A New Path to Recovery: How Magic Mushrooms Help People with Drinking Problems

Imagine a treatment that helps people drink less alcohol and also changes their personality in good ways. This might sound like magic, but new research shows that psilocybin (the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms") combined with therapy might help people struggling with drinking problems.

What is Psilocybin Therapy?

Psilocybin therapy combines the use of psilocybin with therapy support. During treatment, patients take psilocybin in a safe place with therapists present to guide them. Before and after the psilocybin sessions, patients also get regular therapy to help them prepare and make sense of what they experience.

The Study

Researchers did a careful study to see if psilocybin therapy could help people with drinking problems. The study included 84 adults. Half got psilocybin and half got a placebo (a different drug that just causes mild drowsiness). All participants got 12 weekly therapy sessions and were followed for about 8 months.

How Psilocybin Changes Personality

One of the most interesting findings was how psilocybin therapy changed people's personalities. The researchers looked at five main personality traits:

1. Neuroticism (tendency toward negative emotions)
2. Extraversion (outgoingness and energy)
3. Openness (curiosity and willingness to try new things)
4. Agreeableness (compassion and cooperation)
5. Conscientiousness (organization and responsibility)

People who got psilocybin showed these positive changes:

• Less neuroticism: They had fewer negative emotions like anxiety, depression, and self-doubt.
• More extraversion: They became more outgoing and energetic.
• More openness: They became more open to new experiences and ideas.

The decreases in neuroticism came from big reductions in:

• Depression
• Impulsiveness
• Vulnerability

These changes weren't small or temporary – they lasted for the full 8 months of the study.

The Link Between Personality Changes and Drinking Less

The most important finding was that changes in personality were linked to drinking less alcohol. Specifically, when people became less impulsive, they also drank less after treatment. This connection was especially strong for people who had been heavy drinkers before starting the psilocybin sessions. This suggests that psilocybin therapy might work by helping people gain better control over impulsive behaviors – like the urge to drink.

Moving Toward "Normal" Personality

Another interesting finding was that the personality changes moved participants closer to what's considered "normal" in the general population. People with drinking problems often have different personality traits than people without drinking problems. The psilocybin therapy seemed to normalize these differences, bringing participants' personality profiles closer to those of people without drinking problems. The only exception was openness, which increased beyond typical levels – potentially a good change that might help people be more open to new ways of thinking and behaving.

Why This Matters

These findings are important for several reasons:

1. New treatment option: Current treatments for drinking problems don't work well for everyone. Psilocybin therapy offers a potentially powerful new approach.
2. Addressing root causes: Rather than just treating symptoms, psilocybin therapy appears to address some of the underlying personality factors that contribute to problem drinking.
3. Lasting changes: The personality changes and reductions in drinking lasted for months after treatment.
4. Personalized medicine: People with certain personality traits – particularly those who are more impulsive – might benefit most from this treatment.

What This Means for People Seeking Help

If you or someone you know is struggling with drinking problems, these research findings offer hope. While psilocybin therapy is still being studied and isn't yet widely available, the research suggests it could be a valuable option in the future. It's important to note that this therapy involves more than just taking psilocybin. The study combined psilocybin with professional therapy in a carefully controlled setting. Self-medicating with psychedelic substances outside of a therapeutic context is not recommended and could be harmful.

The Future of Psychedelic Therapy

This study is part of a growing body of research exploring how psychedelics might help with various mental health conditions. Besides drinking problems, researchers are studying psilocybin for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions. While more research is needed, the findings so far suggest that psilocybin therapy could represent a big shift in how we treat addiction and mental health issues.

Conclusion

The study on psilocybin therapy for drinking problems reveals a promising approach that goes beyond simply reducing drinking. By fostering positive personality changes – particularly reducing neuroticism and impulsiveness while increasing extraversion and openness – psilocybin therapy appears to help people develop healthier psychological patterns that support recovery.As research continues, psilocybin therapy may emerge as a powerful tool in the treatment of drinking problems, offering hope to millions of people seeking a path to recovery.

Source: Pagni, B. A., Zeifman, R. J., Mennenga, S. E., Carrithers, B. M., Goldway, N., Bhatt, S., O'Donnell, K. C., Ross, S., & Bogenschutz, M. P. (2025). Multidimensional Personality Changes Following Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder: Results From a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 182(1). https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.20230887