Characterization and prediction of acute and sustained response to psychedelic psilocybin in a mindfulness group retreat.
TL;DR: Meditation seems to enhance psilocybin’s positive effects while counteracting possible dysphoric responses, and the role of emotion/attention regulation in shaping the experiential quality of psychedelic states, as well as the experience of selflessness as a modulator of behavior and attitudes are highlighted.
Abstract: Meditation and psychedelics have played key roles in humankind’s search for self-transcendence and personal change. However, neither their possible synergistic effects, nor related state and trait predictors have been experimentally studied. To elucidate these issues, we administered double-blind the model psychedelic drug psilocybin (315 μg/kg PO) or placebo to meditators (n = 39) during a 5-day mindfulness group retreat. Psilocybin increased meditation depth and incidence of positively experienced self-dissolution along the perception-hallucination continuum, without concomitant anxiety. Openness, optimism, and emotional reappraisal were predictors of the acute response. Compared with placebo, psilocybin enhanced post-intervention mindfulness and produced larger positive changes in psychosocial functioning at a 4-month follow-up, which were corroborated by external ratings, and associated with magnitude of acute self-dissolution experience. Meditation seems to enhance psilocybin’s positive effects while counteracting possible dysphoric responses. These findings highlight the interactions between non-pharmacological and pharmacological factors, and the role of emotion/attention regulation in shaping the experiential quality of psychedelic states, as well as the experience of selflessness as a modulator of behavior and attitudes. A better comprehension of mechanisms underlying most beneficial psychedelic experiences may guide therapeutic interventions across numerous mental conditions in the form of psychedelic-assisted applications.
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Journal Article•
TL;DR: Hedberg and Rosik as discussed by the authors present a collection of clinical forms for therapists to complete in order to establish or enhance their practice, including information for the therapist, assessment tools, patient homework or assignment outside therapy, information for patient, exercises to be performed in therapy, and sample forms and templates.
Abstract: FORMS FOR THE THERAPIST. Allan G. Hedberg (Ed.) (2010). San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Reviewed by Christopher H. Rosik (Link Care Center, Fresno, CA; Fresno Pacific University). Allan Hedberg is a seasoned psychologist and former president of the California Psychological Association. His considerable experience as a clinician is evident in this impressive volume that makes a wealth of useful material readily available to therapists seeking to establish or enhance their practice. Moreover, Dr. Hedberg enlisted the contributions of sixteen other experienced professionals to provide helpful resources in seven areas: Information for the therapist, assessment tools, patient homework or assignment outside therapy, information for the patient, exercises to be performed in therapy, forms to be completed by the therapist or patient, and sample forms and templates. Multiple indexes and pictorial legends help to direct the clinician to the exact page where the needed form is presented. In addition, purchase of the book enables the user to access a website where all of the forms can be downloaded, so no bindingbreaking copying is necessary. It is impossible to review all of the valuable forms compiled in this text, but the list of chapter titles can provide some basic orientation to what this book offers. Chapters include Forms for setting up and defining your practice; Forms related to fees; HIPAA/Patient privacy forms; General information handouts for patients; Forms related to referral and consulting services; Fitness for duty and workers' compensation forms; Forms related to patient services; Forms related to therapist's professional activity; Managing an office staff; Termination of treatment/practice forms; Forms for session notes; Clinical errors, bad habits, ethical complaints, and law suits; Expanding your practice; Organizing your charts and evaluations; General assessments, intake, brief, comprehensive, and more; Assessments related to specific tests and scales; Assessments related to risk, competency, health, and neuropsychology; Anxiety and stress relief with relaxation assessment and exercises; Depression and self-esteem; Insomnia and sleep therapy; Addictive behavior; Suicidal behavior; Pain management and coping with medical disorders; Anger and violent behavior; Strategies and tools for personal growth and health awareness; Communication tips and exercises; eating and exercise logs; Cultural diversity appreciation exercises; Conflict resolution and problem solving; Thinking distortions: Information and patient exercises; eating and exercise logs; Cultural diversity appreciation exercises; Conflict resolution and problem solving; Thinking distortions: Information and patient exercises; Behavioral monitoring logs; Dealing with crisis; Serving children and their families; Dealing with geriatric patients; Couples therapy and relationship assessment and exercises. …
630 citations
TL;DR: State-of-the art studies have recently begun to close important knowledge gaps by elucidating the mechanisms of action of psychedelics with regard to their effects on receptor subsystems, systems-level brain activity and connectivity, and cognitive and emotional processing.
