Classic Psychedelics as a Psychotherapeutic Aid in the Treatment of Stimulant Use Disorder: a Case Report

Abstract

Despite nascent research supporting the efficacy of classic psychedelics as a psychotherapeutic aid for the treatment of substance abuse, to date, there is limited published research exploring their use in the treatment of stimulant use disorder and dual diagnosis. A 22-year-old male with a history of mood disorder and polysubstance use presented to a private Australian mental health clinic. While undergoing psychological treatment for mood and stimulant use disorder, this patient reported significant benefit from his use of classic psychedelics. Following consumption of 3.5 grams of psilocybin-containing mushrooms, he decided to seek out psychotherapy for the first time. Throughout treatment, subjective reports of his classic psychedelic use, which among others, included two occasions of having consumed 200 μg of lysergic acid diethylamide and 100 mg of dimethyltryptamine, were recorded and a psychometric tool used to capture mystical experiences was administered. As treatment progressed, the patient reported being better able to consolidate his therapeutic gains through the integration of insights obtained through his use of classic psychedelics, ultimately remaining abstinent from all stimulant drugs. The results of this case report suggest that classic psychedelics may be effective psychotherapeutic aids to be used in traditional substance abuse treatment programs. It is hoped that this case report will inform future research in this field.