This booklet explores MDMA and other entactogens as pharmacological adjuncts to group psychotherapy. It presents intimate insights into entactogenic experiences from first-hand accounts of clients who participated in group therapy sessions, and crucial background on the neurobiological and psychospiritual components of those experiences. The word "entactogen" refers to compounds that "produce a touching within," and is derived from the roots en (Greek: within), tact's (Latin: touch), and gen (Greek: produce. Entactogen is used to describe a class of psychoactive substances that decrease anxiety; increase trust, self-acceptance, and openness; and allow easier access to memories, providing fertile ground for transformative healing. Therapists used entactogens such as MDMA in their practice before it was criminalized in 1985. Since that time, much effort has taken place to conduct government-approved scientific research into MDMA's therapeutic potential, which has recently been demonstrated in placebo-controlled studies of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder.
The invitation to write a foreword for this book came at an opportune time in the development of the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy, amid the emergence of the future iteration of mental health services, delivered by the promises of the psychedelic renaissance. Also alive in this context are the substantial individual, social and cultural repercussions of a global pandemic on mental health and human behavior. A growing body of research shows encouraging clinical results in treating trauma, depression, demoralization, end-of-life existential issues, addiction, and eating disorders using MDMA, psilocybin, ketamine, and other psychedelic medications. However, the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy has gained accelerated support from donors, the medical establishment, and corporate investors in recent years. Along with the enthusiasm, recognition, funding, and media coverage directed toward psychedelic-assisted therapy, ethical standards; the lack of adequate training; and issues of accessibility, sustainability, diversity and inclusion are increasingly becoming part of the movement's forefront. These gaps in the emerging field highlight the need for more guidance and structure around ethical, clinical, and social considerations for these innovative treatments. This book can serve as a cornerstone for the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy at this time. This essential contribution offers a depth-oriented, somatic and relational therapeutic approach, emphasizing the imperative of ethical standards, the relevance of the therapeutic use of touch, the significance of the unconscious in the construction of symbolic meaning and intersubjective processes, and the need for trauma -informed approaches while centering liberation psychology and decolonial practices. The topics covered in this book and the themes embraced by the authors are of great relevance and are not yet comprehensively articulated in existing publications on psychedelic-assisted therapy. The diverse authors of this book approach their chapters based on their diverse social and cultural identities, as well as their extensive clinical experience providing psychedelic-assisted therapy in government-approved clinical research, private practice, and nonprofit organization settings. Their contributions aim at a vision of psychedelic-assisted therapy centered on decolonial practices, attuned to the somatic, imaginal, cultural and relational dimensions of being, allowing the emergence of transpersonal processes. Each chapter elaborates practical and theoretical aspects of this treatment modality through a unique theoretical framework, providing inspiration and guidance to readers working in this field as well as those compelled to psychedelic work for personal transformation.
This handbook reviews promising applications of psychedelics in treatment of such challenging psychiatric problems as posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression, substance use disorders, and end-of-life anxiety. Experts from multiple disciplines synthesize current knowledge on psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, and other medical hallucinogens. The volume comprehensively examines these substances' neurobiological mechanisms, clinical effects, therapeutic potential, risks, and anthropological and historical contexts. Coverage ranges from basic science to practical clinical considerations, including patient screening and selection, dosages and routes of administration, how psychedelic-assisted sessions are structured and conducted, and management of adverse reactions.
Researchers, program administrators, and practicing clinicians explain the most recent developments in using psychedelic substances to treat psychological, physiological, and social problems. More than a decade ago, the U.S. government lifted its ban on all testing of psychedelic substances. Winkelman and Sessa now provide updated scientific research and applications of these substances, now moving into approved categories of medicine. The text is an up-to-date assessment of the latest advances in the field of psychedelic medicine, covering the use of LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, ayahuasca, and other substances to augment psychotherapies for a range of disorders. It discusses medical and psychiatric concerns, clinical efficacy and safety, ethical considerations, and neuroscience findings regarding the psychedelic compounds. Topics covered include an overview of psychiatric applications of psychedelics; treatments for addictions and depressive disorders; effects of psychedelics on inflammation and neuroplasticity; evidence for clinical applications of DMT, ayahuasca, and cannabidiol; psychedelic treatment of sociopathic disorders; microdosing psychedelics; training psychedelic therapists; and community-based harm reduction approaches to managing psychedelic crises.
Psychedelic therapies are gaining traction as potential treatments for a wide range of indications, but the structure and delivery of psychedelic therapies are a sharp departure from more traditional models of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for psychiatric and other medical disorders. This may be critical to their success. The current volume provides a comprehensive review of the state of the science of psychedelic therapies, including discussion of models and approaches to psychedelic therapies as well as the current status of safety and efficacy data for mood, substance use, trauma, obsessive-compulsive, neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative disorders, neurological, and inflammatory disorders.
Clinical Manual of Addiction Psychopharmacology is a comprehensive guide to the pharmacology of drugs of abuse and the medications used to treat dependence on those substances. This new, second edition provides a thorough update on a broad range of addictive substances, along with enhanced coverage in areas where significant advances have been made since publication of the first edition. Clinicians, including psychiatrists, psychiatric residents and fellows, and other mental health practitioners who encounter individuals with substance-related disorders in the course of their clinical work, will find the manual to be well-organized, exhaustively referenced, and current. The book is structured for ease of use and completeness of coverage, with an abundance of beneficial features: Material is presented in a systematic fashion, addressing epidemiology, pharmacology of the abused substance (including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics), psychopharmacological treatments, and issues of dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, and abstinence. Both basic science and clinical dimensions are addressed, and these different perspectives, including pharmacotherapy and the psychosocial aspects of treatment, are integrated to allow clinicians a more holistic and effective treatment approach. Coverage of the pharmacology of drugs of abuse is thorough and reflects the latest research findings, providing a necessary background for understanding the clinical effects and treatment of dependence on these substances. Coverage of pharmacotherapy for dependence on these drugs is equally comprehensive, with meticulously detailed findings and evidence-based recommendations for the clinical care of patients dependent on a variety of substances. Tables are used strategically to present complex information in a logical and accessible way; for example, the table on management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome includes detailed information on the symptom-triggered approach, fixed dose schedules, and delirium in a condensed, yet easy-to-understand format. The book is well written and edited for clarity and accuracy by editors and contributors at the forefront of the psychopharmacology of addiction. As new drugs come into the market and old drugs find new applications, clinicians must stay current to provide the best care. Clinical Manual of Addiction Psychopharmacology helps them to do just that, offering both sound science and clinical wisdom to meet the complex challenges of treating individuals with substance-related disorders.
The Manual of Psychedelic Support is a new harm reduction resource providing a comprehensive overview of how people can provide compassionate care to people undergoing difficult psychedelic experiences during large-scale music festivals and events. This second edition of MOPS features an interactive in-the-field workbook with ruled scholar's margins for note-taking. The book is packed with full-color photographs depicting alternative festival culture and its psychoactive drugs of choice. It also showcases dozens of beautiful visionary artworks from fifteen contemporary psychedelic artists. New to this edition is a 46-page "Guide to Drug Effects and Interactions" which summarizes notable contraindications between different classes of psychoactive drugs. A quick-reference Index to those substances commonly encountered at music festivals and similar events is provided.
Written by the world's leading experts on MDMA, "Ecstasy: The Complete Guide" takes the first unbiased look at the risks and the benefits of this unique drug, including the science of how it works; its promise as a treatment for depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, and other mental illnesses; and how to minimize the risks of use.
