The Use of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in the Treatment of Anxiety and Depression in the Netherlands

Psilocybin, sometimes known as magic mushrooms, is a naturally occurring substance that people eat for its hallucinatory effects. It is a psychedelic substance which means it has the ability to alter a person’s thoughts, sense of time, and emotions. These mushrooms grow in South America, the United States, Mexico, and Europe. Psilocybin is a substance that some use recreationally. It can provide the same kinds of pleasure and sensory deprivation as hallucinogenic substances like LSD. Moreover, it has been researched to see if it may be utilized to treat certain illnesses like anxiety related to end-stage cancer, depression, cluster headaches, and other anxiety disorders. Interestingly, psilocybin has been used in rituals for mystical or spiritual purposes since the ages, and this practice is still prevalent today.

Psilocybin Mushrooms. Image Courtesy of Arp

Therapy in the Netherlands

Many universities in The Netherlands are now conducting psychedelic research. The nation is thought to have one of the most lenient drug laws in all of Europe, with psilocybin and truffles being commonly available at specialty shops. During the first era of research, in the 1950s and 1960s, psychedelic research was initiated in The Netherlands. Until his retirement from the Jelgersma clinic of the University of Leiden in Oegstgeest in 1988, renowned Dutch psychiatrist Jan Bastiaans is said to have treated some 300 patients with hallucinogens, mostly successfully, he claimed. The substance was still legal up until 2008 when someone, according to reports, leaped out of the window under the influence of psilocybin mushrooms. A number of the mushrooms were banned as a result of political pressure, however, psilocybin truffles were not.

Today, many Dutch institutions are conducting studies with psychedelic substances as a result of the country’s more tolerant drug policy. Psilocybin has traditionally been researched for its potential to lessen dread and anxiety in patients with terminal illnesses, but more recently, scientists have been looking into how it can benefit patients with anxiety, depression, or emotional trauma. It has been shown in studies between 2016 and 2020 to benefit persons with a major depressive disorder that is treatment-resistant as well as cancer patients who are experiencing emotions of hopelessness, anxiety, and depression.

The excitement surrounding psychedelics is driving entrepreneurs to compete to be the first in a brand-new therapeutic/wellness industry, but the lines aren’t always cut. Psilocybin is a controlled substance, Truffles, on the other hand, are not considered to be precisely mushrooms but rather a separate component of the fungus, hence this restriction does not apply to them. Because of this, psychedelic retreat centers that offer truffle ceremonies for personal growth or spirituality have been able to grow.

In 2020, a ground-breaking depression treatment facility was launched in Amsterdam. Psilocybin is used by The Synthesis clinic to aid patients suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. This is the world’s first center for this purpose. The program has a 13-month term with monthly meetings. It also includes two psilocybin sessions and a five-day retreat. The cost of admission to the program is around $10,000, with some spots set aside for scholarships. Having been established in 2018, Synthesis is currently among the top psilocybin retreats worldwide.

The new Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare, and Sports, Ernst Kuipers, has approved an expanded study into psychedelic therapy, noting “promising findings” for mental conditions that are usually difficult to cure. Kuipers estimates that each year, 1.2 million Dutch individuals seek curative mental treatment. About 215,000 people in the country experience severe mental illness, a patient group that is extremely challenging to treat with present treatments. With the Dutch grant organization ZonMw, Kuipers has declared he will provide 35 million euros over the next four years for research in mental healthcare. Multidisciplinary studies with a primary focus on clinically applied research will be supported through grants. He demonstrated certainty that psychedelic treatment will become more prominent in the world of healthcare in the years to come and envisioned how the Netherlands may become a pioneer in the field of psychedelic research; creating the ideal frameworks, minimizing risks, and creating therapist training programs.

The largest non-profit in the Netherlands involved in the psychedelic scene is The OPEN Foundation. OPEN has hosted multiple psychedelic gatherings and conferences across the nation since its establishment in 2007. OPEN hosts the Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research (ICPR) in Haarlem every four years, focusing on academic work in the area. The Foundation’s goal is to advance the use of psychedelics in science, medicine, and society.

Conclusion

One reason psilocybin has the potential to cure mental illness is the remarkable mind- and perception-altering experiences it can elicit. While psilocybin has the potential as a treatment for depression, anxiety, or those facing a terminal illness, more research is required to ascertain its safety and the most effective ways to deliver it.