Research indicates promising results for the use of cannabis and psychedelics in treating eating disorders, according to a recent study.
A groundbreaking international survey conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Sydney has revealed promising evidence suggesting that cannabis and psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin, may offer potential avenues for symptom relief in individuals suffering from eating disorders.
The survey, published this week on JAMA Network Open-Psychiatry, involved over 6,000 participants from eight different types of eating disorders. Participants completed an online survey on their recent prescribed and nonprescription drug use, as well as perceived benefits and harms.
## Key Findings
- **Cannabis and Psychedelics**: Cannabis and psychedelics were rated highly by participants with eating disorders for alleviating symptoms. These substances were preferred over traditional prescribed medications like antidepressants, which were not well-rated for treating eating disorder symptoms specifically. - **Specific Ratings**: For individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), cannabis received the highest rating, followed by LSD and psilocybin. A similar pattern was observed for those with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), where cannabis was highly rated. - **Clinical Trial Plans**: Based on these findings, researchers are planning a clinical trial to investigate the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in treating anorexia nervosa.
## Future Research Directions
The survey results highlight a need for further research, including large-scale clinical trials to explore the efficacy and safety of cannabis and psychedelics as treatments for eating disorders. This could pave the way for novel therapeutic options in this area.
However, it's important to note that the findings should be interpreted as exploratory rather than definitive due to some findings being based on small sample sizes within specific diagnostic and drug-use groups. Recall bias may have influenced participants' reports of drug use and symptoms, and diagnoses in the study were based on self-report rather than formal clinical assessment.
Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable insights into the use of cannabinoids and psychedelics in individuals with eating disorders, an area that has been largely under-researched. The findings suggest that these substances may offer promising alternatives to traditional treatments, which have proven difficult to treat effectively.
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- The groundbreaking study on eating disorders highlights the potential for cannabis, psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin to serve as alternative therapeutic options in health-and-wellness, particularly mental-health treatments and therapies-and-treatments for eating disorders.
- In support of this, the survey found that cannabis received the highest rating among individuals with anorexia nervosa, followed by LSD and psilocybin, signifying a preference over traditional prescribed medications like antidepressants.
- Based on these findings, future research, including large-scale clinical trials, will explore the efficacy and safety of CBD in combination with cannabis and psychedelics, furthering the understanding of their therapeutic potential in the arena of mental-health and health-and-wellness.
