Psychedelic Anxiety Syndrome

Figure 1. A stepwise approach to overcoming PAS.

Psychedelic Anxiety Syndrome or PAS is the anxiety one feels before taking a psychedelic. Whilst in some cases PAS is warranted as there have been reports of negative effects to psychedelics, it is argued in many cases the anxiety felt is disproportionate to the benefits one might encounter.

Exposure Therapy

It is thought by introducing patients to controlled versions of different parts of the psychedelic experience anxiety can be substantially decreased. By rating the various attributes of the psychedelic experience against the anxiety caused it is thought that a stepwise approach can be used to desensitize the autonomic response to the thought of the overall psychedelic experience (See Figure 1). These steps in order of anxiety include: