Treatment for Gambling Addiction Using Psychedelics

Researchers at Imperial’s Centre for Psychedelic Research are embarking on a study to investigate whether the active compound in magic mushrooms could assist individuals struggling with problem gambling in breaking their addiction. After their groundbreaking work with psychedelic therapy for depression, the team has secured pilot funding to explore the potential of this approach in treating gambling disorder. This study aims to determine if psychedelic therapy is safe and has therapeutic potential for gambling disorder, much like its success in treating depression, PTSD, alcoholism, and other conditions. Beginning in October, five volunteers with gambling disorder will participate in a study involving psilocybin and talking therapy, accompanied by brain imaging to track changes in brain activity and connectivity. The researchers hope that this early-stage work could eventually lead to a much-needed treatment for gambling addiction, as currently only a small fraction of individuals with this disorder receive professional treatment in the UK.