonies suggested that the experience helped reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Three themes emerged: motivations for seeking ayahuasca, strategies for strengthening psychological well-being afterward, and the perceived health benefits of the psychedelic experience itself. The ceremonial use of ayahuasca may offer a promising model of care, especially in communities with limited access to advanced medical treatment.
Psychedelics
May 16, 2026
Tam Martin Fowles, Tehseen Noorani
The authors argue that research into psychedelics and psychosis/madness must be not only expanded but also conducted wisely. They note increasing publications on psychedelic use by people who have experienced psychosis and present a narrative account of the lead author, who had a breakdown diagnosed as psychosis in 1989 and used psychedelics for healing in 2024. The paper connects current psychedelic-assisted therapy research with insights from critical, historical, user-led, participatory, and theoretical literatures on psychosis. It offers research questions and frameworks, highlighting the concept of 'integration' versus 'sealing over' from earlier psychosis research. The authors call for interdisciplinary, methodologically diverse research that avoids speaking 'for' subjects.
Psychedelics
May 14, 2026
Joseph la Torre, Jade Gallo, Matteo Buonaroti et al.
People with histories of psychotic symptoms who used psychedelics in naturalistic settings reported both benefits and harms. Benefits included personal growth, insight, increased spirituality, and symptom reappraisal. Challenging experiences and adverse effects also occurred, especially when set and setting were unfavorable. The findings question the categorical exclusion of this population from psychedelic research and therapy, and call for more holistic, ethically guided study of psychedelic-assisted therapy for this underserved group.
Psychedelics
May 1, 2026
Madeleine Cluck, Alison B. Purcell, Zuzana Kazan et al.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) differs from standard psychiatric treatments by requiring fewer doses and promoting profound cognitive shifts. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been treated with medication and behavioral therapies, but adverse effects and negative perceptions of therapy within the autistic community have spurred interest in PAT. Overlap in neuropsychological effects of psychedelics with autism, such as serotonergic signaling and prosocial behavior, suggests potential benefits for autistic adults. However, PAT's sensation-heavy experiences may induce stress in some participants, and most research on reducing distress focuses on neurotypical populations. The modalities, goals, and integration of PAT may need adaptation for autistic adults, and ethical considerations are warranted before large-scale clinical trials.
Psychedelics
April 25, 2026
Juliet Meccia, David Casimir, Sisi Li et al.
Over the past 25 years, informal and underground use of 5-MeO-DMT has generated substantial, though underrecognized, knowledge about its potential to alleviate depressive symptoms. Traditional drug development, with structured trials and regulatory milestones, rarely incorporates findings from these alternative routes. Legal and regulatory barriers have delayed formal clinical investigation, while public channels and Indigenous knowledge have driven grassroots support and anecdotal evidence of therapeutic benefit. The article identifies critical communication gaps hindering integration of 5-MeO-DMT into mainstream psychiatry and advocates for transparent data-sharing models that incorporate existing informal knowledge.
Psychedelics
April 20, 2026
Sophia M. Castillo, Noelle Cataldo, Cody J. Wenthur
Pharmacists perceive treatment costs and legal barriers as significantly greater obstacles for psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) than for current major depressive disorder treatments, while ethical barriers are seen as similar. Pharmacists express significantly greater support for prescription use of psychedelics over self-medication for depression in scenarios including post-suicide attempt, suicide prophylaxis, and after failing two or more antidepressants, as well as in elderly, incarcerated, active-duty military, and veteran populations. Overall, pharmacists view PAT as a helpful addition to existing depression treatments.
Psychedelics
April 20, 2026
José Carlos Bouso, Óscar Andión, Jordi Cantillo et al.
A 12-month study of 264 Western participants who attended Shipibo-led ayahuasca retreats in the Peruvian Amazon found lasting psychological improvements. Neuroticism and Openness to Experience decreased, while Extraversion increased. Quality of life improved across all measured domains, and decentering capacities increased with moderate to high effect sizes. Most participants (91.7%) reported long-term benefits, primarily in spiritual well-being, mental health, and personal growth. Adverse effects were minimal (2.3%). Higher baseline psychological distress was associated with higher Neuroticism and lower decentering, suggesting that enhancing decentering may serve as a resilience factor. The findings support ethical, non-extractive integration of traditional Amazonian practices into global mental health frameworks.
Psychedelics
April 4, 2026
Nicholas Sawers, Michael Billingsley, David B Menkes
Australasian palliative care doctors hold cautious but generally positive attitudes toward psychedelics. A survey of 93 members of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine found that 75% disagreed that psychedelics are unsafe and should be prohibited for medical use, while 88% agreed clinical use for palliative patients warrants further investigation. Younger respondents were more likely than older colleagues to believe psychedelics may improve clinical outcomes. Interviews with 12 participants identified five themes: openness to innovation, safety, patient-centred care, therapeutic potential, and access and equity. The findings suggest support for further research to establish psychedelics' role in palliative care.
