Discussing Psychedelics in Healthcare: A Study on Patient Perspectives
Feeling safe and comfortable are key when discussing your health and wellbeing with your primary care provider.
However, many individuals who use psychedelic substances—like psilocybin—to manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, or PTSD do not always feel this sense of safety and comfort. A team of researchers from UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has recently published a study exploring the perspectives of patients and the challenges associated with discussing the use of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes with their doctors.
Dr. Michelle St. Pierre, along with Dr. Zach Walsh from UBC’s Therapeutic, Recreational, and Problematic Substance Use Lab, conducted this research. Their findings, featured in Psychedelic Medicine, indicate that patients’ fears about discussing psychedelics openly with their doctors can hinder these important conversations.
“Trust and communication between patients and their physicians are essential for providing and receiving appropriate medical care,” Dr. St. Pierre explains. “However, the stigma surrounding the therapeutic use of psychedelics can complicate this process.”
In Canada, patients must undergo a rigorous process to legally access psychedelics for therapeutic reasons, which includes a doctor certifying the need and applying to Health Canada’s Special Access Program.
“The criteria for legally obtaining psychedelics for therapy are strict. Our team finds that some patients with serious health conditions feel discouraged from following legal paths and may turn to unregulated providers due to difficulty in finding a physician ready to support this new treatment,” she adds.
Concerns about stigma, perceived lack of knowledge from healthcare providers, and the fear of jeopardizing long-standing relationships with their physicians can prevent patients from initiating these discussions.
The study evaluated feedback from around 800 adults who use psychedelics therapeutically, with about 80% supporting their use for this purpose. Approximately 78% of respondents noted obstacles in accessing psychedelics, and just one-third had brought up the subject with their doctor. Among those who did engage in the conversation, only 13% received a doctor’s recommendation for psychedelics. Despite these engagements, almost 60% of patients felt dissatisfied with the communication regarding psychedelics compared to other discussions, and more than half experienced feelings of discrimination from their doctors when they mentioned it.
“As regulations advance to enhance the accessibility of psychedelic treatments, it remains important to cultivate open, honest communication between patients and their physicians,” Dr. St. Pierre states. “There is a pressing need for educational resources and guidelines that will help healthcare professionals to better understand the therapeutic potentials of psychedelics, especially for patients exploring new options for conditions such as PTSD and depression.”
