Psychedelic-assisted therapy has shown very good results, both from studies in the 60s and in more recent years. A few treatments are often all that is needed and in the long term you can save a lot of money on psychologist sessions and medications. However, the cost of psychedelic treatment is still significant for many and the professional community often discusses how to make it financially accessible to everyone. So how much do the different options cost today, how much will they cost in the future and what kind of support can you expect to get from the government?
Legal therapy
Therapy costs money, and with the number of hours in a short period of time that psychedelic-assisted therapy requires, it can be a significant lump sum. In the 60s, it was common to have only one therapist in the room, which made it a lot cheaper, but in later protocols, two are used, usually a man and a woman. The current protocols for MDMA treatment involve about 42 hours of treatment, and there are two therapists on site at any one time. This includes three eight-hour MDMA sessions and twelve 90-minute psychotherapy sessions for preparation and integration. The estimate for the entire treatment is around 150,000 NOK. I would like to emphasize that this is not a treatment that is available in Norway, and not outside of clinical trials as of today.
Ketamine is a legal alternative in Norway today and perhaps the closest thing you get to psychedelic therapy. Ketamine has shown good results against depression and chronic pain, and is on its way into the public health system. The first public ketamine clinic was established at Østfold Kalnes Hospital in November 2020 and here you will be able to receive support for treatment if you receive a referral from your GP in the near future. Today, the offer only applies to acute psychiatric cases. The cost at private clinics is around 2500-5000 NOK per treatment, preferably with a screening in addition at the first treatment. Read a good explanation of the cost of ketamine treatment on this page or read more about prices on the EmmaSofia Clinic pages . For more information about the treatment itself, this page at the Axon clinic is a good place to start.
The first treatment with me costs 8,000 NOK. Subsequent treatments then cost 6,000 NOK. Some people will need somewhere between 2-6 treatments per year over a couple of years. With six annual treatments, the monthly cost comes to 3,200 NOK. I also recommend everyone to follow up with psychotherapy alongside for better effect.
Will it be covered by the state?
With such high costs for treatment, this type of treatment is not available to many without government support from Helfo. Ketamine treatment can now be obtained at Østfold Kalnes Hospital with a referral from a doctor, but MDMA and psilocybin are further down the road. There is no reason why MDMA or psilocybin will not be covered by Helfo in Norway in the future, as long as it is used for the same/similar indication. That is, MDMA for PTSD and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression in the first place.
Retreats
There are retreats all over the world and prices vary. Such retreats are usually in a group setting with around 10 participants, where you have 3-4 guides looking after you. I will give some price examples that apply at the time of writing, but I do not have an overview of all prices and they can certainly change. This is mostly to give an approximate picture.
Psilocybin retreat
Synthesis is Amsterdam charges 1700 EUR for a group program from Friday to Sunday. Truffles Therapy charges from 1200 EUR. The prices for other retreats, for example in Jamaica and Costa Rica, are about the same. Private sessions tend to cost from 5500 EUR and up, but then you can bring some friends with you. Food and accommodation are usually included in the prices. Retreats often do not take any responsibility for preparation or follow-up/integration, so you have to make sure to prepare yourself properly. Some people find a group setting can be distracting, while others find having a group you can talk to afterwards is very nice.
Retreat with ayahuasca or peyote
Ayahuasca retreats in South America (Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru, etc.) vary greatly in price, and it is especially important to check reviews (through Google, Facebook and Tripadvisor) at these places. A rough estimate is 1000 NOK to 3000 NOK per day, and 3-4 days are often expected. There may be some additional costs if you want several sessions over several days, for example. You can also get ceremonies in the cities in these countries (i.e. not at a retreat), and these are often a lot cheaper. In Norway there are traveling ceremonies and the prices are somewhere between 1000 NOK to 3000 NOK for a ceremony.
Underground therapists
There are also a number of so-called underground therapists/guides out there in the world who run programs that often resemble the clinical model, one to one. Some are psychologists, others are just enthusiasts. There are quite a few in Scandinavia, but quite a few further south in Europe and in the USA and Canada.
The prices I have seen internationally are around 7,500 NOK to 12,000 NOK for one day where you start in the morning and return home in the afternoon. If you want one or two nights, that is, a little more like a retreat experience, but still one-on-one, I have seen prices from 15,000 NOK to 40,000 NOK. There is still only one day of medicine, but the others are then used for preparation and integration therapy.
Economic options for the future
What legal alternatives we will have 3-8 years from now is a bit difficult to predict. Personally, I believe that the approval of MDMA and psilocybin as a medicine will greatly accelerate the development of the processes further and it is entirely possible that it will result in major changes in how it can be used. With support from Helfo, the cost will not be a challenge for the patient, but it may be limited to citizens with certain mental illnesses. Those with milder mental problems will probably be able to receive treatment, but without government support.
A likely option to reduce the cost of therapy would probably be group sessions, which can also work well, especially for those with milder mental health problems. Using lay people as "sitters", but with a doctor available, is also something that is being discussed as a cost-saving option. Regardless of what solutions we end up with, I am sure we will come up with different options that will suit most people. But it may take some time.