Psychedelic therapy has witnessed a resurgence in interest in the last decade from the scientific and medical communities with evidence now building for its safety and efficacy in treating a range of psychiatric disorders including addiction.
LSD isn’t the only psychedelic that has shown promise in addiction treatment. One small 2023 study used psilocybin with Motivational Enhancement Therapy to treat alcohol use disorder, and found that participants were able to cut their drinking days in half on average.
Researchers studying psilocybin’s effects under fMRI have made guesses about how it can help with addiction. It’s possible that psilocybin works by suppressing our Default Mode Network, or DMN. It’s this network that comes alive when we think introspectively, or perseverate on negative thoughts. By deactivating the DMN, it’s possible that psilocybin could suppress cravings and help people break out of unhelpful thought patterns.
Ketamine, MDMA and Microdose Mushrooms are other psychedelics that shows promise for treating addiction. It’s proven to help with abstinence from both alcohol and heroin. It’s even been shown to bring down cravings for cocaine among people who are not trying to quit.