Psychedelics for PTSD Treatment (1 CE)

Number of Credits:  1

This course is for:  Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, LMFTs

Course By: Joel Austin, PharmD

Content By: Erwin Krediet, Tijmen Bostoen, Joost Breeksema, Annette van Schagen, Torsten Passie, Eric Vermetten. (2020). Reviewing the Potential of Psychedelics for the Treatment of PTSD. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, Volume 23 (6). 385–400. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyaa018

Course Description: There are very few treatment options that have demonstrated efficacy in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Presently, Psychotherapy is the first-line treatment option for PTSD; yet, even after undergoing this therapy process, PTSD remains a chronic illness with high rates of medical comorbidity.  Over the last two years, psychedelic drugs have become a promising new approach to PTSD treatment and have received breakthrough designations for psychiatric disorders from the United States Food and Drug Administration.  The presented journal article reviews different forms of psychedelic drugs and addresses their potential for positive changes in patients suffering from PTSD.  Each drug provides unique qualities that can rapidly target symptoms and can be used as supplemental treatment during psychotherapy.  Future research into this treatment approach is warranted.   

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the four types of psychedelics and one key finding from each of the four psychedelic treatments evaluated in the study.
2. List one safety concern and/or potential side effect for each of the psychedelic treatments evaluated in the study.
3. List two limitations of the presented study and consider the implications of those limitations in the context of future research in this area.

Course Outline:  

• Read and understand Reviewing the Potential of Psychedelics for the Treatment of PTSD
• Review the Course Descriptions and Learning Objectives
• Consider the factors related to different forms of psychedelic drugs and the new information pertaining to their use and efficacy in post-traumatic stress disorder events
• Work through the post-test questions; keep in mind that answer selections should be derived from the respective article

Re-assess for any missed questions, returning to the referenced article to better understand the relationship between PTSD and a possible new treatment modality