From retreats in South America to clinical trials in Newcastle, psychedelic therapy is gaining increasing attention as a possible treatment for depression. Could hallucinogenic drugs one day become part of Britain's National Health System (NHS)?
Claire Torpey has tried traditional forms of mental health support, including counseling with a psychologist. But, according to her, she could not get rid of some symptoms.
“I felt deep sadness. I lived in a constant state of anxiety,” she says.
Claire, a resident of Tynemouth in northern England, spent several years in an orphanage as a child. She says the difficulties she faced growing up were compounded by the deaths of her father and grandmother within two years in a row.
“Nothing could truly change my inner state. I was deeply saddened and didn’t want to live,” she says.
In search of alternatives, Claire traveled to South and Central America to attend retreats where participants legally take psychedelics in guided therapeutic programs.
These retreats used psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, and ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian drink containing the psychedelic compound DMT (dimethyltryptamine).
Psychedelic tourism is gaining popularity, but experts warn that unethical and unregulated treatments can pose serious dangers. There have been reports of participants dying after attending retreats abroad.
However, Claire claims that this experience was a turning point for her.
“It wasn’t until I started taking these substances that I started to feel better,” she says. “I began to find a state of peace and happiness. This led me to the path of forgiveness. I don’t believe that regular talk therapy would have helped me achieve this result.”
In the UK, psilocybin and DMT are classified as Class A drugs and are on what is known as “Schedule 1”, meaning they have no recognized medical use. However, interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy is growing.
At the Care Pathway Enhancement (CaPE) clinic in Newcastle, run by the local NHS, researchers are studying whether psilocybin can help treat conditions such as depression.
There is a theory that when used in controlled settings, psychedelics can help people cope with difficult thoughts and emotions. Some researchers compare consciousness to a snow globe: drugs temporarily disrupt established thinking patterns, allowing you to look at past experiences in a new way.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Murad Wahba, who led the study, says participants often report significant changes in the way they perceive themselves and their experiences.
“The idea is that through this experience people can change their behavior and thinking patterns,” he says.
Treatment involves careful preparation and support before and after drug sessions.
Clinical psychologist Tom Sharp is helping with the trial. Participants receive psilocybin capsules and then spend up to eight hours in a specially equipped room to take the drug under the supervision of therapists.
“People can figure out what might be causing their depression,” he says.
Researchers strive to limit expectations.
“This work is not some miracle cure,” Sharp says. “It doesn’t cure depression.”
Wahba agrees with this. While early results are encouraging, he notes that larger studies are still needed to determine how effective these treatments are and whether the benefits can be sustained in the long term.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has supported further research into psychedelic therapy.
Dr David Cousins, chair of the college's psychopharmacology committee, said: "The college supports further research into psychedelics such as psilocybin, which may help treat people with conditions such as depression, including those who have poor response to other forms of treatment."
Some researchers believe that psychedelic therapy may provide longer-lasting benefits for some patients, helping them deal with the underlying thoughts, emotions and behaviors of their condition rather than simply managing symptoms.
However, Cousins warned against seeking treatment outside of institutional settings: “We strongly discourage people from self-medicating or turning to unregulated treatments as there are risks involved.”
Proponents of this method emphasize that psychedelic therapy differs significantly from recreational drug use. In a clinical setting, participants are screened, monitored, and supported before, during, and after treatment.
Some UK charities and institutions also help people access psychedelic therapy abroad.
Keith John Abraham, founder of Heroic Hearts Project UK, helps ex-servicemen attend ayahuasca retreats to treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Most people who go through it feel like they have new energy and purpose in life,” he says.
Abraham, an Army veteran, turned to psychedelic therapy after long struggling with the effects of military service.
“Afghanistan was very costly for me personally,” he says. “I tried traditional methods, but they didn’t work for me, and I became desperate.”
Abraham says psychedelic therapy has helped him make significant progress, but warns that it is not a “magic pill”: “Don’t go into it thinking it will solve all your problems. But the quality of life can improve significantly.”
Abraham describes psychedelic therapy as "the future of mental health care."
Robin Daly, founder of cancer charity Yes to Life, said psychedelic-based therapy could also help some people cope with the emotional effects of serious illness.
He says a cancer diagnosis forces people to suddenly confront themselves with questions about death, the meaning of life and the future, and that psilocybin can help some patients come to terms with this reality.
“It's not about going into dreamland,” he says. “It’s about accepting the fact, ‘Okay, I’m in this situation, I have cancer,’ but putting it into a much broader context.”
While emphasizing that psilocybin is not a cure for cancer, he describes its potential impact on some patients as "revolutionary."
He believes access to the drug should not be limited to people who can afford to travel abroad for treatment.
Researchers say progress is being held back by regulatory restrictions.
“Giving patients choice is the most important thing. So for me, the ideal scenario would be to include this therapy in our range of services,” he says.
The Home Office says it is considering recommendations to reduce barriers to research using controlled substances while ensuring safety measures are met.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency says it is promoting clinical research, but it is too early to say whether psychedelic treatments will ever become available in everyday practice.
