Psilocybin Therapy for Depression can lead to suicide, but is showing promise in a clinical trial. Psilocybin, the chemical found in magic mushrooms, is being used in conjunction with psychotherapy. The treatment could help many people struggling with the most common mental health challenge in the U.S. Depression affects about two-thirds of Americans at some point in their lives, and it can interfere with sleep, energy, and concentration. It can also be a risk factor for death by suicide.
But there are few new treatments for the illness, and traditional antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors — or SSRIs – fail to work for as many as one-third of people who try them. And even when they do, it may take months for the drugs to kick in.
Psilocybin Therapy for Depression: A Promising New Approach
Researchers don’t know exactly how psilocybin works for depression, but they do know that it resets brain circuitry. “If you give a depressed mouse a piece of cheese, it might not be excited about it,” says Michael Thompson, who has studied how psilocybin changes the brains of mice. “But with a psilocybin-treated mouse, the cheese might make them really enjoy it.”
In 13 studies to date, psilocybin combined with psychological support reduces depressive symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Patients are required to discontinue all current antidepressants and other medications for 2 weeks prior to their psilocybin session. Patients are carefully monitored for any adverse effects from the drug and/or the psychological preparation sessions. Follow-up studies indicate that psilocybin therapy continues to improve depressive symptoms for six17 to twelve18 months after the last session.