Could psilocybin be the key to treating anorexia?

Psilocybin, an active ingredient in magic mushrooms, is showing early promise as a treatment for anorexia nervosa, a psychiatric disorder with the highest mortality rate among mental health conditions and poor response to conventional therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy. A patient who participated in a clinical trial of psilocybin treatment credited the experience with saving her life after six years of struggling with the disease and failed traditional treatments. Researchers are increasingly exploring psychedelic-based therapies as more effective alternatives, with 2026 potentially marking a turning point for this unconventional approach.