Research shows that natural psychedelic medicines can help people heal
Hundreds of peer-reviewed studies on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics have been published in recent years, including from some of the world’s most prestigious medical institutions, such as Johns Hopkins, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mass General, and New York University. This research indicates that natural psychedelic medicines can help with a range of conditions. There has also been progress in the neuroscience of psychedelics. Visit this page to learn more about how psychedelics work to increase neuroplasticity, increase social connection, and allow patients to break out of negative thought patterns.
Medical experts agree that natural psychedelic medicines are non-addictive. In fact, there is substantial evidence that natural psychedelic medicines can be helpful in treating substance use disorder. Furthermore, the risk profile of natural psychedelics like psilocybin, is significantly lower compared to other commonly-used substances.
Below are several landmark research papers on natural psychedelic medicines that are spurring a revolution in the field of mental health.
Major depressive disorder
- Research from Johns Hopkins published in 2022 involved administration of psilocybin to patients with major depression. After a 12-month assessment, 75% of participants showed a significant positive response to the treatment, and 58% were in remission. The authors concluded, “These findings demonstrate that the substantial antidepressant effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy may be durable at least through 12 months.”
- Results from a 2023 randomized trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a psilocybin administered with psychosocial support was associated with clinically and statistically significant reductions in depressive symptoms and improvement in measures of functional disability compared with a placebo administered under an identical protocol.
End of life distress
- A study involving psilocybin-assisted therapy for cancer patients found that 80% of the study’s participants reported moderate to greatly increased well-being and life satisfaction.
- Another study involving group of patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression were randomly assigned a psilocybin treatment. At the 6.5-month follow-up, 60–80% of patients showed clinically significant reductions in depression or anxiety.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
- A 2023 study found that 70% of combat veterans experienced sustained and significant improvements in PTSD symptoms after treatment with natural psychedelic medicines.
Decreasing suicidality
- A meta-analysis involving several trials with natural psychedelic medicines found “large effect sizes for acute (80-240 min) and sustained (1 day, 1-8 weeks, and 3-4 months) decreases in suicidality” among people who received the treatment compared to the placebo group.
Alcohol use disorder
- A 2022 study from New York University found that participants given psilocybin-assisted therapy reduced heavy drinking by 83%.