A new study has revealed that psilocybin, a compound found in magic mushrooms, can significantly reduce depression and anxiety in cancer patients for up to four years after a single dose. The study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, followed up on 15 participants who had received psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in a previous clinical trial.
Many people with cancer experience psychological distress, such as depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and fear of death. These symptoms can impair their quality of life, affect their treatment adherence, and increase their risk of suicide. Traditional antidepressants and psychotherapy are often ineffective or have unpleasant side effects for these patients.
Psilocybin is a psychedelic substance that can induce profound changes in perception, mood, and cognition. It can also enhance the effects of psychotherapy by facilitating emotional processing, insight, and positive mood. Previous studies have shown that psilocybin can rapidly and safely reduce depression and anxiety in cancer patients, with lasting benefits for up to six months.
Long-term follow-up of psilocybin therapy
The new study, led by researchers from New York University and Johns Hopkins University, aimed to assess the long-term effects of psilocybin therapy on cancer patients with depression and anxiety. The researchers contacted 15 participants who had completed a randomized controlled trial of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in 2016. The participants had either curable or incurable cancer, and had moderate to severe depression and anxiety.
The researchers administered online surveys to the participants at two time points: about three years and about four and a half years after their psilocybin session. The surveys measured their levels of depression, anxiety, existential distress, quality of life, spiritual well-being, and attitudes towards death. The researchers also conducted phone interviews with the participants to explore their subjective experiences and perceived changes.
Remarkable results and implications
The results of the study were remarkable. The majority of the participants reported sustained reductions in depression, anxiety, and existential distress, as well as improvements in quality of life, spiritual well-being, and attitudes towards death. Most of them also attributed positive changes in their behavior, relationships, and values to their psilocybin experience, which they rated as one of the most meaningful and influential events of their lives.
The researchers noted that these results were consistent with the findings of the original trial, and suggested that psilocybin therapy may have lasting and transformative effects on cancer patients with depression and anxiety. They also acknowledged some limitations of the study, such as the small sample size, the lack of a control group, and the potential for recall bias. They called for more rigorous and larger-scale studies to confirm and extend their findings.
Psilocybin therapy is currently under investigation for various mental health conditions, such as major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcohol dependence, and smoking cessation. The FDA has granted psilocybin a “breakthrough therapy” designation, which means that it has shown preliminary evidence of substantial benefit over existing treatments and warrants expedited development and review. Psilocybin therapy could potentially become a legal and widely available treatment option in the near future.