Understanding Safety in Psychedelic Treatments

Understanding Safety in Psychedelic Treatments

Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin are being studied for their potential to treat mental health issues. While their use shows promise, it’s important to look at the side effects that can happen, even in controlled studies. Here’s a simple overview of what researchers have found out about the risks.

Serious Problems Are Rare

Research looked at over 3,500 people across 114 studies. Serious problems, such as extreme changes to mental health, were very rare. Nobody without pre-existing mental health issues experienced serious side effects. For people who already had mental health challenges, about 4% reported serious problems like worsening of depression or unusual behaviour. Minor issues, including headaches and anxiety, were only slightly more common.

There was some good news too. None of the participants in these studies experienced persistent or life-changing effects, like ongoing psychosis, which are sometimes reported in recreational use.

Why Better Monitoring Matters

One concern from this research is that many studies didn’t do a thorough job of checking for or recording all side effects. Some studies only tracked the issues directly linked to the drug but missed others. This means we don’t fully know how often problems might happen. Better tracking can help create a clearer picture of how these treatments may affect people. A study from PMC highlights that “Evidence-based practice and participant safety are paramount for the cautious reintroduction of psychedelics into clinical research and practice.”

Safe Steps for the Future

The results suggest that psychedelic trials can be safe when closely monitored. But we need to stay careful, especially for those with mental health challenges. Making sure all potential problems are watched and reported will help keep treatments safe, and it will help people considering these therapies to understand the risks and benefits.

If we get better at tracking safety, researchers can progress with more confidence, making the most of these treatments while keeping people’s well-being a priority.

Source: Jama Network

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