More than 2,300 psilocybin users report real-world outcomes in Oregon and Colorado
Over the past few decades, some psychiatrists and medical researchers have been running controlled clinical trials to assess the potential therapeutic value of psychedelics, substances that alter perception, mood and thinking patterns. One of the most widely studied is psilocybin, a compound found in some species of mushrooms.
In Oregon and Colorado, more than 2,300 individuals who consumed psilocybin under regulated conditions have reported positive real-world outcomes, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine and Althea PBC. The study, which has been posted on the medRxiv preprint server, aimed to assess the practical implications of psilocybin therapy following the legalization of its use in these states.
Scott M. Thompson, the lead author of the study, emphasized the importance of understanding how the benefits observed in clinical trials translate to real-world scenarios. The researchers partnered with Althea, a software company, to gather and analyze data from individuals who accessed licensed psilocybin services in Oregon and Colorado.
Over a span of 15 months, the study collected information from 2,363 participants, including their demographics, reasons for seeking psilocybin, prior medical histories, and their subjective experiences during the dosing process.
The main findings of the study indicate that a significant majority of participants, between 50% and 60%, experienced a reduction of at least 50% in their depression or anxiety scores two weeks after receiving psilocybin. This outcome is comparable to the results seen in clinical trials. Notably, the researchers found that the intensity of mystical-type experiences during the dosing process was not strongly correlated with improvements in mental health outcomes, challenging the assumption that more intense experiences necessarily lead to better mental health benefits.
The study also revealed that individuals with mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety, were the primary drivers for seeking psilocybin therapy, accounting for 36% of the participants. Moreover, the benefits of psilocybin treatment were similar regardless of the dose administered, with both higher and lower doses showing comparable improvements in mental health scores.
The researchers noted that adverse events were mild and transient, with no reports of novel psychosis or severe complications, similar to the outcomes observed in clinical trials.
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