Prospective Data from a Clinical Psychedelic Therapy Program in Mexico

This study examined effectiveness of psychedelic-assisted therapy among American Special Operations Forces Veterans seeking treatment in Mexico. Data were prospectively collected in an ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT treatment program at pre-treatment, one-month, three-month, and six-month follow-up during 09/2019-03/2021 among SOFV with a history of trauma exposure. The majority of the sample (n=86; Mean Age=42.88, SD=7.88) were Caucasian (87.2%) non-Hispanic (89.5%) males (100%). Most participants (90.7%) were deployed and 86% reported sustaining head injuries during deployments. There were significant improvements in self-reported PTSD symptoms (p<.001, d=.414), depression (p<.001, d=.275), anxiety (p<.001, d=.276), insomnia severity (p<.001, d=.351), anger (p<.001, d=.402), post-concussive symptoms (p<.001, d=.389), satisfaction with life (p<.001, d=.371), psychological flexibility (p<.001, d=.313) and cognitive functioning (p<.001, d=.265) from baseline to one-month follow-up. Most participants rated the medicine session experiences as one of the top five most personal meaningful (52.6%) and spiritually significant (44.9%) experiences of their entire lives at six-month follow-up. Of the sample, 45 met criteria for risky alcohol use at pre-treatment. There was a significant reduction in alcohol use from pre-treatment to one-month follow-up which remained reduced through six-month after treatment (p<.001, partial eta squared=.617). Data suggest psychedelic-assisted therapy has significant potential in healing stress- and trauma-related concerns.