Psychedelic Therapy Gains Attention as Possible Treatment for Depression

Claire Torpey, from Tynemouth in North Tyneside, had tried traditional mental health support before attending psychedelic retreats in Central and South America. She says she was still struggling with depression after trying counselling.

She attended retreats where participants legally take psychedelics as part of guided therapeutic programmes. The retreats involved psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, and ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian brew containing the psychedelic compound DMT.

Claire says the experience was transformative: 'It wasn't until I started taking these medicines that it started to lift. I started to find a place of peace and happiness.' She believes psychedelic therapy helped her address underlying thoughts and emotions.

In the UK, researchers are investigating whether psilocybin could help treat conditions including depression at Newcastle's Care Pathway Enhancement (CaPE) Clinic. Lead researcher Dr Mourad Wahba says participants often report significant shifts in how they view themselves and their experiences after receiving psilocybin in a controlled setting.