At the American Psychological Association (APA) conference in Denver on August 8, 2025, Dr. Stephanie Knatz Peck of UC San Diego shared an early but important window into how psilocybin therapy might support people living with anorexia nervosa—one of the deadliest and most treatment-resistant mental health conditions.
Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder and is notoriously difficult to treat. Fewer than half of those diagnosed achieve full recovery. Existing therapies, even well-established ones like CBT, perform no better than standard supportive care, and many patients describe traditional treatment as rigid, prescriptive, and hard to engage with. We need new approaches that meet people where they are—and help them open to change from within.
A Different Kind of Treatment
Dr. Peck’s work explores how psilocybin, delivered within a structured program of preparation, supported dosing, and integration, could address the core psychopathology of anorexia—things like obsessive weight and shape concerns, anxiety, and diminished quality of life—rather than focusing solely on weight restoration.
Unlike traditional eating disorder treatment models, which often impose external goals, psychedelic therapy offers a self-directed process. Participants set intentions, are supported to stay present with challenging emotions, and are given space to explore insights in their own way.
The First Published Trial
Her phase-one study, published in Nature in 2023, enrolled ten participants with either active anorexia or partial remission. These were people with long-term illness histories who had tried other treatments without success.
Key findings:
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4 of 10 participants no longer met diagnostic criteria after treatment
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70% reported improved quality of life
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60% said appearance was less important to them
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90% felt more optimistic about their future
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80% rated the psilocybin session as one of the top five most meaningful experiences of their lives
Participants’ stories bring these numbers to life. One described realizing she had built her entire identity around keeping her weight as low as possible—believing it was the only way to be accepted or loved. After her session, she began eating more, re-engaging with life, and shifting her self-worth away from appearance.
Beyond One Diagnosis
While the data is still early, these results echo a broader question emerging in psychedelic research: could these therapies work across diagnoses by targeting shared patterns like emotional avoidance, rigid thinking, and self-critical beliefs? Dr. Peck pointed to research domain criteria (RDoC) frameworks—examining processes like social connection, self-narrative, and psychological flexibility—that may explain why psychedelics are being studied for so many conditions at once.
Cautions and Considerations
The talk also addressed potential risks, including the emergence of recovered memories during sessions. In their study, two participants experienced spontaneous recall of dissociated traumatic events. The research team emphasized the need for careful preparation, skilled facilitation, and ethical handling of such material—especially with vulnerable populations.
Where We Go from Here
This is preliminary science. A single-site, ten-person study can’t tell us if psilocybin therapy will transform eating disorder care. But it can tell us that this is worth pursuing. Larger trials are already underway, including a phase-two study from COMPASS Pathways.
For now, Dr. Peck’s work offers something rare in the field of anorexia treatment: a glimpse of genuine possibility—of people not just surviving, but regaining the capacity for joy, connection, and self-acceptance.
Finding Services
If you’re looking for a trusted provider to facilitate these services in a legal, regulated setting, complete this brief questionnaire to be matched with facilitators who meet your needs and desires. Alternatively, you can browse the directory of state-licensed psilocybin facilitators.
