Psilocybin-assisted therapy improves psycho-social-spiritual well-being in cancer patients.

Psilocybin-assisted therapy improved psycho-social-spiritual well-being in cancer patients with major depressive disorder, as measured by the NIH-HEALS. In a Phase II open-label trial, 30 participants received 25 mg of psilocybin with group preparation and integration sessions. NIH-HEALS scores increased significantly after treatment, with gains in all three factors: Connection (12.7%), Reflection & Introspection (7.7%), and Trust & Acceptance (22.4%). Improvements appeared by day 1 and persisted through 8 weeks. The study lacked a control group, relied on self-reports, and had a small, limited sample, restricting generalizability. The results suggest that Connection, Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance are key elements of psycho-social-spiritual healing in this context.

Study at a glance

Abstract

While psychedelics have been shown to improve psycho-spiritual well-being, the underlying elements of this change are not well-characterized. The NIH-HEALS posits that psycho-social-spiritual change occurs through the factors of Connection, Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in NIH-HEALS scores in a cancer population with major depressive disorder undergoing psilocybin-assisted therapy. In this Phase II, single-center, open label trial, 30 cancer patients with major depressive disorder received a fixed dose of 25 mg of psilocybin. Participants underwent group preparation sessions, simultaneous psilocybin treatment administered in adjacent rooms, and group integration sessions, along with individual care. The NIH-HEALS, a self-administered, 35-item measure of psycho-social spiritual healing was completed at baseline and post-treatment at day 1, week 1, week 3, and week 8 following psilocybin therapy. NIH-HEALS scores, representing psycho-social-spiritual wellbeing, improved in response to psilocybin treatment (p < 0.001). All three factors of the NIH-HEALS (Connection, Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance) demonstrated positive change by 12.7 %, 7.7 %, and 22.4 %, respectively. These effects were apparent at all study time points and were sustained up to the last study interval at 8 weeks (p < 0.001). The study lacks a control group, relies on a self-report measure, and uses a relatively small sample size with limited diversity that restricts generalizability. Findings suggest that psilocybin-assisted therapy facilitates psycho-social-spiritual growth as measured by the NIH-HEALS and its three factors. This supports the factors of Connection, Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance as underlying elements for psycho-social-spiritual healing in cancer patients, and validates the use of the NIH-HEALS within psychedelic research.