Psilocybin, a hallucinogen, shows promise in transforming mental health care, with 70% of participants reporting significant improvements in depression and anxiety after treatment. In a clinical study involving 100 individuals, those receiving psilocybin therapy experienced an average reduction of 60% in symptoms within three weeks. Health professionals in psychiatry and clinical psychology are increasingly exploring psychedelics as viable options for patients. This shift could reshape mental health approaches, offering hope to those struggling with traditional therapies in Portugal and beyond.
A longitudinal study of 679 adults planning to use psilocybin in naturalistic settings found that while most users (89.7%) described the experience as positive, acute feelings of shame or guilt were commonly reported (68.2% of users) and difficult to predict. The ability to constructively work through these feelings predicted wellbeing 2-4 weeks after use. Psilocybin produced a small but significant average decrease in trait shame that lasted 2-3 months, but trait shame increased in a notable minority (29.8%) of participants. The activation of shame-related experiences with psychedelics may pose a unique learning condition for both therapeutic and detrimental forms of memory reconsolidation.