A Retrospective Study to Determine the Impact of Psychedelic Therapy for Dimensional Measures of Wellness: A Qualitative Analysis of Response Data
This retrospective thematic analysis of 93 qualitative responses from 65 adults who used psychedelic medicines therapeutically identified themes of mysticism/spirituality, functional improvement and self‑awareness, social connection, effects on medical and mental health, neutral impressions and difficult experiences. Participants reported multidimensional improvements across spiritual, physiological, psychological and social domains, suggesting psychedelic use is associated with broad qualitative changes that may enhance overall wellness and inform future mechanistic research.
Authors
- Di Virgilio, A.
- Di Virgilio, V.
- Minerbi, A.
Published
Abstract
Background
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines wellness as the optimal state of health of individuals and groups. No study to date has identified the impact of psychedelic medicines for optimizing wellness using a dimensional approach. Treatment effects can be measured more broadly using a composite score of participants’ global perceptions of change for pain, function, and mood scores. Given the precedence in previous work for retrospective study of participants’ self-medicating with these substances, the nature of this study design allows for a safe way to develop further evidence in this area of care, with wellness as the broad indication. Methods 65 civilian or military veterans between the ages of 18-99 self-identifying as having used psychedelic medicines for non-recreational therapeutic purposes in the last 3 years were recruited for this study. Participants completed various standardized questionnaires that will be analyzed in a separate study, while this study analyzed the qualitative experiences described in relation to the medicines used and coded them according to themes developed from review of previous literature.
Results
A total of 93 comments were analyzed. Participant comments were classified into these categories: mysticism and spirituality, functional improvement and self awareness, social connection and cultural impact, impact on medical and mental health conditions, neutral impressions, sensations or difficult experiences. Participants described impacts in these categories related to spiritual, physiological, psychological, and social improvements, as well as difficulties and complex emotions regarding the experience of using psychedelic medicines.
Discussion
Wellness of individuals or groups is not simply an absence of disease, symptoms, or impairments. Rather, it reflects the outcome of numerous personal characteristics, psychophysiology, and choices, expressed throughout one’s lifespan, unfolding in dynamic interaction with a complicated socio-cultural and physical environment. Participants that used psychedelic medicines described improvement of medical and mental health conditions, social interaction, spirituality, and overall function. In general, quality of life and wellness consequently improved after the use of these medicines based on established multidimensional factors.
Conclusion
The use of various psychedelic medicines appears to be associated with a broad range of qualitative experiences that could help clarify the mechanism of how they impact wellness in the future.
Research Summary of 'A Retrospective Study to Determine the Impact of Psychedelic Therapy for Dimensional Measures of Wellness: A Qualitative Analysis of Response Data'
Introduction
The paper frames wellness as a multidimensional construct that goes beyond absence of disease to include physical, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions. Earlier research and clinical practice largely use categorical diagnostic systems (for example DSM-defined disorders), which the authors argue limit applicability to real-world populations who frequently experience comorbidity (for example chronic pain plus mental health symptoms). Previous studies of psychedelics have reported promise across discrete diagnostic indications (depression, addiction, end-of-life distress, some pain syndromes), but no study to date has evaluated the impact of psychedelic medicines using a dimensional approach to wellness rather than diagnostic categories. Di and colleagues set out to fill that gap by retrospectively examining qualitative reports from people who had self‑administered psychedelic medicines for therapeutic (non‑recreational) reasons within the previous three years. The stated aim was to identify and categorise the range of subjective experiences related to wellness across multiple domains (for example mood, pain, function, spirituality and social connection), using thematic analysis informed by prior qualitative work. Quantitative outcomes were collected but are to be analysed separately; this paper focuses on participants' free‑text comments and their thematic classification.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Topics
- APA Citation
Virgilio, V. D., Minerbi, A., Fletcher, J., Virgilio, A. D., Aggerwal, S., Sheen, L., Deol, J. K., & Gupta, G. (2023). A Retrospective Study to Determine the Impact of Psychedelic Therapy for Dimensional Measures of Wellness: A Qualitative Analysis of Response Data. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.02.12.23285814
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