Exposure therapy under psilocybin for general anxiety disorder and claustrophobia
Gabriel Thorens, Louise Penzenstadler, Leonice Furtado, Federico Seragnoli, Stéphane Rothen, Cédric Mabilais, Daniele Zullino
Research Square (Research Square) May 12, 2023 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2859973/v1 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA patient with generalized anxiety disorder and claustrophobia who had not improved with conventional therapy underwent three sessions of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy that included both imaginary and real exposure to an elevator. After treatment, anxiety and fear of closed spaces, elevators, and planes decreased. Scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-II, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Fear Questionnaire showed significant improvement. The patient reported feeling more relaxed, more willing to face fearful situations, and a shift in perception of fearful stimuli, possibly reflecting new memory representations and a disconfirmatory experience.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Patient with generalized anxiety disorder and claustrophobia |
| Interventions | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy imaginary exposure exercise classic exposure therapy in an elevator |
| Topics | Anxiety Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist Beck depression inventory Exposure therapy |
| Key finding | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy combined with exposure therapy reduced anxiety and fear of closed spaces in a patient with GAD and claustrophobia who had not responded to conventional treatment. |
Abstract
Abstract Case report of a patient with GAD and claustrophobia who underwent exposure therapy using psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. The patient had failed to respond to conventional psychotherapeutic treatment. After three sessions of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, the patient experienced a reduction in anxiety and fear associated with closed spaces, elevators, and planes. The protocol included both an imaginary exposure exercise and a classic exposure therapy in an elevator during the psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. the patient experienced a significant improvement in his score on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Fear Questionnaire before and after therapy. He reported a generalization of the treatment effects, feeling more relaxed and having a greater willingness to confront fearful situations. He also described a shift in his perception of fearful stimuli, which may be explained as the development of new memory representations and a major disconfirmatory experience.