T137. Psilocybin-Assisted Group Therapy for Demoralization in Long-Term AIDS Survivors

Long-term AIDS Survivors (LTAS) are people with HIV diagnosed prior to the advent of antiretroviral therapy. LTAS suffer high rates of multiple psychiatric illnesses; demoralization is a syndrome common in LTAS and is characterized by a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, and a loss of meaning and purpose in life. Psilocybin is a 5HT2A agonist and classic psychedelic that can improve depression and anxiety in cancer patients when combined with individual psychotherapy, possibly by decreasing demoralization.

Source: Biological Psychiatry - May 13, 2019 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Brian Anderson, Alicia Danforth, Robert Daroff, Christopher Stauffer, James Dilley, Jennifer Mitchell, Joshua Woolley Source Type: research