Psilocybes for Anxiety and Depression

Psilocybes for Anxiety and Depression: Published Clinical Evidence

For years, research has been conducted on the potential of mushrooms from the genus Psilocybe to treat mental illnesses, and specifically, a significant body of literature has emerged regarding the effects of psilocybin on anxiety and depression. If you want to dive deeper into what exactly this substance is and how it acts in the body, we recommend reading What Psilocybin Is and What It Is Used For.

In 2006, the study by Griffiths et al. was published in Psychopharmacology — "Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance" — which had a significant impact on the scientific community and marked the beginning of the renaissance of clinical psychedelic research. Charles R. Schuster, former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, described the study as "notable for its rigorous design and execution, as well as the clarity of its results" (Griffiths, R.R. et al., 2006. Psychopharmacology, 187(3), 268–283).

Albert García-Romeu, a researcher at Johns Hopkins who was working on a study about psilocybin and smoking cessation, described to The Guardian the model of psychedelic-assisted therapy developed by William Richards: "Bill prepared the person for that [...] You help them integrate it, and they continue with their lives".

The impetus from that first internationally recognized study allowed for the publication in December 2016 of the results of two clinical trials in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, confirming the effect of psilocybin on depression and anxiety in patients with serious illnesses.

First Study — Ross et al. (2016)

The first trial, published by Ross et al. in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, is titled "Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial". According to the authors: "Psilocybin was observed to produce immediate, substantial, and lasting improvements in anxiety and depression, with a reduction in cancer-related demoralization and despair". At 6.5 months follow-up, between 60% and 80% of participants continued to show clinically significant reductions in depression and anxiety (Ross, S. et al., 2016. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12), 1165–1180).

Second Study — Griffiths et al. (2016)

The second trial, published by Griffiths et al. in the same issue of the Journal of Psychopharmacology, documents that "a single dose of psilocybin produced substantial and durable decreases in depressed mood and anxiety, along with an increase in quality of life in patients with a life-threatening cancer diagnosis". The overall clinical response rate at 6 months for the treatment of depression and anxiety was around 80% (Griffiths, R.R. et al., 2016. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12), 1181–1197).

In neither of the two studies were any serious adverse effects recorded. Approximately 20% of patients experienced nausea, headaches, and other mild symptoms that did not require medical intervention.

Among the patient testimonials collected in the studies, Dinah Bazer — a patient with ovarian cancer and severe anxiety — described her experience in these terms: "[Psilocybin] bathed me in divine love and the experience lasted for hours. I have no other way to describe such an incredibly powerful experience". The researchers documented the resolution of her depressive symptoms.

Legal Framework and Regulatory Barriers

Despite these scientific advances, psilocybin remains included in Schedule 1 of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which complicates the realization of these investigations into commonly used medications. The FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression in 2018, paving a regulatory path that could accelerate the development of approved treatments in the coming years.

The Report of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) specifies: "Neither the preparations derived from plants containing those active ingredients are subject to international control [...] although the INCB recommends that governments consider regulating those materials at the national level if the situation requires". This distinction between the molecule (regulated) and the plant or fungus (not internationally regulated, with variation depending on national jurisdiction) is relevant for understanding the legal framework within which research and the ethnobotanical market operate.

To better understand the legal, social, and scientific context surrounding these substances, you can also consult our article Myths and Realities of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms and Other Psychedelic Substances.

About This Content

Article by Germán Carrera. Reviewed and updated by the Edabea team. The clinical information is based on the cited bibliographic studies. It does not constitute medical advice. Last updated: April 2026.

References

• Griffiths, R.R. et al. (2006). Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance. Psychopharmacology, 187(3), 268–283.
• Griffiths, R.R. et al. (2016). Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12), 1181–1197.
• Ross, S. et al. (2016). Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12), 1165–1180.