Prospective associations of psychedelic treatment for co-occurring alcohol misuse and posttraumatic stress symptoms among United States Special Operations Forces Veterans

• Published in: Military psychology 2024-03, Vol.ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print), p.1-8
• Main Authors: Armstrong, Stacey B., Xin, Yitong, Sepeda, Nathan D., Polanco, Martín, Averill, Lynnette A., Davis, Alan K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol abuse; alcohol misuse; Alcohol use; Alcoholism - drug therapy; Ethanol; Hallucinogens; Humans; Ibogaine; Male; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychedelic; Special forces; Special Operations Veterans; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - drug therapy; trauma; United States - epidemiology; Veterans; Veterans - psychology
• ISSN: 0899-5605; 1532-7876
• DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2022.2156200

This study evaluated prospective associations of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT treatment for risky alcohol use and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among United States (US) Special Operations Forces Veterans (SOFV). Data were collected during standard clinical operations at pre-treatment and 1-month (1 m), 3-months (3 m), and 6-months (6 m) post-treatment in an ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT treatment program in Mexico. Of the 86 SOFV that completed treatment, 45 met criteria for risky alcohol use at pre-treatment (mean age = 44; male = 100%; White = 91%). There was a significant reduction in alcohol use from pre-treatment (M = 7.2, SD = 2.3) to 1 m (M = 3.6; SD = 3.5) post-treatment, which remained reduced through 6 m (M = 4.0; SD = 2.9; p