psychedelicassisted

Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is a form of psychotherapy that combines a psychedelic substance with structured psychotherapeutic support to aid psychological healing. In PAT, a trained clinician administers a psychedelic agent in a controlled setting, with preparatory and integration sessions surrounding a supervised dosing experience. The approach aims to facilitate emotional insight, fear extinction, and neuroplastic changes that support therapeutic change, often after other treatments have failed.

Most research has focused on psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine. Psilocybin-assisted therapy has been studied for treatment-resistant depression and anxiety in life-threatening illness; MDMA-assisted therapy has shown promise for PTSD; ketamine-assisted therapy is used for unipolar depression and some anxiety disorders, often with a rapid onset of symptom relief. LSD and other psychedelics have been explored in smaller studies.

Trials typically include screening for psychiatric or medical risks, a preparatory phase, a controlled dosing session in a monitored environment, and integration sessions to help apply insights to daily life. Not all psychedelic-assisted approaches are approved for routine clinical use; many programs operate under research protocols or special regulatory provisions.

Evidence to date suggests potential clinically meaningful improvements for certain conditions, though results vary and long-term safety and access remain areas of ongoing study. Potential risks include acute anxiety or delusions during the experience, cardiovascular effects, adverse psychological reactions, and, in rare cases, persistent perceptual changes; appropriate supervision and patient selection are essential. The field continues to evolve with evolving regulatory stances and large-scale trials planned or underway.