Psychoanalytically informed MDMA-assisted therapy for pathological narcissism: a novel theoretical approach

Frontiers in Psychiatry, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 16

Опубликована: Апрель 2, 2025

Pathological narcissism (PN) is a complex, treatment-resistant disorder characterized by unstable self-esteem that fluctuates between grandiosity and vulnerability, complicating the formation of stable self-image. With few empirically supported therapies, treatment has traditionally relied on long-term psychoanalytic approaches, but these often face high attrition. Recent research suggests potential therapeutic synergy psychedelics therapy, offering novel approach to addressing entrenched personality structures. Studies MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), compound known for enhancing empathy, trust, social interactions, demonstrate reopen critical periods learning in adults, possibility benefits conditions with core issues relatedness, such as PN. promotes psychological flexibility openness, allowing deeper self-exploration strengthening observing ego, considered therapy be an essential component recognizing modifying maladaptive patterns. By reducing fear-based avoidance brain, facilitates access unconscious emotions, helping individuals process overwhelming feelings linked early relational trauma commonly seen Additionally, MDMA’s capacity enhance compassion empathy can fortify alliance, increasing its facilitate change. This paper presents MDMA-assisted (MDMA-AT) tailored narcissistic patients which currently being conducted investigator-initiated trial (IIT). It explores model’s theoretical foundations, mechanisms change, framework, clinical challenges. Combining evidence-based depth like psychotherapy may offer innovative associated attachment developmental trauma, particularly disorders. While role psychedelic treatments remains topic debate, some proposing administered without psychotherapy, we assert stand most gain from integrated psychedelic-assisted (PAT) model, where enhances alliance emotional openness while interventions provide structure lasting

Язык: Английский

Harnessing neuroplasticity with psychoplastogens: the essential role of psychotherapy in psychedelic treatment optimization

Frontiers in Psychiatry, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 16

Опубликована: Апрель 8, 2025

Язык: Английский