Real-World Effectiveness and Safety of Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: Outcomes from a Large-Scale Compassionate Use Cohort in Switzerland

In a real-world clinical setting, a single dose of LSD (100 µg) or psilocybin (25 mg) combined with psychotherapy significantly reduced depression and anxiety symptoms in 115 adults with treatment-resistant disorders. Symptoms were measured one to three months after treatment, with no serious adverse events. Patients also showed reduced rumination, self-blame, and catastrophizing, along with increased positive refocusing and reappraisal. Both substances produced comparable clinical benefits despite different subjective effect profiles. The findings suggest that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is feasible and effective in routine specialized care.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Background Classic serotonergic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin show promising antidepressant effects in controlled trials, but real-world data from routine clinical care remain limited. Methods This study retrospectively analysed routine data from adults with treatment-resistant depressive and/or anxiety disorders who received a first standardized Psychedelic-assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) cycle with 100 µg LSD or 25 mg psilocybin at a Swiss university hospital (May 2024–October 2025). Self-reported depression (BDI) and trait anxiety (STAI-T) were assessed at screening, one month before treatment, and 1–3 months post-treatment. In a subset of participants, cognitive emotion regulation (CERQ) was assessed pre- and post-treatment. Subjective drug effects and adverse events were recorded on the treatment day. Results The sample consisted of 115 patients (56.5% female; Mean age = 47.5 years). Depressive and anxiety symptoms significantly decreased over time (BDI: F(2,178) = 63.50, p < 0.001, partial η 2 = 0.42; STAI-T: F(1.74,145.9) = 16.97, p < 0.001, partial η 2 = 0.17), with no main effect of substance. CERQ analyses indicated reduced self-blame, rumination and catastrophizing, and increased positive refocusing and reappraisal. Perceived intensity followed distinct temporal profiles for LSD and psilocybin, but comparable subjective drug effects and clinical outcomes. Adverse events were mostly mild and transient, with no serious complications or treatment discontinuations. Conclusions In this compassionate-use real-world cohort, a first fully-active dose PAP session with LSD or psilocybin was well tolerated and associated with significant improvements in depressive and anxiety symptoms. These findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of PAP in specialised routine care.