Use of alternative therapy with Psilocybin in oncologic patients with depression and/or anxiety disorders - integrative review
Research Society and Development August 19, 2021 Frederico Marques Silveira, Amanda Pereira Mendes, Mayara Rodrigues Dos Santos et al. 1 citation
Cancer affects patients beyond the physical dimension, impacting their entire biopsychosocial context and increasing susceptibility to psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety. This integrative review examined three studies published between 2010 and 2021 on the use of psilocybin, a substance found in mushroom species, as an alternative therapy for cancer patients with anxiety or depression. The studies indicate that psilocybin, administered in conjunction with psychotherapy, can produce rapid, sustained, and lasting improvement, often after a single dose. All analyzed studies showed effectiveness, suggesting psilocybin may serve as an alternative for patients who do not respond to conventional treatments, potentially becoming a definitive therapeutic modality for psychological distress due to cancer.