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Clinical Synthesis
Published Online: 17 June 2021

Psychedelics as Reemerging Treatments for Anxiety Disorders: Possibilities and Challenges in a Nascent Field

Abstract

Although psychedelics initially showed promise in treating anxiety disorders, psychedelics were criminalized and research halted in the early 1970s. A subsequent resurgence of research into psychiatric benefits of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in the last 20 years has led to a potential paradigm shift in the treatment of numerous psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorders. Despite accumulating evidence and likely U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in the next 2–3 years, the emerging field of psychedelic medicine faces several challenges. Obstacles include ongoing barriers on the regulatory level, lack of education, stigma among mental health clinicians, cost and scalability, and a dearth of specialized personnel prepared to provide these treatments. Deeper issues of ethical responsibility and inclusivity also exist given the historical discovery and use of psychedelics by indigenous peoples throughout the world as well the ongoing disparities in mental health delivery and access within psychiatry and psychedelic research.

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Published in print: Spring 2021
Published online: 17 June 2021

Keyword

  1. Psychedelics and anxiety disorders

Authors

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Franklin King IV, MD. [email protected]
Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston (King); Center for Neuroscience of Psychedelics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (King); private practice, Boston (Hammond).
Rebecca Hammond, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston (King); Center for Neuroscience of Psychedelics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (King); private practice, Boston (Hammond).

Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. King ([email protected]).

Competing Interests

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

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