Could a tiny dose of magic mushrooms help teens stop Self-Harming?
NCT ID NCT06798636
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
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.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Psilocybin (5 mg oral dose)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new treatment approach for self-harm in young people by combining low-dose psychedelics with cognitive therapy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small study (30 participants) focused on understanding mechanisms, not proving effectiveness. The low dose may not produce meaningful changes, and results may not generalize.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Oct 2025
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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16 to 25 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * At least 2 lifetime episodes of self-harm measured using the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviours Interview (Nock et al., 2007) and at least 1 self-harm episode in the past month * Self-harm-associated mental imagery in the past 6-weeks measured using the Self-harm Imagery Interview (Hales et al., 2011) * Any gender * Age: 16-25 years old * Good command of the English language * Mental capacity to provide written informed consent * Participant is willing to engage in tasks showing images of self-harm * Participant is willing to talk about mental health and self-harm behaviour * Normal ECG and blood pressure (determined by study medic) * Psychedelic naïve * No recreational drug use 7 days prior to the dosing visit * Comfortable using a computer and smartphone app for data collection, access to the internet from home and willing to have some of the study visits via video-link Exclusion Criteria: * Current or past history of psychosis or mania in themselves or a first-degree relative * Current severe suicidal ideation that constitutes a risk for their participation * Have a medically significant condition which renders them unsuitable for the psychedelic component of the study (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, severe cardiovascular disease, hepatic or renal failure etc.) * Previous psychedelic use * Current or chronic history of kidney or liver disease * Have previously experienced a serious adverse response after psychedelic use * Intoxication on any of the visits, as assessed by difficulty in walking, the slurring of speech, difficulty concentrating or drowsiness * Clinically significant head injury (e.g., requiring medical or surgical intervention) that in the opinion of the investigators, contraindicates their participation * Severe learning disability (including dyslexia/dyspraxia) that needs support to perform daily work/school tasks * Unwillingness or inability to follow the procedures outlined in the protocol * Are currently using a psychoactive medication * History of psychosurgery * In the opinion of the study team, they are unlikely to comply with the study protocol and lifestyle restrictions that it imposes * Unstable physical illness * Heavy smoker * Those needing regular specified medication that might interact adversely with psilocybin e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, 5HT1 agonists, mirtazapine, trazodone, analgesics that have serotonergic effects (tramadol), MAOI's, antipsychotics with significant 5-HT2A receptor antagonist actions (risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine) * Those unwilling to allow their GP or involved mental health practitioners to be informed of their participation * Women of childbearing age who are not using reliable contraceptive methods * Women of childbearing age who are unable to comply with or produce a positive pregnancy urine test
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Imperial College London
RECRUITINGLondon, United Kingdom
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Group emotion regulation therapy put to the test for teen self-harm
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