Anti-Therapeutic Action: psychosis risk

If psychedelics heal, how do they do it?

Psychedelic drugs like MDMA and magic mushrooms are showing remarkable promise in treating serious mental health conditions like PTSD and depression, with clinical trials demonstrating higher success rates than traditional therapy alone. However, scientists still don’t fully understand how these drugs work at the molecular and brain level, or whether the hallucinations they produce are necessary for healing. Researchers are investigating whether modified versions without hallucinations could provide the same benefits while being easier to administer, while also exploring how individual factors and treatment environment affect outcomes.

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

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.

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Ethical Considerations Regarding Psychedelics for Clinical Pain Research

This paper examines the ethical considerations necessary when conducting research on psychedelics like psilocybin for treating chronic pain. With chronic pain affecting millions of Americans and traditional treatments like opioids causing significant problems, researchers are exploring psychedelics as alternatives. The authors provide guidance on obtaining proper informed consent, protecting vulnerable patients, managing regulatory requirements, and ensuring research benefits participants while following four key ethical principles: autonomy, beneficence, justice, and avoiding harm.

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