<p>There has been some preliminary research in the 1960's. From &quot;The neurobiology of psychedelic drugs: implications for the treatment of mood disorders&quot; by Vollenweider and Kometer:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Psycholytic therapy was introduced by Ronald Sandison and applied in
Europe at 18 treatment centres. In psycholytic therapy, low to
moderate doses of LSD (50–100 μg), psilocybin (10–15 mg) or,
sporadically, ketamine were used repeatedly as an adjunct in
psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy to accelerate the
therapeutic process by facilitating regression and the recollection
and release of emotionally loaded repressed memories, and by
increasing the transference reaction. A review of 42
studies reported impressive improvement rates in (mostly
treatment-resistant) patients with anxiety disorders (improvement in
70% of patients), depression (in 62% of patients), personality
disorders (in 53–61% of patients), sexual dysfunction (in 50% of
patients) and obsessive–compulsive disorders (in 42% of patients).</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the majority of these studies had serious
methodological flaws by contemporary standards. In particular, with
the absence of adequate control groups and follow-up measurements and
with vague criteria for therapeutic outcome, the studies did not
clearly establish whether it was the drug or the therapeutic
engagement that produced the reported beneficial effect. It was also
difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding potential long-term
efficacy. Nevertheless, the studies provide a conceptual framework for
the application of psychedelics, with the data suggesting that the
most promising indication for psychedelic use might be found in the
treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-09T06:39:52.330Z
It's part of the new wave of treating depression (and what not) with psychedelics: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5228719/ There's a trial even for OCD: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03300947
got trolled too much this week
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-03T01:41:57.740Z
2017-08-03T01:41:57.740Z
2020-06-17T09:55:31.633Z
Seanny123
<p>Has psilocybin been used for treatment of anxiety disorder? I've mostly found it used in the treatment of depression in patients diagnosed with cancer (<a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.557" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Nichols et al. 2017</a>) and patients not diagnosed with anything at all (<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0457-5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Griffiths et al. 2006</a>). Alternatively, how legitimate is it to generalize the results of the cancer patients to a chronic anxiety disorder patient?</p>
<sub>
<p>Nichols, D. E., Johnson, M. W., &amp; Nichols, C. D. (2017). <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.557" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Psychedelics as medicines: an emerging new paradigm.</a> Clinical Pharmacology &amp; Therapeutics, 101(2), 209-219.</p>
<p>Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., McCann, U., &amp; Jesse, R. (2006). <a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0457-5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance.</a> Psychopharmacology, 187(3), 268-283.
</sub></p>

<psychopharmacology><anxiety>
Psilocybin for treatment of anxiety disorder
Seanny123
# Psilocybin for treatment of anxiety disorder

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-03)

Has psilocybin been used for treatment of anxiety disorder? I've mostly found it used in the treatment of depression in patients diagnosed with cancer ([Nichols et al. 2017](http://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.557)) and patients not diagnosed with anything at all ([Griffiths et al. 2006](http://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0457-5)). Alternatively, how legitimate is it to generalize the results of the cancer patients to a chronic anxiety disorder patient?

Nichols, D. E., Johnson, M. W., & Nichols, C. D. (2017). [Psychedelics as medicines: an emerging new paradigm.](http://doi.org/10.1002/cpt.557) Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 101(2), 209-219.

Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., McCann, U., & Jesse, R. (2006). [Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance.](http://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0457-5) Psychopharmacology, 187(3), 268-283.

**Tags:** psychopharmacology, anxiety


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2017-08-03. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

There has been some preliminary research in the 1960's. From "The neurobiology of psychedelic drugs: implications for the treatment of mood disorders" by Vollenweider and Kometer:

> Psycholytic therapy was introduced by Ronald Sandison and applied in
> Europe at 18 treatment centres. In psycholytic therapy, low to
> moderate doses of LSD (50–100 μg), psilocybin (10–15 mg) or,
> sporadically, ketamine were used repeatedly as an adjunct in
> psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy to accelerate the
> therapeutic process by facilitating regression and the recollection
> and release of emotionally loaded repressed memories, and by
> increasing the transference reaction. A review of 42
> studies reported impressive improvement rates in (mostly
> treatment-resistant) patients with anxiety disorders (improvement in
> 70% of patients), depression (in 62% of patients), personality
> disorders (in 53–61% of patients), sexual dysfunction (in 50% of
> patients) and obsessive–compulsive disorders (in 42% of patients).
>
> Unfortunately, the majority of these studies had serious
> methodological flaws by contemporary standards. In particular, with
> the absence of adequate control groups and follow-up measurements and
> with vague criteria for therapeutic outcome, the studies did not
> clearly establish whether it was the drug or the therapeutic
> engagement that produced the reported beneficial effect. It was also
> difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding potential long-term
> efficacy. Nevertheless, the studies provide a conceptual framework for
> the application of psychedelics, with the data suggesting that the
> most promising indication for psychedelic use might be found in the
> treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It's part of the new wave of treating depression (and what not) with psychedelics: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5228719/ There's a trial even for OCD: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03300947  

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