Enduring changes in personality/attitudes , depression , spirituality , anxiety , wellbeing , substance misuse , meditative practice s , and mindfulness were documented .
Mystical experiences , connectedness , emotional breakthrough , and increased neural entropy were related to these long-term changes in psychological functioning .
Finally , with proper screening , preparation , supervision , and integration , limited aversive side effects were noted by study participants .
Research into the basic effects and therapeutic applications of  psychedelic drugs  has grown considerably in recent years .
Yet , pressing questions remain regarding the substances ' lasting effects .
Although individual studies have begun monitoring sustained changes , no study to- date has synthesized this information .
LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects
Objective : A recently published study showed the safety and efficacy of LSD-assisted psychotherapy in patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases . Participants of this study were included in a prospect i ve follow-up . Method : 12 months after finishing LSD psychotherapy , 10 participants were tested for anxiety ( STAI ) and participated in a semi-structured interview . A Qualitative Content Analysis ( QCA ) was carried out on the interviews to elaborate about LSD effects and lasting psychological changes . Results : None of the participants reported lasting adverse reactions . The significant benefits as measured with the STAI were sustained over a 12-month period . In the QCA participants consistently reported insightful , cathartic and interpersonal experiences , accompanied by a reduction in anxiety ( 77.8 % ) and a rise in quality of life ( 66.7 % ) . Evaluations of subjective experiences suggest facilitated access to emotions , confrontation of previously unknown anxieties , worries , re sources and intense emotional peak experiences à la Maslow as major psychological working mechanisms . The experiences created led to a restructuring of the person ’s emotional trust , situational underst and ing , habits and world view . Conclusions : LSD administered in a medically supervised psychotherapeutic setting can be safe and generate lasting benefits in patients with a life-threatening disease . Explanatory models for the therapeutic effects of LSD warrant further study
Enduring changes in personality/attitudes , depression , spirituality , anxiety , wellbeing , substance misuse , meditative practice s , and mindfulness were documented .
Mystical experiences , connectedness , emotional breakthrough , and increased neural entropy were related to these long-term changes in psychological functioning .
Finally , with proper screening , preparation , supervision , and integration , limited aversive side effects were noted by study participants .
Research into the basic effects and therapeutic applications of  psychedelic drugs  has grown considerably in recent years .
Yet , pressing questions remain regarding the substances ' lasting effects .
Although individual studies have begun monitoring sustained changes , no study to- date has synthesized this information .