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Cited by 38Psychedelics and Drug StudiesPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsTreatment of Major Depression

Historic psychedelic drug trials and the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Open access
Weston, Neil M., Gibbs, Damian, Bird, Catherine I. V., Daniel, Aster, Jelen, Luke A., Knight, Gemma, Goldsmith, David, Young, Allan H. +1 more·2020·Depression and Anxiety
DOI 10.1002/da.23065
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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In this paper, we systematically review literature from 1940 to 2000 relating to the combined use of psychological therapies and psychedelic drugs in the treatment of ICD-10 anxiety disorders. METHODS: The databases Ovid MEDLINE(R), PsycINFO, and Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) were searched for case reports and trials involving humans in the treatment of ICD-10 anxiety and related disorders. Twenty-four studies are described; four describe anxiety symptoms in diverse patient groups, 14 studies describe historic diagnoses that usefully correspond with ICD-10 anxiety disorders, six studies pooled results or failed to detail results specific to contemporary ICD-10 anxiety disorders. Two of the 24 studies reported are individual case reports while two of them were inadequate in terms of the reporting of outcome measures. Thus 20 studies were ultimately included in the summary analysis. RESULTS: Three of the 20 studies reviewed described improvements in anxiety by standardized measures (p < .05) and two studies found that this effect was dose related. Of the 20 studies included in the final analysis, 94 of 145 (65%) cases of "psychoneurotic anxiety reaction" as defined by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-I showed improvement that ranged from moderate improvement to full recovery. Despite methodological inadequacies, the results from previous studies are encouraging and should be used to guide and inform further investigation. CONCLUSION: The majority of studies indicate that a combination of psychedelic drug administration and psychological therapy was most beneficial. We found no study suggesting that the pharmacological action of psychedelic drugs in isolation is sufficient.

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  • Before criminalization of psychedelic drugs in the 1970s, studies combining administration of a psychedelic drug and psychological therapy found significant improvements in anxiety-related symptomatology.

    “Before criminalization of psychedelic drugs in the 1970s, studies combining administration of a psychedelic drug and psychological therapy found significant improvements in anxiety-related symptomatology (9).”

    From Decreases in State and Trait Anxiety Post-psilocybin: A Naturalistic, Observational Study Among Retreat Attendees (2022) · cites this paper as [9]

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Authors
Weston, N. M., Gibbs, D., Bird, C. I. V., Daniel, A., Jelen, L. A., Knight, G., Goldsmith, D., Young, A. H., & Rucker, J. J.
Affiliations
  • King's College London (GB)
  • King's College Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Weston, Neil M.
ORCID
Venue
Depression and Anxiety
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-07-05
Volume
37
Issue
12
Pages
1261-1279
ISSN
  • 1091-4269 (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-6394
DOI
10.1002/da.23065
OpenAlex
W3038388367
Cited by
38
References
70
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 2
FWCI
0.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Depression and Anxiety (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
  • National Institute for Health Research
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
Keywords
psychedelics, anxiety disorders, history of psychedelic research, dose-response relationship
MeSH terms
Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Hallucinogens, Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires

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