Figure 2: Timecourse of psilocybin administration within clinical research protocols.

Psilocybin-assisted therapy is commonly divided into a preparation phase, dosing phase, and integration phase, with the number of sessions occurring within each phase varying across studies (the example outlined above represents one potential configuration of sessions within each phase). The psychoactive effects of psilocybin may occur over variable timeframes and magnitudes depending on the dosage administered. Typically, acute perceptual changes begin to emerge within 30–60 minutes and may last anywhere between 4–8 hours. The majority of available treatment paradigms make attempts to harness the acute subjective effects by helping participants to integrate any novel insights gained during the experience into their worldview. This period is often characterized by vivid sensorial states, including profound or mystical type experiences. Crucially, alterations in mood and energy levels, relief from past concerns, guilt and anxiety, and social connectedness may occur in the days to weeks following drug administration, in what’s commonly referred to as the afterglow or post-acute period. We propose that this time interval may be used to deploy targeted rehabilitation approaches to improve functional outcomes in those with chronic pain and comorbid psychological conditions. Such training may also be used to bolster the proclivity for positive long-term changes including alterations in mindset, personality traits and willingness to adopt positive health behaviors over the integration period.