Use of Psilocybin in the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Emergency Services Populations
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Authors
Farn, Troy
Issue Date
2024-09
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , emergency services populations , psilocybin , treatment modalities , first responders
Alternative Title
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent health concern for first responders; as many as 33% of the emergency-services population are diagnosed with PTSD (Obuobi-Donkor et al., 2022). Those who live with a PTSD diagnosis must often deal with significant mental health issues (intrusive thoughts, extreme anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares, and uncontrolled anger), as well as physical health issues (chronic pain, persistent fatigue, high blood pressure, obesity, and decreased life expectancy). Emerging research in psychedelics has shown preliminary evidence of the potential healing qualities of psilocybin in the treatment of PTSD. This capstone project involved an investigation of the effectiveness of psilocybin in the treatment of PTSD in the emergency-services population. The findings from the literature review of peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024 indicate that psilocybin-assisted therapy can improve the overall brain health and connectivity of those who have been diagnosed with PTSD. Through continued education, accredited psychedelic training, and an understanding of the legislation that currently exists regarding psychedelics and treatment, mental health professionals can support their clients by using psychedelic-assisted therapy and achieve positive treatment outcomes for emergency-services personnel who live with PTSD. As research increases in this area, the application of outcome-based research will enable therapists to offer more effective and refined treatment for first responders who have a PTSD diagnosis. The author recommends further research regarding the healing qualities of psilocybin in the treatment of PTSD in the first-responder community.
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Citation
Publisher
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
openAccess
openAccess