Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36846226›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2023

Cannabis-assisted psychotherapy for complex dissociative posttraumatic stress disorder: A case report.

Anya Ragnhildstveit, Miriam Kaiyo, Matthew Brian Snyder, Laura Kate Jackson, Alex Lopez, Chasity Mayo, Alyssa Claire Miranda, River Jude August, Paul Seli, Reid Robison and 1 more

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Understanding the Role of Endocannabinoids in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Anya RagnhildstveitIntegrated Research Literacy Group, Draper, UT, United States.
Miriam KaiyoIntegrated Research Literacy Group, Draper, UT, United States.
Matthew Brian SnyderIntegrated Research Literacy Group, Draper, UT, United States.
Laura Kate JacksonIntegrated Research Literacy Group, Draper, UT, United States.
Alex LopezIntegrated Research Literacy Group, Draper, UT, United States.
Chasity MayoIntegrated Research Literacy Group, Draper, UT, United States.
Alyssa Claire MirandaIntegrated Research Literacy Group, Draper, UT, United States.
River Jude AugustIntegrated Research Literacy Group, Draper, UT, United States.
Paul SeliDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
Reid RobisonNuminus Wellness, Draper, UT, United States.
Lynnette Astrid AverillMenninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.

Funding

CSRD VA IK2 CX001873
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: A dissociative subtype of posttraumatic stress disorder, known as "D-PTSD", has been included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. In addition to meeting criteria for PTSD, patients endorse prominent dissociative symptoms, namely depersonalization and derealization, or detachment from one's self and surroundings. At present, this population is supported by a highly heterogeneous and undeveloped literature. Targeted interventions are therefore lacking, and those indicated for PTSD are limited by poor efficacy, delayed onset of action, and low patient engagement. Here, we introduce cannabis-assisted psychotherapy (CAP) as a novel treatment for D-PTSD, drawing parallels to psychedelic therapy. Case presentation: A 28-year-old female presented with complex D-PTSD. In a naturalistic setting, she underwent 10 sessions of CAP, scheduled twice monthly over 5 months, coupled with integrative cognitive behavioral therapy. An autonomic and relational approach to CAP was leveraged, specifically psychedelic somatic interactional psychotherapy. Acute effects included oceanic boundlessness, ego dissolution, and emotional breakthrough. From baseline to post-treatment, the patient showed a 98.5% reduction in pathological dissociation, as measured by the Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation, no longer meeting criteria for D-PTSD. This was accompanied by decreased cognitive distractibility and emotional suffering, as well as increased psychosocial functioning. Anecdotally, the patient has sustained improvements for over 2 years to date. Conclusions: There is urgency to identify treatments for D-PTSD. The present case, while inherently limited, underscores the potential of CAP as a therapeutic option, leading to robust and sustained improvement. Subjective effects were comparable to those produced by classic and non-classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and ketamine. Further research is warranted to explore, establish, and optimize CAP in D-PTSD, and to characterize its role in the pharmacological landscape.

Indexed as

cannabiscannabis-assisted psychotherapycase reportdissociationmedicinal cannabisposttraumatic stress disordertraumatreatment

Identifiers

PMID36846226
PMCPMC9947284

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.