Written by Essence Quigley Illustrated by Ha Truong
Magic mushrooms are typically associated with EDM raves and Coachella, but it is possible they may also be one of the most effective antidepressants. Shrooms contain psilocybin, which converts to the psychoactive compound psilocin. Its properties are similar to those of LSD, affecting a person’s mood, perceptions, and thoughts. The compound has been widely used by indigenous peoples around the world for thousands of years. For example, in Mesoamerica, its use in rituals, therapy, and recreation dates back 3,000 years.
The drug is known to produce vivid imagery, but others report reliving memories or experiencing perceptual changes such as ego death. “[The compound helps us] put together our picture of what reality is,” said David Nichols, a professor emeritus at Purdue University’s School of Pharmacy, who has been studying psychedelics since the late 1960s.
Research into psilocybin’s effects began in the 1960s, but during United States’ war on drugs, it was outlawed and classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Stigma and regulatory barriers of the time slowed any research into its therapeutic potential.
Even with psilocybin deemed illegal under federal law, some people continued to use the drug to microdose. It can be eaten fresh, dried, or mixed into food or drinks such as tea. More recently, research suggests this method may be effective, especially if partnered with psychotherapy.
Private organizations in the mid-2000s helped to fund clinical studies, reigniting the conversation around psilocybin’s medical use. As a result, current researchers have been able to focus on how the drug could be helpful in treating psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and even Alzheimer’s. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted “breakthrough therapy” designation to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression, and in 2019 the same status was granted for major depressive disorder.
Multiple trials support psilocybin’s ability to reduce depression severity. According to the American Society of Microbiology, “A recent phase 2 double blind trial—the largest to date—showed that a single 25 mg dose of synthetic psilocybin administered in conjunction with psychotherapy led to significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms after 3 weeks compared to the control dose (1 mg).” Researchers are unsure why it is so effective as an antidepressant, but suggest the drug may limit behaviors like rumination and regulate emotions.
Psilocybin’s speed and efficacy are two of its key advantages. Standard antidepressants can take weeks to kick in, while psilocybin only takes a few days. Antidepressants may need to be used consistently over the course of several years or even a lifetime, but a dose of psilocybin could be administered every few months or maybe even once a year. Its transdiagnostic nature also increases its appeal; it is effective not only for depression but also for other psychiatric disorders.
Psilocybin isn’t for everyone, though. For some, it can cause panic attacks, confusion, or fear. Some individuals report experiencing headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, or suicidal ideation. People with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder are generally advised not use it.
Psilocybin is not a perfect remedy at all, but it could be an alternative treatment option for people struggling with mental health disorders. In the same way, marijuana had a stigma from that era of drug criminalization in the 1970s, shrooms could transition to a similar classification. The more these studies are funded, the more incentive there might be to it push towards mainstream acceptance.
