Clinical Trial Finds Psilocybin Plus Mindfulness Training Reduces Depression in Frontline Healthcare Workers

The randomized controlled trial, conducted by researchers at the University of California and University of Utah, enrolled 25 healthcare workers with signs of depression and burnout. Participants were assigned to either an eight-week MBSR program alone or MBSR plus a single group psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy session with 25 mg psilocybin. The primary goal was to measure safety and reductions in depressive symptoms using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-SR-16). At two weeks post-intervention, the psilocybin plus MBSR group showed significantly greater reductions in depressive symptoms compared to the MBSR-only group, with a between-group effect size of 4.6 (p = 0.008). Improvements diminished by the six-month mark, though secondary outcomes suggested potential benefits in burnout, demoralization, and feelings of connectedness. Importantly, no serious adverse events were reported, and only mild to moderate side effects occurred.

The authors conclude that psilocybin combined with mindfulness training was safe and produced meaningful short-term improvements in depressive symptoms among frontline healthcare workers. While results are encouraging, the researchers caution that larger, more diverse trials are needed to confirm efficacy, determine durability, and expand generalizability.

This early evidence suggests that integrating psychedelics with mindfulness practices could offer a new therapeutic avenue for healthcare professionals struggling with depression and burnout.