Magic Mushrooms Show Promise for Anorexia Recovery

Midway through a therapy session with psilocybin, women with severe anorexia did something unexpected: they asked for food.

The moment surprised researchers at Imperial College London, who were testing whether the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms could help treat the eating disorder. For patients who had spent years avoiding meals, requesting food was a radical shift.

"Sometimes they were able to taste something and think, 'Oh, it feels good to eat when I'm hungry,'" says Jennifer Danby, the trial's lead therapist. "We were actively working with people's relationship with food."

The small trial, published in July in The British Journal of Psychiatry, offers hope for patients who have few treatment options. At the end of six weeks, 18 of the 21 participants showed improvement in their eating disorder symptoms.

All participants had suffered from anorexia for more than three years, with an average of 11 years. They had tried other treatments without lasting success.

The trial is now the largest published study of psilocybin for anorexia, building on promising results for depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Two states have already legalized medical psilocybin use: Oregon in 2020 and Colorado in 2022.

Why This Inspires

Anorexia is defined by rigid, inflexible thinking around food and exercise. Patients develop strict rules and struggle to imagine life without the disorder.

Psilocybin appears to temporarily loosen those patterns. "Psychedelics can open up the ability to think, to see things in different ways," Danby explains.

Researchers at Australia's Monash University tested this theory in rats with anorexia-like symptoms. Psilocybin helped the animals maintain weight and adapt when food rewards changed—a measure of mental flexibility.

Each human participant received three psilocybin doses over six weeks, paired with intensive therapy. Building trust before dosing was essential, since anorexia centers on control while psychedelic experiences require surrendering it.

Danby, who has worked with eating disorder patients for 15 years, sees real potential. "No treatment that we currently have is effective enough for enough people," she says.

The study will likely encourage larger trials in coming years. For patients and families who have struggled for years without relief, that's genuinely good news.