Hi there,
Last week we explored ibogaine and addiction - and Trump's extraordinary executive order that brought psychedelic medicine into the White House. This week, a different kind of suffering and statistically more lethal than almost any other psychiatric condition. Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness, behind only opioid misuse. Anorexia alone causes around 10,200 deaths every year - one every 52 minutes. And yet mainstream medicine has almost nothing to offer. Fluoxetine remains the only approved pharmacological treatment for bulimia, and no drugs have been approved for eating disorders more broadly.
So why might psychedelics help where everything else has failed? Because eating disorders, at their core, are disorders of rigidity - obsessive, compulsive loops of thought that can't be interrupted by willpower or conventional therapy. Psilocybin is thought to "loosen" rigid thinking and prior expectations, opening a window in which the brain becomes able to revise its most entrenched beliefs - potentially restoring healthier patterns around eating behaviour and body image. Research also suggests psychedelic-assisted therapy may improve body image beliefs, normalise reward processing, and facilitate trauma processing - crucial, given how often eating disorders are entangled with unprocessed trauma (and how many other afflictions operate the same way)…
This Tuesday 5th May, we're hosting a Cambridge psychedelic researcher, clinical trial designer who brings 13 years of lived experience to this work. She published the world's first case report on ketamine-assisted therapy for bulimia, and is currently designing a multi-site MDMA trial for anorexia at Cambridge with Imperial College London.
At the bottom of this email you will also find:
- Information on one of the first university-level psychedelic education programs designed for non-clinicians at OSU (online)
- A 10% discount to Breaking Convention Summit next month
- Tickets to ICPR - Europe's premier conference for psychedelic research
MORE UPCOMING EVENTS
As always, you can find all our upcoming events and retreats on our events page.
hot topics in psychedelics
Want to learn more? Alan Davis also teaches on OSU's new psychedelic certificate program
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FROM OUR PARTNERS
Introducing the online Certificate in Interdisciplinary Psychedelic Studies (CIPS) from Ohio State University. This is a rigorous, accessible, and holistic introduction to the field of psychedelic studies and one of the first university-level psychedelic education programs designed for non-clinicians and championed by Alan Davis who will be running a talk de-mystifying DMT with us next month.
The self-paced format of the program makes university-level psychedelic education accessible nationwide for individuals unable to commit to multiweek, in-person intensive programs. The nearly 20-hour program, which costs just $250, requires completion of all five comprehensive units from biology, to the history and ethics, to the therapeutic applications of psychedelics.
Program registration fees support the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education's ongoing research and education programs.
Join us for a one day psychedelic conference in London featuring world-leading experts and speakers on Saturday 16th May 2026 in London and online. Whether you're curious about the headlines, interested in the science, or simply want to understand what all the fuss is about - this is a day designed for you.
Talks include:
- Debate: Should Scientists be activists?
- Psychedelics in Times of War
- The Psychedelic Self: Science & Philosophy
- Psychedelics and Creativity
- Women and Psychedelics
- Living and Dying
+ more to be announced
We have a 10% discount for our community: use code PSYCHSOC10 at checkout.
The premier psychedelic research conference in Europe
Want to get in on the hottest conversations in psychedelics? ICPR is where science, practice, and policy meet. This is where you'll find intellectual rigour, cutting-edge evidence, and meaningful discussions on the real-world applications of psychedelics. With a strong focus on quality and integrity, ICPR is not about hype; it's about knowledge, impact, and the future of the field.
Join our community of members!
We fund our work in community-building and psychedelic education primarily through our membership program.
By becoming a member of The Psychedelic Society community, you get access to exclusive members-only events, a discount on events, and support the development of this alternative cultural space. Membership starts from just £5/month!
🌍Where in the world are you?🌍
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