Licit use of illicit drugs for treating depression: the pill and the process.
The Journal of clinical investigation June 17, 2024 Alejandro Torrado Pacheco, Bita Moghaddam 3 citations
Psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine show promise for rapidly treating mood and related psychiatric disorders. Clinical data for psilocybin and MDMA, with positive outcomes for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders, have always involved clinician-assisted intervention. Even ketamine's first successful psychiatric use for depression combined it with psychotherapy, and emerging evidence indicates that the subjective experience during ketamine treatment predicts clinical outcome. This review examines how the context and process of drug administration have been integral to published work, stresses the need for trials comparing drug alone versus drug with psychological support, and suggests future animal models that consider context, experience, and expectancy in drug effects.