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Palliative care patients’ attitudes and openness towards psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for existential distress

Summary

A study asked 31 palliative care patients about their views on using psilocybin (a compound from magic mushrooms) as a treatment for existential distress—the emotional and spiritual suffering that comes with terminal illness. Over half the patients were interested in trying this therapy, especially if they believed it could help with anxiety and stress. However, patients were concerned about risks like psychosis, the lack of trained therapists, and the potential for doctors to take advantage of them during treatment. The researchers concluded that while psilocybin-assisted therapy shows promise, there needs to be better education and strict safeguards to protect vulnerable patients.

Background

Patients with incurable illnesses often experience existential distress that significantly impacts their well-being. Current medical approaches including psychotherapy and pharmaceuticals have limitations in addressing this burden. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAT) has shown promise as a novel therapeutic intervention for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening conditions.

Objective

This pilot survey study aimed to investigate the attitudes, openness, and knowledge of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy among patients with incurable illnesses. The study sought to assess patients’ attitudes toward PAT, identify potential barriers and concerns, and explore the association between beliefs in psilocybin’s therapeutic benefits and interest in receiving this treatment.

Results

Among 31 analyzed participants, 51.6% expressed interest in future psilocybin treatment while 32.3% did not. Belief in psilocybin’s therapeutic benefits for stress and anxiety significantly correlated with interest in use (p=0.005). Concerns included risk of psychosis (16.1%), lack of trained providers (16.1%), and exploitation by doctors/counselors (12.9%). No demographic factors were associated with interest or levels of existential distress.

Conclusion

Over half of palliative care patients expressed interest in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for existential distress. The novel finding of patient concern regarding exploitation by practitioners highlights the need for comprehensive clinician education, rigorous training with ethical safeguards, and further research to explore PAT’s potential benefits in this vulnerable population.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Psychiatry,
  • Study Type:Pilot Survey Study,
  • Source: PMID: 38699449, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1301960
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