Psychedelic therapy

Psychedelic therapy combines psychedelic substances with structured psychological support before, during, and after drug sessions. It is studied and used for conditions including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders.

Set and setting: The person’s mindset and surrounding environment during a psychoactive drug experience. Preparation and session environments can shape how psychedelic experiences unfold.
Psilocybin therapy: A treatment approach combining psilocybin sessions with psychological support. Psilocybin is among the most extensively studied substances in contemporary psychedelic therapy.
Preparation session: A clinical meeting that establishes expectations, safety plans, and intentions before a psychedelic session. Preparation helps establish trust and orient participants to the treatment process.
Antidepressant: A medication used to treat depressive disorders and some other mental health conditions. Unlike daily antidepressant treatment, psychedelic protocols often involve a small number of supervised drug sessions.
Clinical trial: A research study that prospectively evaluates the effects of a health intervention in people. Controlled trials are needed to establish which protocols work and for whom.
5-HT2A receptor: A serotonin receptor that mediates many effects of classic psychedelic drugs. Its activation is a principal biological pathway for drugs such as psilocybin and LSD.
MDMA-assisted therapy: A structured psychological treatment that uses MDMA during supervised sessions. Its clinical development for post-traumatic stress disorder is often discussed alongside psychedelic therapies.
Dosing session: A supervised treatment session in which a participant receives a psychedelic substance. This is the central drug session, conducted within a planned therapeutic environment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy: A structured psychotherapy that targets patterns of thought and behavior contributing to distress. It provides a well-established talk-therapy comparison for evaluating psychedelic treatment.
Blinding (clinical trials): A trial method that keeps participants or researchers unaware of assigned treatment to reduce bias. Strong subjective drug effects can reveal assignment and influence reported outcomes.

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