Exploring the Unique Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelics to Reduce Chronic Shame Among Sexual and Gender Minority...

Recent trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy have suggested potential efficacy for the treatment of many health conditions that disproportionately impact sexual and gender minority (SGM) people, including major depressive disorder and alcohol and tobacco use disorders. Despite these promising findings, the potential benefits of psychedelics for SGM people have been largely ignored. First, we highlight SGM health inequities and discuss therapeutic applications of psychedelics based on current research. Next, grounded by the minority stress model and the psychological mediation framework, we describe the role of shame as a significant mediator between stigma-related stressors and negative health outcomes for SGM people. We then apply self-entropic broadening theory to examine the potential therapeutic applications of psychedelics to reduce chronic shame among SGM people, potentially mitigating health inequities, by (1) alleviating self-focused attention, (2) prompting positive behavioral changes, and (3) encouraging adaptive perspectives on faith and spirituality. Finally, we consider the limitations of psychedelic-assisted therapy and recommend tangible next steps for future research directions.