Who benefits from psychedelic therapy for alcohol problems? The role of life experiences and the body’s stress response

Psychedelic-assisted therapy is being tested as a treatment for alcohol problems, but people respond to it very differently. This PhD asks whether life experiences, such as difficult experiences in childhood, and the body’s stress response help explain who benefits. Researchers can miss what matters most to the people the research is for, so I want to involve people with real-life experience from the start. I would like contributors to bring the view of someone who has lived with alcohol problems or is in recovery, someone with experience of psychedelics or psychedelic therapy, or someone who has supported a family member with alcohol problems. Their input will help me decide which questions will have the greatest impact on people’s real lives. It will also help make the language about alcohol, trauma and treatment respectful, and help the findings reach the people who need them.

Contributors will join a small online advisory group. This is ongoing until the PhD ends (4 years), but you can pause or stop at any time.

The group will start with two online meetings on Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Proposed dates:

 We will do our best to be flexible with dates and times to meet the needs of all contributors.

After that, there will be up to two optional online meetings a year, each lasting about one hour. Between meetings, you may get a short email request about once every two months. For example, you might read a one-page plain-language summary and answer two or three questions. Each request takes about 30 to 60 minutes, and you choose which ones to answer.

You will never be asked to share your personal story, health details or drug use. You can skip any topic, and every request comes with a list of support services.

We are looking for two to four adults (aged 18 or over) living anywhere on the island of Ireland who have one or more of the following:

You do not need any healthcare training, and you do not need previous research or PPI experience. You will get a plain-language introduction to the project and to PPI, and a link to free online PPI training. Meetings and written materials are in English.

Payment and expenses: we have applied to the PPI Ignite Network Seed Funding scheme for vouchers for the two January meetings (€30 for the one-hour meeting and €50 for the two-hour meeting). We will confirm whether this is available before the group starts. All meetings are online, so there are no travel costs. Every contributor is offered named acknowledgement in the research (or anonymity if preferred), a letter of contribution and, where the contribution meets the criteria, co-authorship.

Closing date: 30 June 2027.

How to express interest: email Nikolas Bezanis at nikolasbezanis26@rcsi.ie with a few lines on which of the experiences above applies to you and how you prefer to be contacted. You do not need to give any details about your experience unless you wish to do so. Questions are welcome too, and you will get a reply within one week.