Name: Could psychedelics help patients in therapy?
Uploaded: 2024-07-05T14:49:41Z
Duration: 12 min 4 s
Description: It's time to make psychiatry more psychedelic, says psychiatrist Benjamin Lewis. Sharing results from his clinical trial on psychedelic-assisted therapy, he highlights how group therapy paired with the safe use of psilocybin, a compound found in magic mushrooms, has the potential to improve mental health conditions like depression and burnout.

It's time to make psychiatry more psychedelic, says psychiatrist Benjamin Lewis. Sharing results from his clinical trial on psychedelic-assisted therapy, he highlights how group therapy paired with the safe use of psilocybin, a compound found in magic mushrooms, has the potential to improve mental health conditions like depression and burnout.

Could psychedelics help patients in therapy?

Modern mental health crises often stem from a deep loss of connection, with even the US Surgeon General calling it a public health emergency. Clinical trials show that psilocybin, the compound in magic mushrooms, when combined with guided group therapy, can ease depression and burnout, even among cancer patients and frontline health workers. In a recent study, participants in group sessions reported powerful, lasting improvements and a renewed sense of belonging. The research suggests thoughtful, communal psychedelic experiences can restore the connections people need for healing.