LSD for anxiety and depression? Some early studies show promise

LSD is being reconsidered for mental health treatment, with early small studies suggesting possible benefits for generalized anxiety disorder and major depression. The article frames LSD as a potential tool for mainstream medicine, including discussion of proprietary LSD formulations such as MM120. Researchers describe how LSD produces long-lasting effects, complicated study logistics, and a major barrier: stigma and misinformation due to its counterculture associations. The brain effects discussed include serotonin system involvement, sensory crossover such as synesthesia, and altered coordination across brain regions. For anxiety specifically, the piece highlights a dose-ranging trial in generalized anxiety disorder where higher doses led to remission more often at three-month follow-up. It also covers limitations and controversies, including uncertainty about whether benefits depend on the intensity of perceptual or mystical-type experiences, and contrasts full LSD experiences with microdosing and efforts to create LSD analogs that reduce or remove psychedelic effects while preserving potential brain benefits.