The Controversy Surrounding NHS’s Potential Use of Psilocybin for Depression Treatment

Larissa Hope contends that psilocybin, the key compound found in magic mushrooms, played a crucial role in her recovery from a challenging mental health struggle.

At the age of 17, she embarked on her acting career with a role in the television series Skins, yet the sudden fame unearthed deep-seated traumas. Traditional antidepressants failed to provide relief, but a carefully monitored dose of psilocybin became a pivotal moment in her journey.

“When I experienced it, I burst out crying. It was the first time in my life I had ever felt a sense of belonging and safety in my body; I kept saying, ‘I’m home, I’m home.'”

Nearly two decades later, Larissa asserts that this experience, coupled with therapy, enabled her to address her suicidal thoughts.

In stark contrast, Jules Evans, a university researcher, recalls a vastly different encounter with LSD at the age of 18, taken for recreational enjoyment.

His experience plunged him into what he described as a