Abstract: Renewed interest in the use of psychedelics in the treatment of psychiatric disorders warrants a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of these substances. After a hiatus of about 50 years, state-of-the art studies have recently begun to close important knowledge gaps by elucidating the mechanisms of action of psychedelics with regard to their effects on receptor subsystems, systems-level brain activity and connectivity, and cognitive and emotional processing. In addition, functional studies have shown that changes in self-experience, emotional processing and social cognition may contribute to the potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics. These discoveries provide a scientific road map for the investigation and application of psychedelic substances in psychiatry.
180 citations
TL;DR: It is confirmed that psilocybin intake is associated with long-term increases in Openness and - as a novel finding - mindfulness, which may be a key element of p silocybin therapy.
68 citations
TL;DR: Evidence is presented for a context- and state-dependent causal effect of psychedelic use on nature relatedness that bears relevance for psychedelic treatment models in mental health and, in the face of the current ecological crisis, planetary health.
Abstract: (1) Background: There appears to be a growing disconnection between humans and their natural environments which has been linked to poor mental health and ecological destruction. Previous research suggests that individual levels of nature relatedness can be increased through the use of classical psychedelic compounds, although a causal link between psychedelic use and nature relatedness has not yet been established. (2) Methods: Using correlations and generalized linear mixed regression modelling, we investigated the association between psychedelic use and nature relatedness in a prospective online study. Individuals planning to use a psychedelic received questionnaires 1 week before (N = 654), plus one day, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 2 years after a psychedelic experience. (3) Results: The frequency of lifetime psychedelic use was positively correlated with nature relatedness at baseline. Nature relatedness was significantly increased 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 2 years after the psychedelic experience. This increase was positively correlated with concomitant increases in psychological well-being and was dependent on the extent of ego-dissolution and the perceived influence of natural surroundings during the acute psychedelic state. (4) Conclusions: The here presented evidence for a context- and state-dependent causal effect of psychedelic use on nature relatedness bears relevance for psychedelic treatment models in mental health and, in the face of the current ecological crisis, planetary health.
63 citations
05 Mar 2021
TL;DR: For example, this article found that individuals high in the traits of absorption, openness, and acceptance were more likely to have positive and mystical-type experiences, whereas those low in openness and surrender or in preoccupied, apprehensive, or confused psychological states were higher likely to experience acute adverse reactions.
Abstract: Psychedelic drugs are increasingly being incorporated into therapeutic contexts for the purposes of promoting mental health. However, they can also induce adverse reactions in some individuals, and it is difficult to predict before treatment who is likely to experience positive or adverse acute effects. Although consideration of setting and dosage as well as excluding individuals with psychotic predispositions has thus far led to a high degree of safety, it is imperative that researchers develop a more nuanced understanding of how to predict individual reactions. To this end, the current systematic review coalesced the results of 14 studies that included baseline states or traits predictive of the acute effects of psychedelics. Individuals high in the traits of absorption, openness, and acceptance as well as a state of surrender were more likely to have positive and mystical-type experiences, whereas those low in openness and surrender or in preoccupied, apprehensive, or confused psychological states were more likely to experience acute adverse reactions. Participant sex was not a robust predictor of drug effects, but 5-HT2AR binding potential, executive network node diversity, and rACC volume may be potential baseline biomarkers related to acute reactions. Finally, increased age and experience with psychedelics were individual differences related to generally less intense effects, indicating that users may become slightly less sensitive to the effects of the drugs after repeated usage. Although future well-powered, placebo-controlled trials directly comparing the relative importance of these predictors is needed, this review synthesizes the field's current understanding of how to predict acute reactions to psychedelic drugs.
