Microdosing Psilocybin Study

Psychedelic Clinical Trial for Racial Trauma

We are currently in the planning stages of a clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of treating race-based trauma with a substance known as psilocybin. Psilocybin is a naturally-occurring compound found within over 200 species of fungi and can be found all over the world. Psilocybin-containing mushrooms may be more commonly known as "magic mushrooms" and are purported to have a strong psychedelic effect, which may have the ability to bring about powerful experiences that can be therapeutic and may help in relieving tension and emotional discomfort in individuals that are distressed.

Several clinical studies investigating the use of psilocybin on psychological well being have already been conducted in the United States and Canada, and so far, the results are largely positive. Some problems psychologists have used to treat with psilocybin include but are not limited to chronic anxiety and substance abuse. This study will be investigating the use of psilocybin in treating trauma that has been caused by racism and discrimination.

Visit this page again for more details about this exciting study which is currently under review by the uOttawa ethics committee.

Related Work from Our Lab

Williams, M., Davis, A., Xin, Y., Sepeda, N., Colon-Grigas, P., Sinnott, S., & Haeny, A. (2021). People of color in North America report improvements in racial trauma and mental health symptoms following psychedelic experiences. Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, 28(3), 215-226. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2020.1854688

Sloshower, J., Guss, J., Krause, R., Wallace, R., Williams, M., Reed, S., & Skinta, M. (2020). Psilocybin-assisted therapy of major depressive disorder using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a therapeutic frame. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 15, 12-19.

We're seeing an explosion of medical research into psychedelics. Psilocybin, or shrooms, to treat major depressive disorder. Ayahuasca, a psychotropic plant medicine from the Amazon, and ibogaine, a potent hallucinogen from Africa, to treat addiction. LSD for anxiety.

In the US, MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, is currently in Phase III clinical trials — the last phase before Food and Drug Administration approval. If results hold up, it could be used in therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder by early 2022.

But some researchers are pushing for MDMA and other psychedelics research to be more inclusive. A study from 2018 found that 82% of participants in psychedelic studies were white. Read more...