Psychedelics in Psychiatry, the Nursing Influence, and the Future of Psychedelic Therapies

Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapies (PATs) are on the cusp of becoming medicalized treatment modalities within the United States, both as potential U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment and therapeutic options outside the medical model, through decriminalization efforts within individual states. Bringing with it a paradigm shift in the delivery of health care for both physical and mental health treatment. A workforce of highly trained facilitators will be needed to meet the anticipated demand for this type of treatment and nurses can play a key role in meeting this demand. This article serves to introduce psychedelic-assisted therapies to psychiatric-mental health nurses as we start to see this new field emerge.

Review of published literature and other media.

Results based on historical data, modern applications, and future considerations.

Nurses have been involved with psychedelic-assisted therapies in the past and are fully capable of providing a wide range of roles upon the anticipated approval as a treatment modality.