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Can Psychedelics Help Treat Eating Disorders?
Scientists may have found a new group of clinical issues that psychedelics can treat.
Psychedelics have been touted for their untapped therapeutic potential. Recent clinical trials have shown that they can help treat depression, OCD, alcoholism, and even help to kick the habit. Now, a new study released from Imperial College might have found yet another group of clinical issues that psychedelics can help treat: eating disorders.
Disorders like bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder affect at least 9 percent of the world’s population, and can be deadly, with 10 percent of those affected losing their lives as a result. Moreover, for some eating disorders, like anorexia nervosa, the treatment is often ineffective.
Imperial College looked at just how effective psychedelics could be on the participants’ mental health and their recovery from eating disorders.
The study recruited an online sample of 28 participants that reported a previous diagnosis of an eating disorder. These participants also reported that they intended to take a psychedelic drug, such as LSD, DMT or psilocybin, in the near future.
Baseline measures were taken two weeks before the psychedelic experience in order to evaluate the participants…