Psychedelics
April 2, 2026
Dalia N. Balsamo, Prachi Garodia, Nima Fayazmanesh et al.
Music plays a key role in psychedelic-assisted therapy by enhancing emotional processing and insight generation. A narrative review of current literature examines how music facilitates healing in psychedelic experiences, with silence serving as a meaningful counterpoint. The review discusses practical considerations for integrating music into clinical settings and its implications for therapeutic outcomes, emphasizing cultural factors and suggesting directions for future research.
Psychedelics
March 7, 2026
Skylar J. Gaughan, Jae Sevelius, Rafael Lancelotta et al.
Transgender and gender-expansive individuals, particularly those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, use psychedelics to heal from identity-based traumas such as racism and transphobia. Interviews with 20 participants revealed awareness of the Indigenous roots of psychedelic plant medicine and concerns that ongoing medicalization of psychedelics, shaped by colonization and structural racism, reproduces inequities in access and experience. Some participants opposed medicalization, linking it to racist and colonial dynamics. The findings suggest that culturally humble and ethically responsible models of psychedelic-assisted therapy are needed to promote health equity for transgender and gender-expansive people of color.
Psychedelics
March 1, 2026
A.m Ortiz Bernal, C L Raison, A.m Vargas Prieto et al.
A potent psychedelic compound, 5-MeO-DMT, occurs naturally in several South American plants and in the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad Incilius alvarius. Although plant-based snuffs containing the compound have documented Indigenous use in the Caribbean and South America, recent claims that toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT is part of Comcáac (Seri) ancestral tradition lack historical and ethnographic support. The article introduces the concept of ancestralization, a process by which recent practices are reframed as ancient to gain cultural authority and legitimacy. This fabricated ancestrality has spread through ritual adaptation, media, and global retreat economies, increasing demand for toad secretions and ecological pressure on Incilius alvarius. The analysis calls for historical rigor, ethical accountability, and conservation-informed practices.
Psychedelics
January 18, 2026
Vivian W. L. Tsang, Tanner Jones, Sally Tsoi et al.
Among 1395 college-aged individuals (76% female), those who had ever used psychedelics reported lower rates of opioid use than those who had never used them, while rates of other substance use were similar between groups. Lifetime psychedelic use was not linked to reduced trauma symptoms, emotional dysregulation, or psychosocial difficulties after accounting for adverse childhood experiences, but it was associated with higher subjective spirituality. The findings suggest psychedelic use may be tied to lower opioid use without increasing other substance use, and may not improve trauma-related outcomes.
Psychedelics
December 23, 2025
Esenia K. Cassidy, Alan K. Davis, Smitha Rao
Attachment theory holds that early caregiver interactions shape lifelong mental health, substance use, and well-being. This critical literature review synthesizes 21 peer-reviewed studies on attachment and psychedelics published by November 30, 2024. Identified themes include attachment as a predictor and outcome of psychedelic effects, relationality and romantic relationships, traumatic attachment and grief, clinical implications, calls to expand research into religion and spirituality, and passionate attachment to substances. Common limitations are demographic homogeneity, reliance on self-report, inconsistent study conditions, uncritical positivist approaches, and lack of discussion of limitations or positionalities. More diverse and rigorous research is needed, with greater epistemological awareness and reflexivity.
Psychedelics
November 20, 2025
Holly Hepburn, Bart Ellenbroek, Jiun Youn
A striking 75% of participants reported enhanced well-being after experiencing psychedelics, highlighting their potential in psychology and pain management. In a sample of 200 individuals, qualitative analysis revealed that 60% experienced significant shifts in beliefs about paranormal phenomena. The serotonergic effects of these substances appeared to influence cognitive and developmental psychology, suggesting a link between altered states and psychological insights. Moreover, 40% noted a placebo effect, emphasizing the complex interplay between expectation and experience in therapeutic contexts.
Psychedelics
November 15, 2025
Meghan DellaCrosse, Shoval Gilead, Rafael Lancelotta et al.
Spanish-speaking individuals who had a memorable psilocybin or LSD experience reported two main themes: deep connection (to nature, others, the present moment, and the substance) and emotion-related experiences (from joy and peace to emotional processing, catharsis, and challenging experiences). The findings are based on a secondary qualitative analysis of open-ended survey responses from 379 Spanish-speaking participants. Similarities appeared across both substances, with some unique nuances. The work underscores the need for diverse populations in psychedelic research to improve generalizability and cultural relevance, and highlights the therapeutic potential of psychedelics while calling for culturally sensitive tools.