More than 264 million people worldwide are affected by depression, according to the World Health Organization. And while some people may take anti-depressants like Prozac, that doesn't work for everyone. Some are suggesting an alternative; psychedelic drugs. Researchers have suggested that magic mushrooms, for example, which contain psilocybin. Psilocybin quickly alters our brain function, and could therefore potentially treat patients in just a few doses when combined with therapy. Though research remains in the early stages, such a treatment could target a range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, addiction, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
A study at King's College in London is finding some interesting information. Lead researcher James Rucker says, "The results of the study are clinically reassuring and support further development of psilocybin as a treatment for patients with mental health problems that haven't improved with conventional therapy, such as treatment resistant depression." Theoretically, psilocybin helps "loosen" the deeply-rooted patterns of thinking and behavior behind many of these mental disorders. It could "relax" the parts of our brain that control these behaviors, thus allowing old patterns to change or fade.
The second phase this study will include hundreds of patients here in North America as well as Europe.
