A suicide attempt following psilocybin ingestion in a patient with no prior psychiatric history
Eric N. Kramer, Kalyn Reddy, Bryan Shapiro
Psychiatry Research Case Reports April 26, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.psycr.2023.100118 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 30-year-old male with no psychiatric history |
| Intervention | psilocybin |
| Topics | Anxiety Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Depression economics Ingestion Adverse effect Pharmacology |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | A suicide attempt occurred in a man with no psychiatric history after psilocybin ingestion, highlighting a potential serious adverse event not captured in controlled trials. |
Abstract
Several studies have been conducted and more are underway examining psilocybin-assisted therapy as a treatment for various psychiatric conditions including depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and alcohol use disorder. However, many studies have been limited by small sample size and have not comprehensively evaluated treatment risks outside of controlled settings. To this point, we present a case of a 30 year old male with no psychiatric history who presented to the emergency department with multiple self-inflicted stab wounds to the neck in a suicide attempt in the setting of psilocybin ingestion. Despite the majority of existing evidence supporting a decreased risk of suicidality with psilocybin use, further studies are needed to determine if there is an increased risk of suicidality and other serious adverse events with psilocybin use, and whether such a potential relationship is dose-dependent and/or set and setting-dependent.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on psilocybin for anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Individual with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | 2014 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Poisoning by hallucinogenic mushroom Hikageshibiretake (Psilocybe argentipes K. Yokoyama) indigenous to Japan. Individuals poisoned by Psilocybe argentipes mushrooms | 1986 | Case series | n = 5 |
| Self-treatment of depression and complex post-traumatic stress disorder with psilocybin and LSD—A retrospective case study Young man with early-onset complex trauma, anxiety, and depression | 2023 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Serotoninergic antidepressants combination in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy: a case report Adult patient with difficult-to-treat depression | 2024 | Case report | n = 1 |
| Self-treatment of parental neglect-induced mixed anxiety and depressive disorder with psilocybin – A retrospective case study Young woman in her mid-twenties with a history of depression since childhood | 2023 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Psychedelic-related deaths in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (1997-2022). Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry January 10, 2025
- [Psychedelic and dissociative agents in psychiatry: challenges in the treatment]. Der Nervenarzt September 1, 2024
- Exploring serotonergic psychedelics as a treatment for personality disorders. Neuropharmacology July 1, 2025
- Exploring the Impact of Recreational Drugs on Suicidal Behavior: A Narrative Review Psychoactives July 3, 2024
- Self-inflicted transorbital intracranial foreign body following ingestion of hallucinogenic psilocybin mushrooms. American journal of ophthalmology case reports September 1, 2025
and 3 more in the library
Cites 25
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. New England Journal of Medicine November 3, 2022
and 20 more in the library