Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD in UK armed forces veterans: A feasibility study protocol

TY - JOUR

T1 - Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD in UK armed forces veterans

T2 - A feasibility study protocol

AU - Biscoe, Natasha

AU - Bonson, Amanda

AU - Slavin, Max

AU - Busuttil, Walter

AU - MacManus, Deirdre

AU - Cox, Andrew

AU - Murphy, Dominic

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have poorer treatment responses than the general public, which suggests that alternative treatment approaches may be required to support veterans who do not benefit from standard evidence-based approaches. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) involves administration of psilocybin in a supportive therapeutic setting. PAP has been evidenced to be safe and feasible in a range of recent studies supporting individuals with mental health difficulties including depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anxiety. This protocol paper outlines a study aiming to explore the safety and feasibility of PAP for veterans (n = 8) with PTSD. Participants will be offered two dosing sessions of 25 mg of psilocybin, followed by Cognitive Processing Therapy. Eligible participants are UK military veterans who meet criteria for current PTSD and who have completed thorough physical and psychological assessment. The study is subject to ethical approval by the Health Research Authority and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency combined review.

AB - Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have poorer treatment responses than the general public, which suggests that alternative treatment approaches may be required to support veterans who do not benefit from standard evidence-based approaches. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) involves administration of psilocybin in a supportive therapeutic setting. PAP has been evidenced to be safe and feasible in a range of recent studies supporting individuals with mental health difficulties including depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anxiety. This protocol paper outlines a study aiming to explore the safety and feasibility of PAP for veterans (n = 8) with PTSD. Participants will be offered two dosing sessions of 25 mg of psilocybin, followed by Cognitive Processing Therapy. Eligible participants are UK military veterans who meet criteria for current PTSD and who have completed thorough physical and psychological assessment. The study is subject to ethical approval by the Health Research Authority and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency combined review.

KW - Protocol

KW - Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy

KW - Psychedelics

KW - PTSD

KW - UK veterans

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85175089583&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.ejtd.2023.100359

DO - 10.1016/j.ejtd.2023.100359

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85175089583

SN - 2468-7499

VL - 7

JO - European Journal of Trauma and Dissociation

JF - European Journal of Trauma and Dissociation

IS - 4

M1 - 100359

ER -