Attitudes of psychedelic users regarding cost of treatment and non-hallucinogenic alternatives
In a survey of 1,221 naturalistic psychedelic users, 76% judged altered states of consciousness to be very or extremely important for therapeutic effects, yet 61% said they would be willing to try a non-hallucinogenic analogue. Respondents considered about $70–80 per hour a reasonable fee for preparation, dosing and integration—substantially below current market projections for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
Authors
- Jordan Aday
- Kevin Boehnke
- Daniel Kruger
Published
Abstract
Background and aimsPsychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is currently being studied as a possible treatment option for multiple disorders. Despite promising safety and efficacy findings, the high costs of the current PAP model makes it questionable if the treatment will be scalable. Non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogs have been developed as a potential cost-effective alternative, but it is unclear what psychedelic users perceive as a reasonable cost for treatment and whether they would be open to trying a non-hallucinogenic analog.
Methods
We queried a large sample of people using psychedelics naturalistically (N = 1,221) about their attitudes regarding the role of altered states of consciousness in PAP outcomes, costs of treatment, and their openness to trying a non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analog for treating a mental health condition.
Results
We found that most (76%) participants considered altered states of consciousness as very or extremely important to the therapeutic effects of psychedelics. Despite this, most (61%) were also moderately, very, or extremely likely to try a non-hallucinogenic substance if given the chance. Lastly, participants considered approximately $70–80 per hour to be a reasonable cost for various aspects of psychedelic services (e.g., preparation, integration, and dosing sessions).
Conclusions
Participants valued the role of altered states of consciousness in therapeutic changes attributed to psychedelics, but were still open to trying a non-hallucinogenic analog. Notably, the price participants considered to be a reasonable amount for PAP is well below current market projections. Future research is needed to address limitations of the study as well as to identify ways of lowering treatment costs.
Research Summary of 'Attitudes of psychedelic users regarding cost of treatment and non-hallucinogenic alternatives'
Introduction
Psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, LSD and related compounds (for example, MDMA) have shown preliminary safety and efficacy when combined with psychotherapy for treating psychiatric disorders. A practical barrier to wider implementation is the high cost of the current psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) model, which typically requires substantial therapist time: clinical-trial protocols often include two therapists present for multiple long preparatory and dosing sessions (commonly 6–8 hours each) plus several integration sessions. Researchers are therefore exploring cost-reduction strategies such as group therapy or non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogs that might deliver therapeutic benefit without inducing an altered state of consciousness and thus with less psychotherapeutic support required. However, because subjective experiences (for example, mystical experiences or insights) have been linked to therapeutic outcomes, there is debate about whether non-hallucinogenic alternatives could be effective. This brief report, by Aday and colleagues, sought to address two consumer-centred questions that have received little attention: what do people who use psychedelics naturalistically consider a reasonable cost for various components of PAP, and would they be willing to try a non-hallucinogenic psychedelic-derived compound for treating a mental health condition? The investigators hypothesised that perceived reasonable costs would be below current projected market prices and that most respondents would be open to trying a non-hallucinogenic analog.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compounds
- Topics
- Authors
- APA Citation
Aday, J. S., Boehnke, K. F., Herberholz, M., & Kruger, D. J. (2024). Attitudes of psychedelic users regarding cost of treatment and non-hallucinogenic alternatives. Journal of Psychedelic Studies. https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2024.00354
References (12)
Papers cited by this study that are also in Blossom
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Goodwin, G. M., Aaronson, S. T., Alvarez, O. et al. · New England Journal of Medicine (2022)
Kruger, D. J., Enghoff, O., Herberholz, M. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2023)
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Marseille, E., Kahn, J. G., Yazar-Klosinski, B. et al. · PLOS ONE (2020)
Mitchell, J., Bogenschutz, M. P., Lilienstein, A. et al. · Nature Medicine (2021)
Olson, D. E. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2020)
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Roseman, L., Nutt, D. J., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Yaden, D. B., Griffiths, R. R. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2020)
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