Psilocybin therapy appears to be at least as effective as a leading conventional antidepressant
A study suggests that psilocybin therapy is at least as effective in treating depression as the leading antidepressant, but with fewer side effects and faster results. After six weeks, participants receiving psilocybin therapy saw an 8.0 point reduction in depressive symptoms and reported “greater improvements in the ability to cry and feel compassion, intense emotion, and pleasure”. Participants receiving escitalopram, a leading SSRI antidepressant, saw just a 6.0 point reduction in depressive symptoms, and were more likely to experience side effects like anxiety, dry mouth, sexual dysfunction, and reduced emotional responsiveness.