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Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Proven to reduce cravings and trauma.

The question asks about the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAP) in reducing cravings and trauma. The answer will be constructed by examining the evidence for specific psychedelics, focusing on their application in treating conditions related to cravings (e.g., substance use disorders) and trauma (e.g., PTSD).

First, it's important to establish that PAP is a growing field of research, with increasing evidence supporting its potential. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing the evidence for PAP for mental health treatment, which may lead to legalization of PAP for this purpose.[1]

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MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD and Trauma

The most studied psychedelics to date include psilocybin and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). This article focuses on the use of psilocybin- and MDMA-assisted therapy (P-AT and MDMA-AT) for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Veterans.[2]

Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Trauma

MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) has shown promise in treating PTSD, a condition often stemming from traumatic experiences. Phase 3 trials have demonstrated the efficacy of MDMA-AT in reducing PTSD symptoms.[3] MDMA-AT involves the administration of MDMA in conjunction with psychotherapy, with the goal of facilitating the exploration and processing of traumatic experiences in a safe and supportive environment.[4] In a recent Phase III clinical trial, MDMA-AT demonstrated a large placebo plus psychotherapy-subtracted effect size of Cohen’s d = 0.91 and within-group treatment effect size of Cohen’s d = 2.1 in the MDMA group and Cohen’s d = 1.2 in the placebo group.[5]

Psychedelics and Substance Use Disorders (Cravings)

Psilocybin-assisted therapy (P-AT) is also being investigated for its potential to treat mental health conditions, including PTSD. While there is currently no published data on psilocybin use for treating PTSD, the strong impact of psilocybin on conditions that often co-occur with PTSD, such as depression and anxiety, indicates the potential beneficial impact of the psilocybin augmented PTSD treatment.[6]

Conclusion

While the question specifically mentions cravings, the provided sources do not directly address the impact of psychedelics on cravings. However, the use of psilocybin in the treatment of addictions has been studied. One study found that psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer.[7] Another study found that psilocybin is used in the treatment of tobacco addiction.[8]

Based on the available information, MDMA-AT has demonstrated efficacy in reducing symptoms of PTSD, which is a trauma-related disorder. While the provided sources do not directly address the impact of psychedelics on cravings, the use of psilocybin in the treatment of addictions has been studied.


Authoritative Sources

  1. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. [PTSD: National Center for PTSD]
  2. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. [PTSD: National Center for PTSD]
  3. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. [PTSD: National Center for PTSD]
  4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment with Psychedelic Drugs. [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment with Psychedelic Drugs]
  5. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. [PTSD: National Center for PTSD]
  6. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. [PTSD: National Center for PTSD]
  7. Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W., Carducci, M. A., Umbricht, A., Richards, W. A., Richards, B. D., Cosimano, M. P., & Klinedinst, M. A. (2016). Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12), 1181-1197. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881116675513
  8. Johnson, M. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., Cosimano, M. P., & Griffiths, R. R. (2014). Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 28(11), 983-992. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881114548296

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