Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for existential distress: practical considerations for therapeutic application-a review

Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for existential distress: practical considerations for therapeutic application-a review
Annals of Palliative Medicine; Arum Kim, Barley Halton, Akash Shah, Olivia M Seecof, Stephen Ross; 8/24
Existential distress is commonly experienced by patients diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. This condition has been shown to adversely impact quality of life and is correlated with increased suicidal ideation and requests for hastened death. While palliative care teams are experienced in treating depression and anxiety, existential distress is a distinct clinical condition for which traditional medications and psychotherapy approaches demonstrate limited efficacy or duration of effect. Psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), in conjunction with psychotherapy have been shown to produce rapid and sustained reductions in existential and psychiatric distress and may be a promising treatment for patients facing existential distress in palliative care settings.