Prolonged adverse effects from repeated psilocybin use in an underground psychedelic therapy training program: a case report (2025)

[Alchemica]

Prolonged adverse effects from repeated psilocybin use in an underground psychedelic therapy training program: a case report

I thought this article was interesting, in having to consider at what point does one's mindset switch from psychedelically-minded, allowing a natural unfolding process of self-healing, to wait a minute, something is really wrong here, they need professional medical help kind of thing happen? Are facilitators open to, and knowing of when, a change of approach, ie professional help is needed?

 

It presents a case of a (Dr) clinical psychologist undergoing 'training', who had prior experience with psychedelics, and no history of mental illness undergoing a long-term psychedelic adverse experience after multiple psilocybin doses. 

 

It illustrates: 

 -  adverse experiences may need not result from an underlying psychiatric vulnerability exposed by psychedelics, and can occur in those with multiple psychological, social, and environmental protective factors

-factors of the broader set and setting that contributed to this use pattern and perpetuated it by denying, obscuring, or reframing harms, despite the patient having recurrent and escalating distress 

Edited March 8 by Alchemica

[Slocombe]

I'm not entirely convinced that there were not some underlying mental health issues here. She worked as a psychologist; a stressful job that often negatively impacts on the clinician. Like police and other front line workers, psychologist often work for years and seem 'fine', before having sudden breakdowns. There's also a lot of pressure on people not to be unwell.

 

She was seeking out shrooms while in her 70s. While ostensibly 'training' to help others, I would be unsurprised if she was actually seeking out this training as a form of therapy for herself.

 

[Alchemica]

11 hours ago, Slocombe said:

I'm not entirely convinced that there were not some underlying mental health issues here. She worked as a psychologist; a stressful job that often negatively impacts on the clinician. Like police and other front line workers, psychologist often work for years and seem 'fine', before having sudden breakdowns. There's also a lot of pressure on people not to be unwell.

 

She was seeking out shrooms while in her 70s. While ostensibly 'training' to help others, I would be unsurprised if she was actually seeking out this training as a form of therapy for herself.

 

 

Was speaking to a psychiatrist about it, they said they'd want MRI + cognitive testing as a late-life mood disorder, which could be precipitated by such use, may be a sign of a developing dementia, or sub-cortical infarcts

You do, however, make good points. I'll add, who in this world doesn't have some sort of mental illness, if not diagnosed, at least lurking at some sub-clinical level