Madness in Medicine (MadMed)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Madness in Medicine: Psychotic experiences and innovative approaches to mental health care in the UK
IRAS ID
349561
Contact name
Meredith Evans
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
Psychedelics (such as psilocybin and LSD) and psychosis (such as hearing voices or having unusual beliefs) can both involve changes in perception and consciousness, leading to altered states of mind. Yet they are treated very differently in medicine today. Psychedelic experiences are increasingly viewed as meaningful therapeutic opportunities, while other kinds of psychotic experiences are usually treated as symptoms of illness.
South London is a leading site for experimental psychedelic trials and innovative psychosis care. Both fields are exploring the idea that extreme or unusual experiences can carry meaning and be worked with therapeutically. However, these fields are developing separately from each other, despite dealing with intersecting concerns. This anthropological study is being carried out to ethnographically explore the cultures of care in these two clinical settings, and to bring these worlds into dialogue.
To investigate how clinicians and experts by experience work together to make sense of extreme experiences in everyday care, this study will involve ethnographic observation of day-to-day activities of both psychedelic trials and psychosis services. An estimated total of 80 participants, including 30 clinicians and 50 experts by experience, will take part in interviews, where they will be invited to describe their experiences providing or receiving care. Community engagement workshops will also be facilitated to explore ways of creatively and collaboratively reflecting on care across clinical settings. The aim is to better understand how clinicians and experts by experience are making sense of and caring for extreme experiences, to facilitate cross-site dialogue, and to help shape more inclusive approaches to mental health care.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/LO/0077
Date of REC Opinion
16 Mar 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion