Emily Johnson
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic anxiety disorder that can occur after a person experiences a traumatic or life-threatening event. While there are treatments available, such as psychotherapy and medication, they are only successful in about 35-40% of patients. This has led to a growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy, which has shown promising results in treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, has been found to stimulate nerve cell regrowth in parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory. Early evidence suggests that psilocybin may help reduce PTSD symptoms and facilitate trauma recovery by increasing emotional empathy, mindfulness, and connectedness. However, more clinical research is needed to understand the risks and mechanisms of using psilocybin for PTSD treatment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Active ingredient in magic mushrooms | Psilocybin |
| How it works | May stimulate nerve cell regrowth in parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory |
| May decrease amygdala reactivity during emotion processing, increasing the ability to process traumatic memories | |
| May increase emotional empathy, mindfulness-related capacities, acceptance, and connectedness while reducing avoidance | |
| May alter the way neurons connect to one another | |
| May reduce PTSD symptoms, attachment anxiety, and demoralization | |
| May facilitate confronting traumatic memories, decreasing emotional avoidance, depression, anxiety, pessimism, and disconnection from others | |
| May increase self-compassion, forgiveness of abusers, and help find new perspectives on unhelpful or negative thoughts | |
| Treatment regimen | One or several days of dosing |
| Treatment duration | 6 hours |
| Side effects | Hallucinations, "bad trip", fear, paranoia |
| Treatment status | Designated as a breakthrough therapy by the FDA |
| Health Canada has approved a clinical trial |
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What You'll Learn
- Magic mushrooms contain psilocybin, a psychedelic compound
- Psilocybin stimulates nerve cell regrowth in parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory
- It increases emotional empathy, mindfulness, acceptance, and connectedness
- It helps reduce anxiety and address trauma
- Clinical trials are underway to determine the effectiveness of psilocybin in treating PTSD
Magic mushrooms contain psilocybin, a psychedelic compound
The molecular structure of psilocybin allows it to penetrate the central nervous system, and researchers are just beginning to understand its effects on the brain and its potential therapeutic benefits. Early evidence suggests that psilocybin may produce large reductions in PTSD symptoms, particularly in combat veterans. It is believed that psilocybin increases emotional empathy, mindfulness-related capacities, acceptance, and connectedness, while reducing avoidance. These effects may facilitate PTSD treatment by helping individuals with PTSD to address their traumas and find new perspectives on negative thoughts.
In addition to its potential benefits for PTSD, psilocybin has also been found to stimulate neurogenesis, or the growth and repair of brain cells in the hippocampus, which is the brain's center for emotion and memory. This discovery has important implications for the treatment of PTSD, as the hippocampus is often affected by the disorder. Furthermore, psilocybin has been designated by the FDA as a breakthrough therapy for treatment-resistant depression, which is commonly associated with PTSD.
While the potential benefits of psilocybin for PTSD treatment are promising, it is important to note that psychedelic drugs can also cause adverse effects, such as "bad trips" or frightening hallucinations. As such, it is crucial that the use of psilocybin for PTSD treatment is carefully monitored and controlled within a safe and supportive medical setting.
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Psilocybin stimulates nerve cell regrowth in parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, has been found to stimulate nerve cell regrowth in parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory. This discovery has led to its potential use in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In 2013, a study from the University of South Florida found that psilocybin stimulates neurogenesis, or the growth and repair of brain cells, in the hippocampus, which is the brain's centre for emotion and memory. The study showed that mice given psilocybin overcame fear conditioning far better than mice given a placebo. This supported the hypothesis that psilocybin can help break the traumatic cycle that occurs in patients with PTSD.
The hippocampus is a small region within the brain where a pool of stem cells gives rise to progenitor cells. As they mature, these progenitor cells travel and integrate into the neural circuitry of the hippocampus as functional neurons. Growing in vivo animal research suggests that adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) plays a critical role in emotion regulation, stress resilience, and cognitive flexibility. Reduced AHN has been associated with anxiety and depressive-like behaviours.
Psilocybin has been found to increase the number and density of dendritic branches and synaptic connections in the hippocampus, which is likely related to increased levels of BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a nerve growth factor that supports the proliferation and differentiation of hippocampal progenitor cells.
The exact mechanism of how psilocybin works in the brain and how long its beneficial results last is still unclear and requires further study. However, its ability to promote neuronal growth and restore atrophied connections in the brain makes it a promising potential treatment for neuropsychiatric diseases such as chronic depression and addiction.
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It increases emotional empathy, mindfulness, acceptance, and connectedness
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, has been designated by the FDA as a breakthrough therapy for treatment-resistant depression. While there is currently no published data on psilocybin use for treating PTSD, the strong impact of psilocybin on conditions that often co-occur with PTSD, such as depression and anxiety, indicates the potential beneficial impact of psilocybin-augmented PTSD treatment.
Psilocybin increases emotional empathy, mindfulness-related capacities, acceptance, and connectedness while reducing avoidance, which may all facilitate PTSD treatment. Alongside sessions of supportive psychotherapy, psilocybin administration may help those with PTSD tolerate challenging emotions and address the traumas they have experienced, while also finding new perspectives on unhelpful or negative thoughts.
Psilocybin also acts on serotonin receptors, and scientists say the drug's impact reaches far beyond serotonin. They believe that the drug actually alters the way neurons connect to one another. Many patients prescribed antidepressants experience a range of side effects, from an upset stomach to insomnia.
Psychedelics can also decrease amygdala reactivity during emotion processing, which may reverse the heightened amygdala reactivity typically seen in PTSD, thereby increasing the ability to process traumatic memories.
There is also early evidence that other classic psychedelics may produce large reductions in PTSD symptoms in combat veterans. However, this body of literature is small, and the risks of using psychedelic compounds for trauma-related disorders need further study.
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It helps reduce anxiety and address trauma
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, has been designated by the FDA as a breakthrough therapy for treatment-resistant depression. While there is currently no published data on psilocybin use for treating PTSD, the strong impact of psilocybin on conditions that often co-occur with PTSD, such as anxiety and depression, indicates the potential beneficial impact of psilocybin-augmented PTSD treatment.
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms, attachment anxiety, and demoralization. Several PAP trials have shown preliminary efficacy in facilitating the confronting of traumatic memories, decreasing emotional avoidance, anxiety, pessimism, and disconnection from others, and increasing acceptance, self-compassion, and forgiveness of abusers, all of which are relevant to PTSD recovery.
Psilocybin also increases emotional empathy, mindfulness-related capacities, acceptance, and connectedness while reducing avoidance, which may all facilitate PTSD treatment. Alongside sessions of supportive psychotherapy, psilocybin administration may help those with PTSD tolerate challenging emotions and address the traumas they have experienced, while also finding new perspectives on unhelpful or negative thoughts.
Psychedelics can also decrease amygdala reactivity during emotion processing, which may reverse the heightened amygdala reactivity typically seen in PTSD, thereby increasing the ability to process traumatic memories.
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Clinical trials are underway to determine the effectiveness of psilocybin in treating PTSD
One study from the University of South Florida found that psilocybin stimulates neurogenesis, or the growth and repair of brain cells in the hippocampus, which is the brain's centre for emotion and memory. In this study, mice that were given psilocybin were better able to overcome fear conditioning than mice that were given a placebo. This supported the hypothesis that psilocybin can help break the traumatic cycle that occurs in patients with PTSD.
In addition to this, a 2024 Phase 2 study of COMP360 psilocybin for post-traumatic stress disorder reported positive results. The study included 22 patients with severe PTSD who received one 25 mg dose and psychological support. The study met its primary safety endpoint at week 12, with no serious adverse events reported. The most common adverse event was a headache, reported by 50% of patients.
Another study by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers found that psilocybin-assisted therapy, combined with supportive psychotherapy, may provide substantial antidepressant effects that last at least a year for some patients. This suggests that psilocybin may be effective in treating the symptoms of PTSD, which often include anxiety and depression.
While the research is still in its early stages, the results so far suggest that psilocybin may be a promising treatment for PTSD. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated psilocybin as a breakthrough therapy for treatment-resistant depression, indicating that it is a priority for further investigation.
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Frequently asked questions
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex anxiety disorder that occurs after exposure to one or more traumatic events. Symptoms include re-experiencing trauma through vivid memories, flashbacks, or nightmares, heightened senses of danger, interpersonal difficulties, and negative self-perception.
Psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in "magic mushrooms", may stimulate nerve cell regrowth in parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory. It increases emotional empathy, mindfulness-related capacities, acceptance, and connectedness while reducing avoidance, which may all facilitate PTSD treatment.
Clinical studies have shown that psilocybin has a strong impact on conditions that often co-occur with PTSD, such as anxiety and depression. While there is no published data on psilocybin use for treating PTSD, anecdotal clinical data from the 1960s-1980s suggests that psychedelic therapy can help individuals deal with severe trauma. A recent clinical trial in London will study the effects of psilocybin on 20 participants with PTSD.
