Is psilocybin good for depression, read this https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/psilocybinassisted-therapy-may-be-4x-more-effective-in-treating-major-depression-in-patients

1. 1/12/2021 Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x More Effective in Treating Major Depression in Patients
https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/psilocybinassisted-therapy-may-be-4x-more-effective-in-treating-major-depression-in-patients 2/14
PSILOCYBIN FOR DEPRESSION
il bi i d h b

2. 1/12/2021 Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x More Effective in Treating Major Depression in Patients
https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/psilocybinassisted-therapy-may-be-4x-more-effective-in-treating-major-depression-in-patients 3/14
Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x
More Effective in Treating Major
Depression in Patients
Can magic mushrooms help those with clinical depression?
Posted by:
Karhlyle, today at 12:00am
Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May Be Four Times More
Effective In Treating Major Depression

3. 1/12/2021 Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x More Effective in Treating Major Depression in Patients
https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/psilocybinassisted-therapy-may-be-4x-more-effective-in-treating-major-depression-in-patients 4/14
Psychedelics have been used over time in some therapies that have to do with mental health treatments. This has
prompted the research into the e ects of compounds like psilocybin and their possible advantages over traditional
treatment methods. One major aspect of mental health that psilocybin has been identi ed to be e ective against is
depression. Antidepressants are commonly used to treat depression, however, their unwanted side e ects and the
prolonged onset of action make them less e ective.
This article will explain how psilocybin-assisted therapy has been identi ed to be potentially four times more e ective in
treating depression.
Psilocybin and Depression
Psilocybin is the major psychoactive compound present in magic mushrooms. Much like cannabis, psilocybin is
classi ed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance with no medical purpose. However, recent studies have identi ed
important medical e ects of psilocybin. One area where psilocybin has been purported to a ect is in the treatment of
depression. The bene cial compound has been approved on two occasions for trials regarding depression by the FDA.
The rst trial for the compound was for severe treatment-resistant depression. The second approval was directed
towards major depressive disorder. Major depressive disorder is a very common condition with over 300 million
su ering from the condition.
The Johns Hopkins study
Di erent institutions have conducted signi cant studies on the use of psilocybin for treating depression. The Centre for
Psychedelic Research at Imperial College, London is one of such institutions that have conducted signi cant studies on
the subject matter. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine through a new study have also identi ed the potential
e ectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy to help deal with depression.
(https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/psychedelic-treatment-with-psilocybin-relieves-
major-depression-study-shows)The study involved 24 participants who were given psilocybin along with supportive
psychotherapy. The selected participants all had at least two years of documented history with major depressive
disorder. They were all required to lay o antidepressants before the commencement of the trials.

4. 1/12/2021 Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x More Effective in Treating Major Depression in Patients
https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/psilocybinassisted-therapy-may-be-4x-more-effective-in-treating-major-depression-in-patients 5/14
The patients were assessed using a GRID-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. 24 or higher on the scale shows severe
depression and 7 or less shows no depression. The participants were given two doses of psilocybin and they were
spaced two weeks apart. The result of the study showed large antidepressant e ects among participants who had a
major depressive disorder. Half of the participants were completely free from depression throughout the month after
the therapy. A continued inspection of the development of the condition of the patients over a year will give a clear
picture of what to expect.
Research had earlier been conducted at Johns Hopkins in 2016 on the e ectiveness of psilocybin with patients su ering
from anxiety and depression based on terminal cancer diagnosis. The research was more streamlined towards patients
with a terminal cancer diagnosis and so limited the scope of the research. However, this new research shows that
psilocybin-assisted therapy can apply to a wider population for the treatment of depression. This is sure to come as
good news to the whooping 300 million worldwide struggling with major depression.
Dr. Alan K. Davis described the magnitude of the e ects seen with psilocybin-assisted therapy as being four times more
e ective than traditional antidepressants. (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2772630) Dr.
Davis is the lead author of the study on psilocybin-assisted therapy by Johns Hopkins. He is also an adjunct assistant
Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. While speaking on
the study and the results, he stated that there are di erent reasons why the results show the therapy to be so e ective.
These reasons according to him explain why psilocybin-assisted therapy is more e ective than antidepressants.
The initial reason put forward by Dr. Davis is the fact that this therapy combines psilocybin with psychotherapy. While
using antidepressants, clinical trials do not involve combining the medication with therapy. This means that psilocybin
with the combination a ects broader areas which improves its e cacy. Antidepressants majorly act by a ecting some
speci c neurotransmitters in the system to initiate reactions. Psilocybin-assisted therapy however generates some
speci c neurological e ects to help reduce depression. Psilocybin also gives rise to some psychological e ects that
improve the therapeutic process. The combination of psilocybin with psychotherapy brings about some changes in
brain function that regulates response to negative stimuli.
Another reason Dr. Davis put forward for this di erence in e ectiveness is the onset of action. Antidepressants and
psilocybin therapy have a di erent time span for which they take e ect. Antidepressants can take as long as weeks or
months before they begin to take e ect. Dr. Davis however, noted that psilocybin-assisted therapy works within a

5. 1/12/2021 Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x More Effective in Treating Major Depression in Patients
https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/psilocybinassisted-therapy-may-be-4x-more-effective-in-treating-major-depression-in-patients 6/14
shorter period. Antidepressants are also known to have a strong series of unwanted side e ects. Psilocybin therapy was
also identi ed to have its side e ects which majorly include mild headaches. These side e ects were mostly after a
psilocybin session and were due to acute e ects of psilocybin. These side e ects, however, did not a ect the
e ectiveness of the therapy in dealing with depression and its evident therapeutic bene t.
Despite the obvious positives of this study, it has its limitations. The sample size used to conduct the study is small and
there is no placebo control. This means the results of this study cannot be taken wholly. There is a need for larger trials
in order to get more data in order to fully understand the true level of e ectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy
against major depression. This obvious limitation is why many in the world of mental health treatment are yet to agree
that psilocybin-assisted therapy is more e ective for depression.
Bottom line
The study carried out by Dr. Davis is certainly an eye-opener regarding the e ect of psilocybin in dealing with
depression. However, there is still a need for more clinical trials to be carried out on the subject before nal conclusions
can be made. The presence of clearer data from larger trials will give room for more concrete conclusions on this
subject matter. However, as it stands, early indications point to the fact that psilocybin-assisted therapy is four times
more e ective in dealing with major depression.
CANNABIS, MUSHROOMS, DEPRESSION, READ MORE...
(https://cannabis.net/blog/opinion/why-are-doctors-are-prescribing-
ketamine-for-depression)

6. 1/12/2021 Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x More Effective in Treating Major Depression in Patients
https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/psilocybinassisted-therapy-may-be-4x-more-effective-in-treating-major-depression-in-patients 7/14
WHY ARE DOCTORS USING KETAMINE FOR DEPRESSION? (https://cannabis.net/blog/opinion/why-are-doctors-are-
prescribing-ketamine-for-depression)
OR...
(https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/cannabis-vs.-ayahuasca-cannabis-
much-safer-for-depression.589037)
IS AYAHUASCA BETTER FOR DEPRESSION THAN CANNABIS? (https://cannabis.net/blog/medical/cannabis-vs.-
ayahuasca-cannabis-much-safer-for-depression.589037)
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9. 1/12/2021 Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x More Effective in Treating Major Depression in Patients
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11. 1/12/2021 Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy May be 4x More Effective in Treating Major Depression in Patients
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