Mushrooms can be a magical solution for depression

Two-thirds of people who underwent psilocybin-assisted therapy remained free from depression five years later, according to recent research that offers the first long-term glimpse into the lasting power of psychedelic treatment.

The findings, published by researchers at Ohio State University and Johns Hopkins University, followed up on participants from a 2021 study to track whether the dramatic improvements in depression symptoms would endure.

The results suggest they do – and without serious side-effects. Each of the 24 participants from the original study received two doses of the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, spaced two weeks apart, alongside 13 hours of psychotherapy support.

When researchers checked in five years later, the improvements in depression seen after one year were still holding strong, suggesting psilocybin therapy may last longer than traditional treatments, such as antidepressants or psychotherapy. But the researchers are cautious about overselling their findings.

The follow-up study lacked a comparison group, making it impossible to know whether people who recovered from depression through other means might experience similar long-term success.

Eleven of the 18 participants who remained in the trial also reported using antidepressants during the study period, muddying the waters about what exactly drove their continued recovery. The study design presents other puzzles as well. Was it the psilocybin itself that proved beneficial, or the extensive psychotherapy, or some combination of both? The research did not include a placebo group raising questions on whether expectations alone might have influenced the outcomes.

Despite these limitations, other studies are painting a similar picture of psilocybin’s enduring effects on depression. What makes these findings particularly intriguing is the suggestion that just one or two treatment sessions might deliver lasting benefits. This is in stark contrast to traditional antidepressants, which typically require daily use and often come with a catalogue of side effects.

The researchers propose that psilocybin therapy may trigger “positive behavioural feedback loops”, helping people gain fresh perspectives and emotional insights that continue benefiting their lives long after the treatment ends. This could enable the development of healthier habits that serve as natural buffers against depression’s return.

Psychedelic research still faces significant hurdles, from creating convincing placebo groups to accounting for the self-selecting nature of many participants. Yet perhaps the most compelling evidence lies not in clinical scores but in participants’ own words about their transformed lives. As one person put it: “I think I’m more open to gratitude and more open to delight.”

Such testimonies remind researchers why they’re exploring what some describe as potentially “one of the most meaningful experiences in life” – and why this emerging field of medicine deserves serious scientific attention.