People facing terminal diagnoses usually experience significant distress, including depression, anxiety, existential distress, and loss of meaning or purpose, which can make coping challenging.
Current treatments, such as counselling or cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), may not always be effective for everyone. That’s why researchers search for other innovative approaches to end-of-life care.
Increasing research suggests that psychedelic therapy could be beneficial for treating existential distress in patients with incurable diseases. A review in Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry found that psychedelics helped patients with life-threatening illnesses by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, improving quality of life, and decreasing fear of death.
Canadians buy shrooms online and continue to experiment with the effectiveness of psilocybin mushrooms.
Table of Contents
How Psilocybin Works in the Brain
National Institutes of Health defined psychedelics from growing shrooms as the powerful substances that change cognition, altering mood and perception by affecting brain circuits involving serotonin.
Here are what different studies state:
| Researchers | Studies |
| Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department at the University of Texas | Psychedelics like psilocybin act on serotonin 2A receptors, which regulate emotions and perception. |
| A study from Mental Health News | Psilocybin, a natural hallucinogenic compound from over 200 fungi species, can rewire the brains of depressed individuals and potentially cure their depression. |
| Researchers from UC San Francisco and Imperial College London | Psilocybin enhances connections between brain regions in depressed individuals, enabling them to break free from excessive rumination and self-focus. |
| A randomized, double-blind trial by John Hopkins University | High-dose psilocybin significantly reduced depression, anxiety, and death anxiety while enhancing the quality of life, life meaning, and optimism. |
| Clinical trial from New York University | 60% to 80% of participants experienced anti-anxiety and anti-depressive effects from psilocybin therapy, leading to improvements in existential distress. The study also noted that the psilocybin-induced experience has therapeutic effects on anxiety and depression. |
Clinical Trial
To prove this, researchers from the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences conducted 2 trials involving 60 participants who underwent fMRI brain scans.
Method
- First Trial. All participants had treatment-resistant depression and received psilocybin.
- Second Trial. Participants had less severe depression and were unaware if they received psilocybin or an antidepressant placebo (escitalopram). All participants also received the same psychotherapy.
Scans were taken before and after treatment to analyze the effects.
Results
- Psilocybin treatment reduced connections within brain areas linked to depression, including the default mode, salience, and executive networks. It also increased connections to less integrated brain regions.
- It has reduced emotional avoidance effects and significant improvements in cognitive functioning.
The effects of psilocybin on brain rewiring lasted up to three weeks after the second dose. Thus, psilocybin offers a potential alternative treatment for depression by rewiring the brain and reducing entrenched negative thinking patterns associated with the condition. This discovery suggests that psilocybin works differently from conventional antidepressants.
Psilocybin Therapy – A Promising Treatment Approach
Psilocybin therapy involves the supervised use of psilocybin in a therapeutic setting, usually accompanied by psychological support. This approach is gaining recognition for its potential to treat treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and existential distress in terminally ill patients.
A recent survey by researchers from Université Laval’s Faculty of Pharmacy, McGill University, Université de Montréal, and UQAR aimed to gauge public opinion on the medical use of psilocybin for end-of-life care. Published in Palliative Medicine, the survey found that nearly 4 out of 5 Canadians support using psilocybin to treat end-of-life existential distress.
Lead researcher Michel Dorval noted that studies have shown psilocybin, combined with psychotherapy, can provide rapid, robust, and long-lasting relief for patients with advanced cancer. He highlighted that psilocybin therapy can bring about profound awareness and relief for up to six months.
The survey also revealed higher support among respondents with exposure to palliative care and those who have used psilocybin before. Dorval suggested that personal experiences with end-of-life distress may contribute to this openness to new approaches.
Despite existing prejudices against psychedelics, the study indicates a growing acceptance of psilocybin therapy in Canada, particularly in palliative and end-of-life care settings. The authors hope these findings will improve access to this emerging therapy.
