ANOREXIA MENTAL: The promises of the psychedelic psilocybin

Better known for its effectiveness against refractory depression, the psychedelic psilocybin could therefore find an indication in these eating disorders.

Anorexia nervosa, or anorexia nervosa, is one of the most difficult mental illnesses and eating disorders (EDDs) to treat, leading to the highest mortality rate among psychiatric illnesses. Anorexia is also a disease historically resistant or refractory to conventional treatments.

The study propose a “revolutionary exploration” of the potential of psychedelic medicine to treat this complex psychiatric illness using qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and feedback with participants suffering from anorexia nervosa. Participants received a single dose of 25 mg of psilocybin combined with specialized psychological support before, during and after administration.

A unique perspective on the impact of psilocybin treatment

Lead author Dr Stephanie Knatz Peck provides initial conclusions: “Our results suggest that psilocybin may be useful in supporting meaningful psychological change in some patients with anorexia nervosa. 60% of participants reported a reduction in the importance of physical appearance, while 70% reported improvements in quality of life and changes in personal identity/image.” The essay indeed brings the following main conclusions:

• 90% of participants rank their psilocybin session among the 5 most significant life experiences;

• 4 out of 10 participants show clinically significant reductions in their psychopathology;

• the effects of the treatment are more pronounced in questions of silhouette (self-image) and weight;
• the beneficial psychological insights associated with treatment do not automatically translate into weight restoration;
• Taken together, these results appear very promising and could “shape” future therapeutic approaches.

More broadly, this research raises intriguing questions about the intersection between psychedelic medicine and eating disorder treatment. Why do some patients respond dramatically while others show only minimal improvement? How can genetic variations in serotonin receptors influence treatment outcomes?

Although the results are promising, they also highlight the complexity of treating anorexia nervosasuggesting that psychedelic therapy may be more effective as part of a comprehensive treatment approach rather than a stand-alone intervention.