A new study at the University of Virginia is testing to see if a common recreational drug can help people cope with the loss of a loved one.
Prolonged grief is a form of grief lasting for more than a year and has severe symptoms such as emotional numbness, yearning for the deceased, and feelings of hopelessness.
Psilocybin, the psychoactive chemical found in magic mushrooms, creates an altered state of consciousness that researchers think may help people move on.
“So the psilocybin is meant to have an effect and impact the person in a way that helps them become more flexible psychologically. And we really hypothesize that this can be significantly helpful with just one dose in that it will help promote this flexibility and this sort of mindset to be able to move on,” said Kim Penberthy, clinical psychologist at UVA Health.
Like other studies on psychoactive chemicals, it will be done in a controlled environment with the help of mental health professionals.