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Varieties of psychedelic treatment experiences – a transdiagnostic qualitative research project

 Research
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In this overarching research program, phenomenological methods are used to explore patient experiences with various psychedelic treatments (involving, for instance, ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin or 5-MeO-DMT) for different mental disorders. The aim is to come to a fuller understanding of these novel treatments by investigating the subjective experiences they elicit in greater detail. Qualitative research methods, phenomenological approaches in particular, are well suited to explore respondents’ inner experiences, their attributions of meaning, and can help inform a more detailed understanding of these complex interventions and underlying psychological mechanisms.

Objectives include:

  1. to describe the phenomenological content of the subjective effects induced by these different substances;
  2. to improve our understanding of how patients experience all aspects, including non-pharmacological and contextual factors, of the treatment intervention; and
  3. to gain insight into potential psychological mechanisms that play a role in the treatment process. Answering these questions may lead to a better understanding and optimization of these treatments, e.g. by identifying targets for psychotherapeutic intervention and support.

Timeline

  1. Patient perspectives and experiences with psilocybin treatment for treatment-resistant depression: a qualitative study (February 2024)

    Posted

    This paper explored the experiences of patients with treatment-resistant depression participating in a clinical trial with psilocybin treatment. Challenges with trust-building and expectation management, navigating the experience, and the need for a more comprehensive treatment were the main themes in the interviews. These findings can guide the optimization of psilocybin treatment for TRD patients, which can, in return, improve the adoption of such treatments.

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  2. Phenomenology and therapeutic potential of patient experiences during oral esketamine treatment for treatment-resistant depression: an interpretative phenomenological study (July 2023)

    Posted

    In this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 patients treated with ‘off-label’ oral esketamine to explore their perspectives, expectations, and experiences with the treatment. Themes that emerged during the interviews included perceptual effects, detachments, stillness and openness, mystical-type effects, and fear and anxiety. Notably, some effects were linked to psychotherapeutic potential, such as increased openness and detachment.

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  3. Adverse events in clinical treatments with serotonergic psychedelics and MDMA: A mixed-methods systematic review (October 2022 )

    Posted

    This systematic review describes adverse events in clinical studies with serotonergic psychedelics (psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca) and MDMA. Even though adverse events were not assessed in many studies, treatment was overall well tolerated. Psychologically challenging experiences were suggested to be therapeutically beneficial in qualitative studies. However, systematic and detailed reporting of adverse events within psychedelic treatments is needed for more firm conclusions.

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  4. Psychedelic Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Patient Experiences in Qualitative Studies (August 2020)

    Posted

    This article gives a comprehensive overview of the key themes emerging from patients’ experiences of psychedelic treatments for mental disorders. Substances included in the studies were psilocybin, LSD, ibogaine, ayahuasca, ketamine and MDMA and disorders included were anxiety, depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. Across these varied conditions, patients conveyed largely similar experiences, underscoring the value of qualitative research in discerning distinct characteristics of different psychedelic substances and revealing potential implications for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

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This research project is part of researchgroup Psychedelic Treatment and Mechanisms - University Center of Psychiatrie

Contact

University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
University Center of Psychiatry (UCP)
PO Box 30.001
9700 RB Groningen
The Netherlands

Visiting address
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
University Center of Psychiatry (UCP)
Hanzeplein 1, Triadegebouw
9713 GZ Groningen