Reactions to psilocybin administered in a supportive environment

Excerpt: A study has been described in which psilocybin was given to 175 [participants] from various backgrounds in a naturalistic environment. 98 initial experiences were assessed by means of a questionnaire, both in terms of major dimensions of the experience and in terms of the contribution of background and situational factors. A comparison of first and second experiences was made for a subsample of 35 [participants]. The results were discussed with reference to extracts from subjective accounts written by [participants]. The role of various set and setting variables was described and a tentative psychological mechanism proposed to account for the effects of these variables.