52 citations
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TL;DR: The Satisfaction With Life Scale is narrowly focused to assess global life satisfaction and does not tap related constructs such as positive affect or loneliness, but is shown to have favorable psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and high temporal reliability.
Abstract: This article reports the development and validation of a scale to measure global life satisfaction, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Among the various components of subjective well-being, the SWLS is narrowly focused to assess global life satisfaction and does not tap related constructs such as positive affect or loneliness. The SWLS is shown to have favorable psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and high temporal reliability. Scores on the SWLS correlate moderately to highly with other measures of subjective well-being, and correlate predictably with specific personality characteristics. It is noted that the SWLS is suited for use with different age groups, and other potential uses of the scale are discussed.
21,449 citations
TL;DR: The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) as mentioned in this paper is a scale to measure global life satisfaction, which does not tap related constructs such as positive affect or loneliness, and has favorable psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and high temporal reliability.
Abstract: This article reports the development and validation of a scale to measure global life satisfaction, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Among the various components of subjective well-being, the SWLS is narrowly focused to assess global life satisfaction and does not tap related constructs such as positive affect or loneliness. The SWLS is shown to have favorable psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and high temporal reliability. Scores on the SWLS correlate moderately to highly with other measures of subjective well-being, and correlate predictably with specific personality characteristics. It is noted that the SWLS is Suited for use with different age groups, and other potential uses of the scale are discussed.
20,751 citations
TL;DR: Five studies tested two general hypotheses: Individuals differ in their use of emotion regulation strategies such as reappraisal and suppression, and these individual differences have implications for affect, well-being, and social relationships.
Abstract: Five studies tested two general hypotheses: Individuals differ in their use of emotion regulation strategies such as reappraisal and suppression, and these individual differences have implications for affect, well-being, and social relationships. Study 1 presents new measures of the habitual use of reappraisal and suppression. Study 2 examines convergent and discriminant validity. Study 3 shows that reappraisers experience and express greater positive emotion and lesser negative emotion, whereas suppressors experience and express lesser positive emotion, yet experience greater negative emotion. Study 4 indicates that using reappraisal is associated with better interpersonal functioning, whereas using suppression is associated with worse interpersonal functioning. Study 5 shows that using reappraisal is related positively to well-being, whereas using suppression is related negatively.
8,261 citations
TL;DR: Examination of the scale on somewhat different grounds, however, does suggest that future applications can benefit from its revision, and a minor modification to the Life Orientation Test is described, along with data bearing on the revised scale's psychometric properties.
Abstract: Research on dispositional optimism as assessed by the Life Orientation Test (Scheier & Carver, 1985) has been challenged on the grounds that effects attributed to optimism are indistinguishable from those of unmeasured third variables, most notably, neuroticism. Data from 4,309 subjects show that associations between optimism and both depression and aspects of coping remain significant even when the effects of neuroticism, as well as the effects of trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem, are statistically controlled. Thus, the Life Orientation Test does appear to possess adequate predictive and discriminant validity. Examination of the scale on somewhat different grounds, however, does suggest that future applications can benefit from its revision. Thus, we also describe a minor modification to the Life Orientation Test, along with data bearing on the revised scale's psychometric properties.
6,395 citations
TL;DR: studies from the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society not reviewed by Baer but which raise a number of key questions about clinical applicability, study design, and mechanism of action are reviewed.
Abstract: studies from the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society not reviewed by Baer but which raise a number of key questions about clinical applicability, study design, and mechanism of action, and (7) current opportunities for professional training and development in mindfulness and its clinical applications.
5,891 citations