Psychedelic Therapy: A New Treatment for Mental Health?

Psychedelics are currently Schedule I drugs, the most restrictive class of drugs in the U.S. Since the 70s, they’ve been considered to have a high potential for abuse and no medical use. In spite of that, the current mental health crisis, combined with the lack of effective therapies, has generated interest in the potential of psychedelics in combating mental health disorders.

The psychedelic approach to mental health is vastly different from the traditional approach, in that the traditional approach seeks to suppress the symptoms of poor mental health. Classic antidepressants are used to help patients manage symptoms like anxiety, sleep disturbances, unhappiness, etc. Due to this, pure remission can take months or even years, and symptoms can sometimes reappear in stable patients when medications are discontinued. In comparison to this, psychedelic therapies direct their efforts to addressing the cause of the symptoms itself, instead of just subduing the symptoms. Additionally, the pharmacological effects of psychedelics resolve quickly, as compared to traditional antidepressants.

Presently, the treatment process for patients suffering from MDD and anxiety consists of drug therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, neuromodulation technology, etc. However, even the best drug treatments have cons: high rates of relapse, severe side effects, problems with discontinuation.

Psychedelics, when taken in moderation and with preparation, allows people to gain new perspectives, bringing out emotions of forgiveness, self-acceptance, and understanding, which are often hidden by negative feelings of anger, sorrow, and guilt. Patients that might be uncomfortable discussing their emotions in therapy could be helped by psychedelics, with the experience being eye-opening and offering different perspectives.

A study conducted in 2024 on the benefits of LSD psychotherapy showed that 77.8% of subjects reported a reduction in anxiety, coupled with an increase in life quality. A meta-analysis conducted on the therapeutic effects of four different psychedelics (LSD, ayahuasca, psilocybin, and MDMA) on various mood disorders (MDD, Alcohol-Use Disorder, Social Anxiety), showed that psilocybin had the strongest therapeutic consequences, also indicating that psilocybin had a stronger efficacy rate that citalopram.

Another study conducted showed that a 25 mg dose of psilocybin, administered over 6 weeks, showed that the antidepressant effect was rapid and sustained, measured through changes in depressive symptoms. Improvements in depression were evident just 8 days after dosing, and were maintained along the 6 week trial.

In Oregon, mushrooms (psilocybin) have become legalized for medical use through microdosing. Microdosing refers to the consumption of extremely low dosages of psychedelic substances. A majority of participants who used LSD or psilocybin showed lower dysfunctional behaviors, and increased creativity. This suggests that a beneficial relationship occurs with microdosing.

However, research currently has a very limited grasp behind the neurobiological mechanisms behind psychedelic use, and if the positive outcomes can be isolated from the negative outcomes. Additionally, using psychedelics is often an unstable experience, inducing intense perceptual “trips” that can be overwhelming and cause paranoia or panic. Due to the limited accessibility of psychedelics, using them without proper medical support could lead to adverse outcomes. While initial research shows promise, larger studies are needed to explore the long term efficacy and safety and psychedelic use in a medical setting.