Could a tiny dose of magic mushrooms help teens stop Self-Harming?

This early-phase study at Imperial College London is testing whether a low, non-hallucinogenic dose of psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) can make a mental imagery therapy more effective for young people aged 16-25 who self-harm. The therapy, called Imagery Re-Scripting, helps replace distressing mental images that drive self-harm with healthier ones. The study aims to see if psilocybin helps participants tolerate difficult emotions and become more open to change during therapy. Only 30 participants will be enrolled, and the focus is on understanding how the combination works, not yet on proving it as a treatment.