New Trial Studies Psilocybin Treatment for People with Alcohol Use Disorder
A randomized controlled trial examined the experiences of people with alcohol use disorder after being treated with psilocybin.
A recent trial, published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, reported the effects of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) (1). Thirteen participants answered interview questions before and after the treatment regarding coping strategies, cravings, and stress among other topics (1). The study is reportedly the first ever of its type (1).
“Participants reported that the psilocybin treatment helped them process emotions related to painful past events and helped promote states of self-compassion, self-awareness, and feelings of interconnectedness,” state the Results (1). According to the responses, the psilocybin helped participants experience new, more positive emotions such as a sense of belonging (1).
“Our findings suggest that psilocybin treatment prompted meaningful and enduring improvements in self-compassion and affect regulation,” read the Impact Statement, in part (1). “These psychological processes may help individuals with AUD cope with difficult emotions and stress and prevent relapse by encouraging adaptive coping responses.”
Reference
- Agin-Liebes, G.; Nielson, E. M.; Zingman, M.; Kim, K.; Haas, A.; Owens, L. T.; Rogers, U.; Bogenschutz, M. Reports of Self-Compassion and Affect Regulation in Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 2023.
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February 28th 2025In this latest installment of Noid Knowledge we are joined by Julie Kowalski, a leading mind in analytical chemistry and cannabis testing. Julie has arranged a very compelling symposium for Pittcon entitled Cannabis Aroma: Advances and Challenges in Determining and Commercializing Cannabis Product Quality Attributes. It is taking place on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, starting at 9:30 AM in room 209. The session features top notch speakers, including several previous guests of this show, and yours truly, discussing the next generation of quality assessment in cannabis.
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December 26th 2024In the final part of this episode, Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn discuss the need for a national entity to centralize cannabis data collection, moving from snapshot data to continuous updates. They emphasize the importance of accurate lab data and adverse event tracking, suggesting QR codes on packaging to report issues. Yasha suggests harsher consequences for result manipulation and suggests collaboration between state departments and federal entities to support underfunded regulators. They also discuss the potential benefits of off-the-shelf testing and the importance of stability testing. Finally, Yasha shares his top three reading recommendations for the audience.
