Research Keyword: mystical experience

Nature-themed video intervention may improve cardiovascular safety of psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder

Researchers tested whether watching nature videos during psilocybin therapy could improve treatment for alcohol addiction. Twenty participants received psilocybin sessions while either watching nature videos or using standard procedures with eyeshades and music. The study found that nature videos significantly reduced the blood pressure increases that normally occur with psilocybin, while maintaining the same therapeutic benefits for reducing alcohol use and promoting meaningful experiences.

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The phenomenology of psilocybin’s experience mediates subsequent persistent psychological effects independently of sex, previous experience, or setting

A research study examined how psilocybin experiences affect long-term mental health and well-being in healthy volunteers. Participants received two doses of psilocybin in controlled medical settings while undergoing brain imaging. The study found that psilocybin consistently produced positive, lasting improvements in mood, well-being, and spiritual outlook, regardless of whether people had used psychedelics before, their sex, or the specific imaging setting used.

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Lower-dose psycholytic therapy – A neglected approach

This review examines psycholytic therapy, a method using lower doses of LSD or psilocybin combined with ongoing psychotherapy to help people process psychological conflicts and trauma. Developed in Europe during the 1960s-1970s and used successfully at over 30 clinics, this approach was largely abandoned when psychedelics became illegal but is now being reconsidered. Historical research shows it was effective for anxiety, depression, and personality issues in treatment-resistant patients, with safety profiles comparable to conventional therapy.

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Treating job-related stress with psychedelic group therapy: a case series on group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for healthcare workers and first responders

Researchers tested a new group therapy approach using ketamine to help firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and healthcare workers dealing with job stress and burnout. Over seven weeks, 32 participants received three ketamine sessions combined with group therapy. The results showed significant improvements in anxiety, depression, trauma symptoms, and burnout within the group. This low-cost group approach not only helped individual symptoms but also created a supportive community where workers felt understood by others in similar situations.

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Safety, feasibility, tolerability, and clinical effects of repeated psilocybin dosing combined with non-directive support in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial with blinded ratings

This clinical trial is investigating whether psilocybin (a psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms) combined with supportive counseling can help people with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder. Researchers will give participants two doses of psilocybin while providing non-directive psychological support to help them process their experiences. The study aims to determine whether this approach is safe, tolerable, and effective at reducing OCD symptoms, and to understand the psychological mechanisms that might explain how it works.

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Psychedelics: From Cave Art to 21st-Century Medicine for Addiction

This comprehensive review examines how psychedelic substances, from magic mushrooms to LSD, are being studied as treatments for addiction. After decades of restriction, researchers are rediscovering what indigenous cultures have known for thousands of years: these substances can help people overcome alcohol, drug, and tobacco addiction. The research shows promising results, particularly when combined with therapy, with abstinence rates significantly higher than traditional treatments.

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