University of South Florida

It has often been claimed that psychedelics have therapeutic value in treating many types of mental health conditions such as depression. It is seen that psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin have shown subtle but positive effects on cognitive processing. Howeverm there are other side effects that are also present in the dosing of these drugs if not carefully dosed, and in lower doses. 

The therapeutic potential of microdosing psychedelics in depression

  Kuypers, K. P. C. (2020). The therapeutic potential of microdosing psychedelics in depression. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1177/2045125320950567

The therapeutic Potential of microdosing psychedelics in depression

Findings

Since most studies on psychedelics have been conducted mainly on healthy individuals, their specific effects on depression remain under-studied. It is currently too early to make definitive conclusions on whether psychedelics are an effective treatment for patients with depression. However, existing findings are significant enough to warrant further research into the costs and benefits of using psychedelics as a treatment for depression.

Conclusions on the Efficacy of Psychedelics for Depression

The study reviews a number of controlled experiments that observe the effects of common psychedelics, specifically LSD and psilocybin. These drugs have been associated with increases in mood, sociality, and empathy, as well as the recognition of negative affect. In these studies, small doses—such as 100-200 mcg of LSD and 15 mg of psilocybin—have been dosed according to body weight.

Effects of LSD and Psilocybin in Controlled Experiments

The methodology used to evaluate the therapeutic potential of microdosing psychedelics in depression involves reviewing controlled experiments and clinical studies. This approach systematically observes the effects of small doses of common psychedelics, specifically LSD and psilocybin, on cognitive processing, mood, sociality, and empathy.

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