Therapy comes in many different forms, but one growing field of study has researchers committed to alleviating patients’ problems with the help of psychedelic substances. Treatments with substances like psilocybin, (a psychedelic compound in certain species of fungi, or “magic mushrooms”), MDMA (known as “ecstasy”), LSD (known as “acid”), and ayahuasca have been studied for potential benefits that may relieve conditions such as depression, PTSD, and addictions.
In this emerging branch of therapy called psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP), a mental health professional accompanies a patient treated with substances to address goals for long-term personal problems. PAP has caught the attention of researchers in recent years, but limits on access to treatment and insufficient reporting have kept it from becoming a commonplace practice.
A new investigation out of the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, a research foundation in Lisbon, has examined the reasons for gaps in PAP reporting, finding that standardized guidelines across all forms of treatment are needed moving forward. Published in The Lancet Psychiatry, the paper reviewed 45 previous studies involving 1,464 participants to evaluate the frequency and success of reporting among PSP sessions.
