IMR Press / JIN / Volume 20 / Issue 3 / DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2003059
Open Access Original Research
Perspectives on psychedelic treatment and research in eating disorders: a web-based questionnaire study of people with eating disorders
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1 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, SE5 8AZ London, UK
2 Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College, SE5 8AZ London, UK
3 Community Mental Health Team, St Ann’s Hospital, N15 3TH London, UK
*Correspondence: fiona.harding@nhs.net (Fiona Harding)
J. Integr. Neurosci. 2021, 20(3), 551–560; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.jin2003059
Submitted: 22 February 2021 | Revised: 9 March 2021 | Accepted: 19 April 2021 | Published: 30 September 2021
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Abstract

Approximately 1.25 million people in the UK suffer from an eating disorder, yet the treatment options show limited efficacy, warranting the need for novel approaches. This study aimed to investigate the perspectives of people with eating disorders on the use of complementary therapies and psychedelic research and treatment. Two hundred participants with eating disorders took part in this web survey study. The majority of participants (70%) had used a complementary treatment to manage their eating disorder. Participants believed that psychedelic research was worthwhile in the context of a moderate level of concern. The most popular solutions to meet these concerns included providing education around psychedelics and their effects and use in psychiatry and experiencing endorsement from professionals in the area. Moreover, participant responses emphasized the need for a safe, monitored environment and the patient-therapist rapport in the context of psychedelic treatment. The findings are explored concerning future trials of psychedelics as a treatment for eating disorders.

Keywords
Anorexia nervosa
Binge eating disorder
Bulimia nervosa
Complementary therapy
Eating disorder
Pharmacotherapy
Psychedelics
Treatment
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