Psychedelic Therapy for Depression Treatment

An increasing body of research suggests that psychedelic-assisted therapy can be effective in treating depression and other mental health conditions.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy is when you receive a psychedelic substance in a clinical setting. It’s usually combined with talk therapy and other forms of mental health treatment. You may talk with a therapist while you’re under the influence of the substance and after it wears off.

These psychedelic substances can include:

Psychedelic-assisted therapy could help treat many mental health conditions, including addiction, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety disorders.

“With psychedelic-assisted therapy, you’re able to address the root cause of the problem and oftentimes, fix it more quickly and effectively than alternative options like traditional talk therapy or antidepressant medications,” psychiatrist Dr. Reid Robison, chief clinical officer at Numinus, told Healthline.

But what does the research say about psychedelic therapy for depression? Is it safe? How does it work? Here’s what you need to know.

Research on psychedelic therapy is ongoing, with available studies suggesting certain psychedelics may be a promising treatment for depression.

In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of an esketamine nasal spray called Spravato for treatment-resistant depression. Esketamine is a more potent form of ketamine.

Research from that year found esketamine is a safe and effective treatment for treatment-resistant depression, providing relief in as little as 24 hours.

A 2023 study conducted in China and the United States yielded similar results.

Recently, a small, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled trial from 2023 explored the effects of ketamine on treatment-resistant depression. (These types of trials are considered a gold standard for quality research.)

In the trial, people received either ketamine or midazolam, a benzodiazepine medication, twice a week for 4 weeks. Out of those who received ketamine, 20% reported experiencing remission — meaning they no longer had clinical depression.

Ketamine is the only FDA-approved psychedelic treatment for depression, but it’s not the only option.

A 2020 clinical trial found that two doses of psilocybin alongside talk therapy significantly reduced depression symptoms for at least 4 weeks after therapy.

At most clinics, ketamine-assisted therapy, which includes a dose of ketamine and talk therapy, costs between $350 and $500 per session.

Clinics typically require a consultation session before you begin treatment. You’d usually need to commit to 1–12 sessions, depending on the substance you’re using and the clinic’s protocol.

Certain insurance providers may cover esketamine nasal spray (Spravato) because it’s approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression. However, they likely won’t cover other types of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

While psychedelic treatments are generally considered safe when administered in a clinical setting, it’s still a good idea to speak with your therapist before trying it out.

Robison recommends having appropriate support in place before starting psychedelic-assisted therapy. This can include getting support from loved ones and a licensed mental health care professional.

Your therapist might be able to help you:

• find a trained, qualified psychedelic-assisted therapist
• explore your goals for psychedelic-assisted therapy
• consider other options if you’re not a candidate for psychedelic-assisted therapy

If you’re not sure how to broach the topic, you could use the following prompts (or a variation of them):

• “I recently read an article about psychedelic-assisted therapy and how it can be effective for depression. What are your thoughts?”
• “I’ve been looking into psychedelic-assisted therapy, and I think it may be a possible option for me. Can you provide me with support while I seek treatment at a local clinic?”
• “A friend of mine recently shared that ketamine therapy improved their depression symptoms. Are you familiar with psychedelic-assisted therapy?”

If you’re uncomfortable talking about it face-to-face, you can consider emailing your therapist between sessions. This can allow them to look into your question and give you an informed answer.