Suggestion Effects in Psychedelics: Confounds and Opportunities

The resurgence of interest in psychedelics has led to their widespread, and often uncritical, promotion within both popular media and scientific communities. This heightened enthusiasm complicates assessments of the neurocognitive effects of psychedelics as well as their efficacy as adjuncts to psychotherapy. A key challenge for this nascent field involves understanding how suggestion effects can both act as a significant confound in research on psychedelics but also improve outcomes in therapeutic interventions. By critically examining how suggestion effects operate within psychedelic experiences, we aim to draw greater attention to their role as a source of bias but also as a tool that can be leveraged to maximize therapeutic benefits. We argue for more careful consideration of, and rigorous experimentation into, the role of suggestion effects in response to psychedelics.