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Mind

Psychedelic health claims may be promoting risky self-medication

Drugs such as psilocybin can trigger dangerous psychotic experiences and should only be used with medical supervision, warns psychiatrist Jonathan Iliff at New Scientist Live

By Clare Wilson

7 October 2023

Magic mushrooms contain the psychedelic drug psilocybin

Cannabis_Pic/Alamy

Psychedelic drugs have promise for treating several mental health problems, but people shouldn’t self-medicate with them because they can sometimes trigger a lasting psychotic breakdown, said Jonathan Iliff at University College London, speaking at New Scientist Live on 7 October.

Drugs such as psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, are being investigated for treating a range of conditions, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anorexia, under medical supervision.

The drugs have shown promising results in some trials, but are still classed…

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