The Efficacy of Psychedelic Assisted Therapy in Managing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based upon material published in Cureus and is available as an open-access article. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant public health concern for which existing therapies are only marginally effective. Indisputably, the primary line of treatment for PTSD is psychotherapy, according to current treatment guidelines. However, PTSD continues to be a chronic condition even after psychotherapy, with high psychiatric and medical illness rates. There is a dire need to search for new compounds and approaches for managing PTSD. The usage of psychedelic substances is a potential new method. This article reviews the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy in treating PTSD and improving patient outcomes. It will examine current research on the topic and evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of different therapies. The current evidence for the use of four different types of psychedelics (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ketamine, classical psychedelics, and cannabis) in the treatment of PTSD will be reviewed. It will also include an overview of the therapeutic justification, context of use, and level of evidence available for each drug. Several questions are formulated that could be studied in future research in order to gain a better understanding of the topic. This course on the use of psychedelic drugs as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of the use of psychedelic drugs as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. The course material includes a literature review of interventions and research. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading and others do not. A significant benefit of reading research-based articles for continuing education is they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: Mohamed, Touheed, Ahmed, Hor, Fatima Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding the use of psychedelic drugs as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Specifically, a professional will: Identify characteristics of posttraumatic stress disorder and the mechanisms of psychedelic assisted therapy. Describe characteristics, uses, and adverse effects of various psychedelic drugs. Recognize the use of various psychedelic drugs as treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder. Citation: Mohamed, A., Touheed, S., Ahmed, M., Hor, M., & Fatima, S. (2022). The Efficacy of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Managing Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A New Frontier?. Cureus, 14(10), e30919. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.30919