This Recreational Drug May Help Cancer Patients with Depression. It’s Not Weed

A trippy recreational drug may help cancer patients with depression, as patients who took a single hit saw improved symptoms of depression, according to new research. 

More than half of the patients who took just one dose of psilocybin — the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms” — “demonstrated significant reduction in depression,” according to a study published in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. All but one patient saw sustained relief from their symptoms, the study said.

Although it was a small study — just 28 patients — the research also showed that psilocybin may be helpful for anxiety. Thirteen patients (46.4%) reported a “significant reduction in anxiety” — and most said they had “sustained anxiety reduction.”

“These findings demonstrate robust antidepressive activity from a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy and suggest a potentially paradigm-changing alternative to traditional antidepressants requiring further study,” the research said.

In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration called psilocybin a “breakthrough therapy” to treat major depressive disorder; Kristen Bell has shared that she tried psilocybin to treat her depression; Eliza Dushku shared that she pivoted from acting to becoming certified in psychedelic-assisted therapy, and was working towards her master’s degree in counseling and clinical mental health.

As a press release on the research said, one in four people with cancer have depression. 

“One dose of psilocybin with psychological support to treat depression has a long-term positive impact on relieving depression for as much as 2 years for a substantial portion of patients with cancer, and we’re exploring whether repeating the treatment resolves depression for more than half of the patients,” said lead author Dr. Manish Agrawal, of Sunstone Therapies, in the press release. “If randomized testing shows similar results, this could lead to greater use of psilocybin to treat depression in patients with cancer.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.