A single dose of this drug can reduce anxiety without therapy

Don’t panic — relief might be just one trip away.

A mind-bending new study suggests a single dose of a psychedelic drug straight out of the Summer of Love could help ease symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

The best part: There’s no awkward talk therapy required. 

Roughly 5.7% of US adults will experience generalized anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime. Davide Angelini – stock.adobe.com

“Typically in these studies, it’s often the case that the patients are receiving psychotherapy during the actual dosing session,” Dr. Nehal Vadhan, a clinical psychologist and researcher who was not involved in the research, told The Post.

“That is seen to be helpful. But it’s also quite burdensome,” he added. “There’s also an open question as to whether psychotherapy is really necessary in order for the psychedelic to exert its beneficial impact.”

To isolate LSD’s effects, New York-based biotech company MindMed took a fresh approach.

Researchers enrolled 198 participants, ages 18 to 74, all diagnosed with moderate to severe GAD. The condition affects 3.1% of American adults — about 6.8 million people — each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Participants were randomly given one of four doses of LSD or a placebo. While under the influence, they were monitored by professionals but received no psychotherapy.

MindMed’s trial tested the effects of four doses of LSD compared to a placebo. AP

Just one day after treatment, participants given the two highest doses — 100 and 200 micrograms — had already reported improvements in their symptoms.

Four weeks in, those same participants scored significantly lower on anxiety tests than those who received 25 or 50 micrograms of LSD or a placebo.

Twelve weeks later, 65% of patients given a 100-microgram dose were still benefiting, with nearly half in remission. Depression symptoms also eased significantly for this group but not for those on lower doses.

By the end of the three-month study, researchers concluded that 100 micrograms is the “optimal dose” for future clinical trials evaluating the drug’s potential for treating patients with moderate to severe GAD.

The most common side effects were hallucinations, nausea and headaches. None of the participants engaged in self-harm or suicidal behavior, including those with a history of it.

“This study is a true turning point in the field of psychiatry,” Dr. Maurizio Fava, study author, said in a statement.

The LSD treatment could offer a new option for people with GAD who haven’t responded to traditional therapies. LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS – stock.adobe.com

Despite being one of the most common psychiatric disorders in the US, GAD has seen little innovation in treatment. The last drug approval came back in 2007.

“I definitely think psychedelics are a viable treatment for the future,” said Vadhan, who serves as co-director of the Center for Psychedelics Research and Treatment at Northwell Health. 

“Particularly for people who have not responded to traditional treatments such as antidepressant medication and psychotherapy or the combination thereof.”

The FDA has designated MindMed’s LSD treatment a “breakthrough therapy” for GAD — a status intended to speed up the development and review of new drugs that show major promise over existing options.

But don’t expect psychiatrists to start handing out tabs anytime soon.

While interest in psychedelics for mental health is booming, other efforts have hit major roadblocks.

Last year, the FDA rejected MDMA in combination with talk therapy as a treatment for veterans with PTSD, citing flawed study methods, data limitations and other concerns.

One major issue: Most participants could tell whether they received the real drug or a placebo, which may have skewed the results.

Participants being able to distinguish a placebo from a psychedelic is complicating research into their potential as treatments. blackday – stock.adobe.com

“In the case of psychedelics trials, it’s very, very difficult, if not impossible, to have a placebo that truly matches all the aspects of a psychedelic experience,” Vadhan said.

Many participants enter these trials already expecting a positive outcome, he explained, and once the drug takes effect, it is usually obvious whether they received the real thing.

“That can then determine their response to the drug, particularly because we’re measuring all of these symptoms subjectively,” Vadhan said.

After all, it’s not like researchers can run a blood test to see if someone’s anxiety has improved.

In MindMed’s study, most participants were able to correctly guess whether they had received LSD or a placebo. A significant number in both groups also dropped out early, narrowing the final data set.

The company is now running a larger, late-stage follow-up trial, tracking GAD patients given 100 micrograms of LSD over a longer period. Topline results are expected in the second half of 2026.

“If our Phase 3 development program is successful, it could offer a differentiated and compelling option for one of the most significant unmet needs in psychiatry,” Dr. Dan Karlin, chief medical officer of MindMed, said earlier this year.