Guest Outcomes for Treating Depression
Our psychedelic retreats have gathered years of data to validate the efficacy of our psilocybin retreat model in treating depression
By MycoMeditations
What We Have Learned About Treating Depression with Psilocybin
- The MycoMeditations psilocybin-assisted retreat model shows comparable positive outcomes for the treatment of depression as found within clinical research.
- MycoMeditations survey data shows better outcomes than biopharmaceutical company Compass Pathways in their Phase 2 studies of their proprietary psilocybin analog one month after psilocybin session(s) in Major Depressive Disorder.
- Clinically significant improvements in depression maintained one year following retreat.
- Support for multiple, short-term psilocybin doses; potential for unique psilocybin-assisted treatment protocols.
- Data supports the need for tailored dosing on numerous physical and mental factors rather than standardized dosing based on bodyweight.
- Psilocybin in group therapeutic retreat settings may be a viable treatment for depression when supported with individual therapy.
MycoMeditations is proud to share these results in order to further demonstrate the validity and safety of psychedelic-assisted therapy in naturalistic contexts and retreat settings. The MycoMeditations retreat model demonstrably provides comparable levels of positive, lasting outcomes when compared to clinical settings for psychedelic-assisted therapy and clinical trials.
One month after retreat, MycoMeditations clients (n = 96) experienced 59.74% reduction in depression symptoms (15.55 at baseline to 6.26 one month post-retreat). In the research summary for Compass Pathways’ Phase 2 psilocybin analog study, participants (n = 79) experienced 37.62% reduction in symptoms three weeks after treatment, where least-squares mean changes from baseline to week three were −12.0 on the MADRS (31.9 to 19.9).
Retreat outcomes remained clinically significant one year after the retreat experience, indicating sustained effectiveness in the MycoMeditations psilocybin-assisted retreat model to treat depression. Few psilocybin clinical trials examine outcomes this far from treatment, which advocates for the long-term efficacy of psilocybin in general.
The survey outcomes highlight the benefit of three psilocybin sessions within one week when supported by trained psychedelic-assisted therapists during sessions and integration. The matching efficacy of multiple, short-term psilocybin sessions when compared to single treatments with prolonged periods between sessions as shown in clinical research indicates the safety, viability, and flexibility for varying courses of psilocybin-related treatments. This advocates for custom treatment options depending on unique patient needs.
MycoMeditations dosing protocols take into account numerous factors when determining the ideal psilocybin dose for a client. The optimal dose for each person varies significantly, and the MycoMeditations protocol realizes the need for a tailored approach to dosing in order to maximize benefits.
This data also emphasizes the utility of group psychedelic-assisted therapy, as MycoMeditations retreats are group experiences with up to 12 people assisted by therapists, with a typical facilitator-to-client ratio of at least 1:1.5, team to guests.
Population: Real-World Clients
MycoMeditations clients involved in this survey, while seeking therapeutic outcomes for depression, frequently suffer from comorbid conditions such as anxiety, PTSD, OCD, substance use disorder, other forms of addiction, and other mental illnesses.
This population is a more accurate representation of real-world sufferers in need of therapeutic intervention than is otherwise found in the participant cohorts of clinical trials, in which such comorbidities are often screened out.
Preparation, Dosing, and Integration Protocols
The optional surveys were completed by clients enrolling in the seven-day psilocybin-assisted retreat program at MycoMeditations, where they received preparation for their psilocybin sessions, three dosing sessions spaced on alternating days, and group integration on the days between each dosing session. After the retreats had concluded, clients were also encouraged to participate in two group integration sessions via Zoom.
Clients were administered dried Psilocybe cubensis, which is cultivated on-site and encapsulated into 0.5g capsules. MycoMeditations’ dosing regimen is standardized around the use of encapsulated psilocybin mushrooms with an escalating dosing protocol over the course of the three (3) sessions. The dose for Session 1 is virtually identical for all clients, however, the MycoMeditations protocol takes many physical and mental factors into account when determining the ideal dose for Session 2 and Session 3, as a tailored dosing method was found to be most beneficial.
The average dose in dried, encapsulated grams of psilocybin mushrooms from Session 1 has an average SD of 3.62 ± 1.05. Session 2 has an average SD of 6.71 ± 1.54 and Session 3 has an average SD of 8.59 ± 3.04. The total dose over the duration of the retreat has an average SD of 18.92 ± 4.79.
Results for the Treatment of Depression at MycoMeditations Psilocybin Retreats
The depression dataset was examined using the PHQ-9 rating scale. A PHQ-9 minimum score of 10 (considered moderate levels of depression) was selected as inclusion criteria for a baseline response to be included in the dataset. The baseline results included 198 participants.
The baseline dataset, verified by a third-party source, determined that people suffering from moderate to extreme levels of depression (average PHQ-9 score of 15.55) experienced clinically significant reductions in symptoms at the below time points following the retreat, with average PHQ-9 scores along with percentage changes in symptoms relative to baseline and sample size (n) shown below:
The data presented here do not account for a number of post-retreat lifestyle factors, including therapeutic support and approach to self-care undertaken by clients once back at home. Some clients did not complete or have not reached all follow-up assessment time points. MycoMeditations is continually exploring ways to support the ongoing therapeutic treatment of its clients and always recommends full follow-up and integration procedures as well as continual, conventional mental health support and care in order to ensure the best long-term psychological outcomes.
Survey Set-Up Details
These longitudinal surveys assess the long-term outcomes of guests who attend psilocybin-assisted retreats offered by MycoMeditations in Jamaica.
MycoMeditations’ longitudinal surveys are not and do not attempt to constitute either an academic study or a registered clinical trial in their procedure, structure, or review process. However, insights drawn from this data convey a need for additional research into the mental health therapeutic benefits of psilocybin and points toward efficacy of treatment models outside of standard clinical and laboratory contexts. All data shared by MycoMeditations was analyzed and verified by a third-party academic partner.
This report shares the retreat outcomes in guests who joined us to overcome PTSD that contributed to our longitudinal surveys over the course of a year following their retreat.
MycoMeditations’ psilocybin-assisted retreat model led to clinically significant outcomes in the treatment of PTSD according to client surveys. These results also suggested long-term efficacy, with significant positive results remaining one year after the retreat experience.
All data represented here was collected between July 2021 and March 2024 with the consent of MycoMeditations clients.
