GettyA new study adds support to claims that the psychedelic drug psilocybin, when combined with psychotherapy, can effectively treat depression and anxiety years after taking the drug. The research follows up on a 2016 study that tested the effects of a single-dose, one-time use of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy on depression and anxiety symptoms among cancer patients. The study found both immediate treatment benefits and benefits six and a half months later for 60 to 80% of the study participants. In depression and anxiety patients, this brain network is prone to rumination and rigid thinking. Psilocybin with therapy may help patients enhance their thinking flexibility and gain broader perspective that shifts away from rumination.

Source: Forbes January 31, 2020 23:15 UTC