Psychedelic Treatment with Psilocybin: The New Remedy for Depression?
By Ashley Bursch
The future of depression treatment might lie in the workings of the psychedelic component of magic mushrooms, psilocybin—at least, that’s what some of the latest research suggests. Psilocybin isn’t just a substance used for recreation anymore—it’s being studied as a new form of antidepressant, and the results are hopeful. Nearly 6.7 percent of the U.S. population is affected by Major Depressive Disorder and 1.5 percent of the population is affected by Persistent Depressive Disorder, (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2020) so a promising future of relief for these individuals may lie ahead.
History
“Magic” mushrooms have been used throughout civilizations for centuries. The use of psychedelics has been used for over 10,000 years across many different climates and civilizations for many different reasons. Religious use of ‘shrooms’ was a common source of reason in Eurasia thousands of years ago, ritualistic uses appeared in Ancient Greece, and spiritual/divine uses were rooted in Ancient Egypt. They are still consumed today in various cultures for similar historic reasons and are also used for individual purposes of recreation, spiritual discovery, and more. Now, we are seeing an emergence of the psychedelic in clinical settings.
Research
In one clinical trial (Griffiths et al, 2016), a notable study was created to explore the effects of psilocybin on cancer patients’ clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety. These individuals were in serious, life-threatening stages of their illness. The highest doses of the psychedelic had the most impactful effects on those it was given—large decreases in depression and anxiety symptoms and death anxiety, as well as increased feelings in their quality of life and outlook on the future. Additionally, in their 6-month follow-ups, the changes reported were sustained in 80 percent of the participants. It wasn’t just an increase in self-reported wellness either; the people around the cancer patients reported corresponding changes as well.
The results don’t only apply to cancer patients in difficult positions. Another study (WebMD, 2021) looked at individuals with moderate-to-severe depression and their response to a high dosage of psilocybin compared to a well-established brand of an antidepressant. The results in this study revealed that psilocybin came out on top as a superior treatment in secondary measures. Remarkably, there was no difference in the outcomes on the primary measures of depression, which shows that substantial dosages of psilocybin may be just as effective as a course of treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). In secondary outcomes, the individuals who received the psychedelic substance reported increased feelings of well-being, a better ability to express their emotions, and better socialization functioning. The outlook on the future is bright with these findings.
Risks
The concern of risks from consuming psilocybin is valid. However, even though it is classified as a Schedule I in the U.S., it isn’t as harmful as one might assume. It is very unlikely that someone could overdose from magic mushrooms—you’d need to consume multiple pounds of the mushroom for it to be lethal. Some adverse effects and risks that take place if an individual consumes an excessive amount, however. Some uncomfortable, bothersome, and even traumatizing side effects may occur. These might include things from muscle weakness, lack of coordination, and nausea and vomiting to paranoia, psychosis, hallucinations, and delusional thinking. However, under professional and medical supervision, these side effects should not escalate to something out of the control of the patient. Additionally, the substance, dosage, setting, and health of the patient would be regulated to prevent any harm to the individual. So, any potential risk that a recreational user might face would not be a concern for those who would be using the substance in a medical setting.
A New Future Ahead
The findings from these studies offer a glimmer of hope from those who are burdened with treatment-resistant depression to those who are only beginning their journey to treating their depression. Under clinical supervision, psilocybin seems to be an avenue of promising relief for those under the affliction of this mental illness. Maybe we’ll see a future where psilocybin is an equivalently available alternative to our current antidepressants. Maybe the psychedelic component will prove to be so effective that it will eradicate the need for our current antidepressant lineup. No matter how you feel about the substance, the research is pointing to new possibilities of treatment for depression—and I think it’s a trip towards those possibilities that we should all be willing to take.
References
Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (2020). https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics
Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W., Carducci, M. A., Umbricht, A., Richards, W. A., Richards, B. D., Cosimano, M. P., & Klinedinst, M. A. (2016). Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial. Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 30(12), 1181–1197. https://doi-org.ezproxy.mnsu.edu/10.1177/0269881116675513
https://havenhouseaddictiontreatment.com/can-you-overdose-on-shrooms/
WebMD. (2021). https://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20210415/study-magic-mushrooms-may-best-drug-for-depression
Yakowicz, W. (2021). https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2021/11/11/psilocybin-found-to-rapidly-improve-depressive-symptoms-in-patients-during-groundbreaking-clinical-trial/?sh=4ab4af60778a