A 26-year-old woman with lifelong depression marked by worthlessness, social disinterest, and lack of meaning first tried sertraline 50 mg daily for 3 months but stopped due to no benefit. A 6-month course of cognitive-behavioural therapy brought some improvement but not full resolution, with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores remaining in the moderately depressed range (19-21).
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may reduce symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) by altering how individuals perceive and evaluate their own appearance. In a small open-label pilot study, participants with BDD received two doses of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy. Results suggest clinically meaningful reductions in BDD symptom severity and improvements in insight and quality of life at post-treatment and at 3-month follow-up. No serious adverse events were reported, though transient anxiety occurred during drug sessions. These preliminary findings indicate psilocybin-assisted therapy could be a promising treatment for BDD, a condition with limited effective options.