TY - JOUR
T1 - Patient perspectives and experiences with psilocybin treatment for treatment-resistant depression
T2 - a qualitative study
AU - Breeksema, Joost J.
AU - Niemeijer, Alistair
AU - Krediet, Erwin
AU - Karsten, Tilman
AU - Kamphuis, Jeanine
AU - Vermetten, Eric
AU - van den Brink, Wim
AU - Schoevers, Robert
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Psilocybin is the most researched classic psychedelic for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). While optimizing set and setting are considered essential for efficacy and safety, patient perspectives on these aspects have rarely been investigated. To address this knowledge gap, the current paper explored the experiences of 11 TRD patients (8 women, 3 men) participating in a double-blind randomized clinical trial with a single session of oral (1, 10 or 25 mg) psilocybin treatment. After qualitative analysis, three major themes were identified: (1) challenges with trust-building and expectation management; (2) navigating the experience; and (3) the need for a more comprehensive treatment. Subthemes of the first theme include a general distrust in mental healthcare, trust in study therapists, limited time for preparation, and managing expectations. The second theme included the following subthemes: trusting to surrender, profound and overwhelming experiences, and music as a guide. The third theme addressed a desire for multiple psilocybin sessions, and challenges with sensemaking. Patients' perspectives provided important insights into potential optimization of psilocybin treatment of TRD, including individualized preparation, investment in trust-building, offering additional psilocybin sessions, providing access to sustained (psycho)therapy with trusted therapists, and personalizing treatment approaches, which may also enhance real-world adaption of these treatments.
AB - Psilocybin is the most researched classic psychedelic for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). While optimizing set and setting are considered essential for efficacy and safety, patient perspectives on these aspects have rarely been investigated. To address this knowledge gap, the current paper explored the experiences of 11 TRD patients (8 women, 3 men) participating in a double-blind randomized clinical trial with a single session of oral (1, 10 or 25 mg) psilocybin treatment. After qualitative analysis, three major themes were identified: (1) challenges with trust-building and expectation management; (2) navigating the experience; and (3) the need for a more comprehensive treatment. Subthemes of the first theme include a general distrust in mental healthcare, trust in study therapists, limited time for preparation, and managing expectations. The second theme included the following subthemes: trusting to surrender, profound and overwhelming experiences, and music as a guide. The third theme addressed a desire for multiple psilocybin sessions, and challenges with sensemaking. Patients' perspectives provided important insights into potential optimization of psilocybin treatment of TRD, including individualized preparation, investment in trust-building, offering additional psilocybin sessions, providing access to sustained (psycho)therapy with trusted therapists, and personalizing treatment approaches, which may also enhance real-world adaption of these treatments.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85184446457&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-024-53188-9
DO - 10.1038/s41598-024-53188-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 38316896
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 14
SP - 2929
JO - Scientific reports
JF - Scientific reports
IS - 1
M1 - 2929
ER -