Journal of Psychopharmacology
December 14, 2022
Emma Morton, Kimberly Sakai, Amir Ashtari et al.
75 citations
A web-based survey of 541 people with bipolar disorder who had used psilocybin found that one-third reported new or worsening symptoms afterward, especially manic symptoms, insomnia, and anxiety. No difference in adverse event rates emerged between bipolar I and bipolar II. Emergency medical care was rare (3.3%). Despite adverse effects, respondents rated psilocybin use as more helpful than harmful. The findings suggest psilocybin may offer subjective mental health benefits for some people with bipolar disorder, but clinical trials should closely monitor symptoms because they may emerge or intensify.
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
September 22, 2021
David E. Gard, Mollie Pleet, Ellen Bradley et al.
33 citations
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms, can rapidly and durably improve depression symptoms, but people with bipolar disorder have been excluded from clinical trials due to concerns about triggering mania. As psilocybin becomes more available, individuals with bipolar disorder may seek it for depression. A review of 17 published cases suggests a potential risk of activating manic episodes, warranting caution. However, the lack of systematic data indicates a need for a cautious trial using modern methods, focusing on those at lowest risk for mania, such as bipolar 2 disorder, given the significant impact of depression in this population.
PLoS ONE
December 14, 2022
Meghan DellaCrosse, Mollie Pleet, Emma Morton et al.
28 citations
Adults with bipolar disorder who used psilocybin-containing mushrooms reported both benefits and risks. Benefits included reduced depression severity, improved emotion processing, new perspectives, and better relaxation and sleep. Risks included changes in sleep, increased mania severity, hospitalization, and distressing sensory experiences. Contextual factors such as poly-substance use, psilocybin dose, solo versus social use, and pre-use sleep deprivation influenced outcomes. The findings highlight the need for carefully designed clinical trials to assess safety and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin therapy in this population.
medRxiv
April 7, 2021
David E. Gard, Mollie Pleet, Ellen Bradley et al.
7 citations
preprint
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms, can rapidly and durably improve depression symptoms, but its safety in people with bipolar disorder is unknown because they have been excluded from clinical trials. The authors reviewed 17 published case histories and found potential risk for activating a manic episode, warranting caution. However, the lack of systematic data or common case examples indicating risk suggests that a cautious trial using modern methods, focused on those at lowest risk for mania (e.g., bipolar 2 disorder), is needed given depression's impact on this population.