Other Benefits of Psilocybin Therapy
1. Treating Alcohol Use Disorder
A double-blind, randomized trial involving 93 participants, reported in August 2022 in JAMA Psychiatry, demonstrated that combining psilocybin with psychotherapy resulted in significantly fewer heavy drinking days over approximately eight months compared to a placebo therapy group. The psilocybin group also consumed less alcohol on the days they did drink.
2. Aid Smoking Cessation
Quitting smoking is notoriously difficult, but a small pilot study by scientists at Johns Hopkins University, posted in January 2017 in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, suggested that psilocybin, alongside cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), helped 10 out of 15 participants remain smoke-free for 12 months. A subsequent study found that the psychedelic experience might help reshape a smoker’s identity, facilitating long-term abstinence.
3. Treat Anorexia
Emerging data indicates that psilocybin may benefit individuals with anorexia. A pilot study published in May 2022 in Biological Psychiatry reported clinically significant reductions in eating disorder symptoms and anxiety among adults with anorexia who received psilocybin alongside psychotherapy.
4. Alleviate End-of-Life Anxiety
Facing a terminal diagnosis can induce anxiety and depression in many cancer patients. Psilocybin therapy has shown promise in alleviating these symptoms. Studies have demonstrated significant reductions in depression and anxiety among patients with life-threatening cancer diagnoses who received psilocybin therapy.
What to Expect at Psilocybin Therapy?
Psilocybin therapy can deliver intense therapeutic results quickly, potentially offering long-lasting effects. Sessions differ based on each need and the clinic or trial protocol.
| Phase | Description | Duration |
| Before | Preparation sessions involve discussions with a facilitator about concerns and treatment goals, aiming to establish rapport and create a safe environment. | 1 to 6 hours |
| During | Psilocybin dosing sessions take place in a comfortable room where the participant lies down with an eye mask, listens to a playlist, and is accompanied by a therapist. | 5 to 8 hours |
| After | Integration sessions provide an opportunity to discuss the experience with the therapist to make sense of it, helping to integrate insights into daily life. | A few meetings over hours |
Tips for Exploring Psilocybin Therapy
- Explore clinics where psilocybin has been decriminalized, and consider joining a waiting list if necessary.
- Choose a clinic that offers psilocybin therapy with a therapist or guide professional for a therapeutic experience.
- Interview potential therapists and inquire about their training, experience, therapeutic approach, and specialization in mental health issues.
- Be honest about your true reasons for seeking treatment, mental health challenges, medical history, and family mental health background.
- Seek therapists specialized in your mental health issue and consider organizations like the Psilocybin Assisted Therapy Association (PATA) for guidance and training.
- Disclose your mental health and medical history thoroughly, especially if there is a history of schizophrenia or psychosis in your family.
- Discuss your decision to pursue psilocybin therapy with your current mental health provider and inquire if they are open to collaboration with your psilocybin therapy team.
- Communicate with your psilocybin therapist about dosage, protocol, and starting with lower doses for safety, particularly if you are new to psilocybin therapy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who should consider or avoid psilocybin therapy?
If you’re dealing with depression, anorexia, alcohol use disorder, trying to quit smoking, or facing a terminal illness, you might consider exploring psilocybin therapy.
However, if you have a history of schizophrenia or psychosis, or if these conditions run in your family, hallucinogenic substances like psilocybin could exacerbate your symptoms. Similarly, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder are also considered contraindications.
How much psilocybin is used in therapy?
Doses can differ, usually starting with lower doses in a clinical setting and adjusting based on individual responses. Clinical trials discovered that a single 25-milligram dose of synthetic psilocybin, along with psychological support, reduced depression scores in treatment-resistant depression.
Does psilocybin aid in treating PTSD?
This area of study is still developing. However, research on MDMA, a non-classic psychedelic with stimulant properties combined with psychotherapy for PTSD treatment, is more advanced. Trials on this psychedelic have progressed to phase 3 clinical trials, and there is speculation that MDMA will be approved for PTSD treatment this year.
