Gasser, P., Holstein, D., Michel, Y., Doblin, R., Yazar-Klosinski, B., Passie, T., & Brenneisen, R. (2014). Safety and efficacy of lysergic acid diethylamide-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 202, 513–520.
To evaluate previous findings regarding the effectiveness of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)-assisted psychotherapy
Participants were recruited through general information in media, flyers, cancer support groups, and hospitals. Patients were randomized to the LSD group receiving an oral dose of 200 mcg LSD or to an active placebo of 20 mcg LSD. Participants were required to taper off antidepressants and antianxiety medications and avoid alcohol and recreational drugs for 24 hours before sessions. Urine drug tests were done prior to each psychotherapy session. Two experimental sessions with LSD were completed. After each experimental session, three dug-free therapy sessions took place. A follow-up evaluation was completed two months after the second experimental session. At that time, participants in the placebo group could cross over to an identical open label treatment with LSD. The final evaluation was conducted 12 months after the last LSD-assisted session. About two-thirds of the LSD-assisted session was focused inward and one-third was brief conversation. The session ended after eight hours when acute effects subsided and was followed by a review of the day’s experience.
Placebo-controlled, randomized, controlled trial
The visit-by-group interaction testing for differences between groups showed a significant difference between groups (p = .033) and 65.5% power. Three of eight experimental group subjects dropped lower than the threshold of 40 on the anxiety inventory while all active placebo subjects experienced increases in anxiety. The two- and 12-month follow-up results of those who received LSD in either blinded or crossover conditions showed that benefits were sustained over time. Neither the experimental nor the placebo dose of LSD produced any severe drug-related adverse events. Adverse events reported were those commonly associated with LSD, and most resolved when the drug effects diminished. There were no events of prolonged anxiety or lasting psychotic or perceptional disorders.
This study demonstrated the safety of LSD-assisted psychotherapy sessions in a small group of patients with life-threatening diseases. There were positive trends of anxiety reduction after two LSD-assisted therapy sessions.
Findings from this small pilot study suggest that LSD-assisted psychotherapy may be beneficial to patients facing the end of life to reduce anxiety. Additional research studies to confirm its safety and efficacy are needed.