Dr. Stephen Ross studies whether psilocybin, the psychoactive substance in magic mushrooms, relieves depression and anxiety in people with cancer.
Photo: Karsten Moran
Like many people who receive a cancer diagnosis, Octavian Mihai experienced severe anxiety and depression. But even after successful treatment, he was consumed by fear that the cancer had returned. 鈥淢y mind was terrorizing me,鈥 he recalls in this Vital Signs episode.
When anti-anxiety medication didn鈥檛 help, he volunteered for a psychedelic drug study at 麻豆国产AV Langone. Stephen Ross, MD, associate professor in the , was testing whether psilocybin鈥攖he psychoactive substance in magic mushrooms鈥攔elieved depression and anxiety in people with cancer. During a psychedelic session with Dr. Ross, Octavian had a breakthrough that helped him conquer his fear. 鈥淚 can choose to not allow it to terrorize me,鈥 he recalls.
Driven by the promise of psychedelics to transform lives, Dr. Ross is determined to make psilocybin an approved medical treatment. 鈥淚t鈥檚 still illegal, and you cannot take it unless you are participating in a clinical trial,鈥 he says. 鈥淲e have to take this to the next step.鈥
