A recent study, published in the prestigious scientific journal *The Lancet Psychiatry*, which includes contributions from Dr. Lúcio Silva, a member of the clinical staff at The Clinic of Change, addresses topics that could revolutionize future approaches to mental health.
A recent study, published in *The Lancet Psychiatry* and co-authored by Dr. Lúcio Silva, a member of the clinical staff at The Clinic of Change in Lisbon, highlights a critical issue: the insufficient description of the psychotherapeutic techniques used in these approaches involving drugs such as psilocybin and MDMA compromises the replicability and interpretation of the results.
In recent years, psychedelics have reemerged as promising tools in therapeutic settings, offering an innovative approach to exploring the mind and consciousness, particularly in the treatment of conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The study reveals that, although psychedelics such as psilocybin and MDMA are frequently studied for their pharmacological effects, little is known about the specific psychotherapeutic approaches associated with them.
“There is a gap in the scientific literature that urgently needs to be filled to ensure that therapeutic advances can be replicated and widely applied,” says Dr. Lúcio Silva.
The clinical staff at The Clinic of Change—a pioneer in Portugal in the use of innovative therapeutic interventions—has been researching these approaches to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, using the drug ketamine. This drug, often associated with the treatment of PTSD, is one of the few psychedelics for which there are more detailed descriptions of therapeutic methodologies.
However, for other compounds, such as psilocybin, the evidence remains scarce.
The study’s authors point out that the lack of details about psychotherapeutic techniques—ranging from the structure of the sessions to the strategies used to guide patients during psychedelic experiences—compromises not only the interpretation of the results but also the safety and efficacy of the interventions. According to Dr. Lúcio Silva, it is “essential to standardize and document these techniques so that they can be shared and adapted in different clinical contexts.”
The researchers’ call is clear: future studies should place equal emphasis on psychotherapeutic approaches and the pharmacological aspects of psychedelics. This methodological rigor will allow these innovative therapies to be integrated in an increasingly safe and effective manner into the treatment of mental illnesses, benefiting a growing number of patients seeking solutions for conditions that are often resistant to conventional treatments.
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