Landmark trial to treat debilitating grief with magic mushrooms

An ingredient from “magic mushrooms” will be used to treat prolonged and overwhelming grief as part of a world-first trial happening in Queensland.

A world-first Queensland trial is to use an ingredient from “magic mushrooms” to treat prolonged and overwhelming grief.

QIMR Berghofer researchers are leading the landmark trial of a new psychedelic treatment in combination with psychotherapy.

It will be first time psilocybin, a psychedelic compound found in about 200 species of mushroom, will be used in the grief project.

Psilocybin has already been approved in Australia for use in relation to treatment-resistant depression.

Up to 15 participants are being sought for the pilot study, which will investigate whether the new treatment is acceptable to and safe for people with prolonged grief, specifically in people who have lost a loved one to any form of cancer.

Principal investigator, Associate Professor Vanessa Beesley said they hoped to offer a way forward for people with the debilitating mental health condition, which occurs when symptoms of grief don’t subside after more than a year.

Participants are being sought to investigate whether the new treatment is safe for people with prolonged grief. File photo

“Prolonged grief can cause really intense and overwhelming suffering, affecting a person’s ability to function at home, work and in their relationships. It essentially leaves them stuck in that early bereavement phase,” Assoc Prof Beesley said.

“We want to investigate whether psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy can bring some relief and help them live with their loss. We’ve been encouraged by other trials where similar psilocybin interventions were associated with rapid and enduring mental health benefits for people with treatment-resistant depression and end-of-life anxiety.”

The 15-week trial is being conducted with support from Woke Pharmaceuticals.

In addition to being one of the first psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy trials for prolonged grief, it is the first medical research trial in Queensland involving psilocybin.

The trial will see participants undergo three psychotherapy sessions in preparation for one psilocybin dosing session at QIMR Berghofer, in the presence of a psychologist and nurse. Another four psychotherapy sessions will follow in the weeks after.

Trial psychiatrist, QIMR Berghofer Visiting Scientist and Director, Research at Metro North Mental Health, Dr Stephen Parker, said the study represented an exciting step for medical research in Queensland and Australia.

“This is a critical trial. There are a lot of people who don’t necessarily benefit and respond to conventional mental health treatments and the hope of something different, something new, is really important,” Dr Parker said.