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Frontier mental health research: psychedelics & drug studies

Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.

LSD Addiction MEDLINE

3 papers

LSD for Addiction

Based on 14 papers

Researchers are again studying classic psychedelics, including LSD, as possible tools to help people with addiction. Early work and a few small studies suggest some psychedelics can change the brain, change people’s outlook, and sometimes reduce harmful use. But the evidence is still limited, and most strong claims come from other psychedelics (like psilocybin or ibogaine) or from general studies of how these drugs work in the brain. In short: there are promising signs, some real risks, and a lot we do not yet know. Scientists say we need larger, careful trials, clear safety rules, and better ways to tell how much benefit comes from the drug itself versus the therapy and setting around it.

Key findings

  • Interest and clinical research on psychedelics for problems like addiction has grown again in recent years. 15098 15085 15058
  • Some psychedelics have shown early signs of helping addictions such as alcohol or tobacco in small or preliminary studies. 15058 15085 15092
  • Direct clinical evidence specifically for LSD as a treatment for addiction is limited; most strong results come from studies of other psychedelics or from general research on the psychedelic approach. 15085 15098 15058
  • Classic psychedelics (like LSD) act on serotonin systems and lab studies show they can increase brain plasticity — that is, the brain’s ability to change connections — which might be a way they help, but this is not proven in people with addiction yet. 15050 15091 15080
  • People who have had psychedelic-assisted treatments often report big personal insights, a changed sense of self, and stronger feelings of connection — experiences that therapists think can support recovery from addictive behavior. 15092 15063 15065
  • Psychedelic treatments can have risks: drugs like LSD can cause strong hallucinations and, in some cases, lasting perceptual problems. Other drugs (for example ibogaine) have caused serious heart and neurological harms in past studies. 15080 15085 15065
  • Most clinical trials so far are small or early-stage. That means the overall evidence is weak to moderate and larger, well-controlled trials are needed to be sure about benefits and harms. 15091 15098 15087
  • Key uncertainties remain: how much benefit comes from the drug itself versus the intensive therapy and setting, which exact doses and session rules work best, and how safe these treatments are for different people. 15087 15065 15091
  • Trials so far have often excluded or under‑represented people of color. This makes it hard to know if results apply across all groups. 15095
  • Experts emphasize careful preparation, medical screening, and follow-up therapy as important parts of any psychedelic-assisted program — these steps matter for safety and outcomes. 15065 15091

Psychedelic Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Patient Experiences in Qualitative Studies

Joost J. Breeksema, Alistair Niemeijer, Erwin Krediet, Eric Vermetten, Robert A. Schoevers
CNS Drugs Summary & key facts 2020 207 citations

Researchers collected and read 15 studies where patients described their own experiences with psychedelic treatments for mental disorders. These studies looked at about 180 patient accounts across different drugs and different illnesses. Even though the drugs and treatment settings were very different, many patients described similar helpful processes, such as…

Chemical synthesis and alkaloids Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior Psychedelics and Drug Studies Ayahuasca Ibogaine

Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review

Sascha Thal, Michelle Wieberneit, Jason M. Sharbanee, Petra Skeffington, Paris Baker, Raimondo Bruno, et al.
Journal of Psychopharmacology Summary & key facts 2022 23 citations

The authors reviewed 83 papers and guides about how therapists prepare people for substance-assisted psychotherapy — therapy that uses drugs like psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, or ketamine together with psychological support. They found clear agreement that good preparation before a drug session is important for safety and for helping people get…

Chemical synthesis and alkaloids Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior Psychedelics and Drug Studies Ibogaine Ketamine

Hallucinations Induced by Psychoactive Drugs: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Therapeutic Interventions

Acta Scientific Neurology Summary & key facts 2026 0 citations

This review explains how certain psychoactive drugs can cause hallucinations and why that matters. It says drugs such as psilocybin and LSD change brain chemicals called serotonin and dopamine, and that can make people see or hear things that are not there. Effects can be mild or very serious, sometimes…

Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis Hallucinations in medical conditions Psychedelics and Drug Studies LSD Other
Summaries and links are for general information and education only. They are not a substitute for reading the original publication or for professional medical, legal, or other advice. Always refer to the linked source for the full study.