The Benefits of Psilocybin Therapy are increasing interest in the potential of psychedelic drugs to treat mental health conditions. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and help people with treatment-resistant OCD, for example. It has also been shown to ease the existential distress that often accompanies serious medical illnesses such as cancer or other chronic health conditions.
In a study of a single dose of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy for patients with treatment-resistant OCD, almost half the participants experienced significant improvements in their symptoms. These benefits were sustained at a six-month follow-up. The results were so promising that the drug received “breakthrough therapy” designation from the FDA in 2022.
The Benefits of Psilocybin Therapy: Mental Health, Depression, and More
Many people who participate in psilocybin studies have specific expectations about what they might experience during the session. They might expect to gain insights into their condition, for example, or they might anticipate that the experience will be spiritual or mystical. When the drug experience doesn’t correspond to these expectations, they can feel disappointed or dissatisfied.
While some of these experiences are genuinely transformational, other experiences may be less profound or even unpleasant. Nevertheless, most of these participants report substantial and lasting benefits that persist at the 6-month follow-up assessment.
A former DEA official, who worked with Sisley during the development of her psilocybin clinical trial, thinks the government might now be on her side. “The DEA, which has a core value of improving public health, wants this to succeed,” he says.…