Change in occupational burnout measures in emergency medical service workers after a psychedelic experience induced by a single self-administered dose of psilocybin mushrooms
Journal of Psychedelic Studies September 9, 2024 Ana Ferreira, Sharon Martindale, David Luke
A single therapeutic dose of psilocybin mushrooms, self-administered by five Emergency Medical Service Workers (EMSWs), was linked to visible improvements in several measures of occupational burnout two weeks after the session, with gains remaining stable at two months. Participants reported strong subjective experiences—psychological insights and emotional breakthroughs—that they saw as key to the positive outcome. The naturalistic field study suggests psilocybin may offer an alternative approach to address the high rates of psychological distress among EMSWs, potentially benefiting both workers and patient care quality.