Psilocybin has attracted significant attention in the mental health field for its promise in treating depression. It was granted “breakthrough therapy” status by the FDA for its ability to treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD). This designation was promoted by research suggesting that psilocybin could be a significantly more effective alternative to traditional treatments such as talk therapy and SSRIs/SNRIs.
Several studies1 have demonstrated psilocybin’s potential to treat MDD. A randomized controlled trial conducted in 2021 by Johns Hopkins University2 administered psilocybin-assisted therapy in 24 patients diagnosed with MDD. Researchers found that the effects of the treatment persisted for a full year for many of the participants, with 75 percent maintaining response status and 58 percent in full remission by the end of the 12-month follow-up period.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy also holds promise for TRD. In a 2021 randomized-controlled, double-blind trial3 conducted by drug development company Compass Pathways, 233 participants with TRD took a single dose of psilocybin in conjunction with therapy after tapering off all medication. Almost 37 percent showed a significant decrease in symptoms at three weeks, with 25 percent continuing to show significant reductions in symptoms at 12 weeks. Additionally, a 2021 exploratory study by Compass Pathways found that psilocybin used as an adjunct to therapy in people already taking SSRI medication for moderate to severe depression has a positive effect on reducing symptoms.
Researchers at Imperial College London conducted an open-label study4 on 20 participants diagnosed with TRD that included a 6-month follow-up evaluation. Patients reported initially and at follow-up that after psilocybin treatment, they had an experiential shift from feeling disconnected from self, others, and the world, to feeling more connected. Subjects also indicated an additional transition from avoidance of difficult emotions to greater emotional acceptance.