In recent years, there has been research into whether psilocybin – which is an active substance in psychedelic so-called magic mushrooms – can help in the treatment of depressed people.
The idea is to treat the people with a small dose of psilocybin and then follow up with traditional psychiatry.
Recently, British researchers compiled results from several different studies – and concluded that it points to the treatment having a good effect.
“Believe that the treatment has a future”
Right now, an international phase III study is underway to find out more precisely how effective and safe the treatment is.
Mikael Tiger is a psychiatrist and researcher at Karolinska Institutet, and believes in treatment.
– I think that psilocybin together with a psychological treatment will have an effect, but I am a researcher and we are not there yet and cannot say for sure that this is a treatment that helps. We have to see these data from the large phase III trial, but I think the treatment has a future, he says in Efter fem.
“It’s all medicine”
The author and journalist Leonidas Aretakis has written the book Ecstas i folkhemmet: Sveriges psychedeliska historia.
– It is an incredibly exciting situation. There was a previous wave of research between 1950 and 1970 where people were very hopeful without coming up with anything, but now we are there again, he says in Efter fem.
– It is a classic truth that if you buy a drug at a pharmacy and go out and sell it on the street, it is narcotics. It’s all medicine. Rather, it is about dosage, context and purpose.
Have tested myself
Leonidas Aretakis has tried magic mushrooms himself, but was not depressed when he did it.
– I wanted to know what it was I was writing about for the book, so I invited a psychologist who guided me through an intoxication. I brought art books and pictures of my family with me and got close to my feelings in relation to them. It was a powerful experience.
He points out, however, that there are risks with this type of treatment:
– If you are fragile and close to psychosis, it can be set in motion. And if you are not in a safe environment, it can be very dangerous. You must have very strong respect.
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