Efficacy of Psilocybin in the Treatment of Substance and Alcohol Use Disorders

Psilocybin shows potential as a treatment for substance use and alcohol use disorders. Clinical trials found that psilocybin combined with psychotherapy led to an overall decrease in alcohol consumption compared to control groups. Participants also reported improved depressive symptoms. Those who microdosed described better focus, confidence, and relationships, along with reduced social anxiety. Animal models indicated that psilocybin disrupted alcohol-related memories and seeking behaviors, suggesting it may help prevent relapse. Limitations include small sample sizes, reliance on self-reported data, and difficulty replicating the psychedelic experience in animals. These findings support the need for further high-quality research.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Introduction: Substance use disorder (SUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are major public health crises, affecting millions of Americans. Current treatment options include behavioral therapies and medications. In this review, we explored psilocybin’s efficacy in treating SUD and AUD. Methods: Key terms were used to search databases to identify articles that addressed psilocybin in the treatment of SUD. Included in the review were indexed, peer-reviewed, primary sources that were published within the last 10 years. Excluded studies were non-peer reviewed, not relevant to the thesis, and did not have an English translation. Results: The psychodynamic antidepressant effects of psilocybin mark its potential as treatment for depression and other mental health disorders. Clinical trials investigating the efficacy of psilocybin as a complement to psychotherapy for AUD reported notable an overall decrease in alcohol consumption compared to control groups. Similarly, other trials concluded that participants reported improvement of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, participants suffering from mental health disorders who experimented with microdosing reported improved focus, confidence, and relationships alongside decreased social anxiety. Animal models proved that psilocybin disrupted alcohol-related memories and alcohol-seeking behaviors; thus, psilocybin therapy may be beneficial in preventing relapse in patients with AUD. Discussion: Current studies show that psilocybin has potential as a treatment for SUD and AUD. Studies on psilocybin have various limitations, such as small sample sizes, reliance on self-reported data, and the inability to fully replicate the psychedelic experience in animal models. Despite limitations, these findings provide a strong rationale for conducting future high quality research.