Does psilocybin therapy help with long COVID?

Question

Does psilocybin therapy help with long COVID? For the time being, more scientific research needs to be done into the effects of psychedelics, including psilocybin, on long COVID. Individuals who took the gamble and tried psilocybin for COVID-19 symptoms reported various changes after the psilocybin session. The most frequently mentioned improvements are: more energy, fewer headaches, fewer depressive feelings, and especially less brain fog. We have helped several individuals with long COVID, and in most cases, improvements are noticeable. In only a single instance did a person with long COVID develop increased anxiety symptoms about a week after their psilocybin session. Therefore, the use of psilocybin does not guarantee a positive result, but given the many positive anecdotal reports, psilocybin might be a lifesaver for some with long COVID. The reason we believe psilocybin therapy may work for long COVID is partly because psilocybin acts as an anti-inflammatory agent in the brain. The spike proteins of COVID can trigger inflammation, thereby causing long COVID symptoms. Using psilocybin as a counter-response to this inflammatory reaction may well be effective against the long-term symptoms of long COVID. Would you like to try a psilocybin session before any potential research into this matter? Fill out the intake form without obligation to see if we can be of service (for safety and health reasons). Fill out intake | Psilocybin as an anti-inflammatory agent | Psilocybin session

Research · Accepted Answer

Scientific and Medical Evidence Recent Studies and Case Reports Recent scientific literature is increasingly exploring psychedelics such as psilocybin as a potential treatment for long COVID (post-COVID syndrome). Hard clinical evidence is still scarce, but initial studies give cause for cautious optimism: Analysis of Online Experiences: In 2025, researchers published an analysis of Reddit posts from long COVID patients who had used psilocybin. Of 110 identified cases, 78% reported an improvement in long COVID symptoms after psilocybin, while ~12% reported a worsening. Frequently mentioned improvements involved fatigue, cognitive problems (brain fog), and **depressive symptoms.** Notably, nearly 78% of those with improvement indicated that the positive effects lasted longer than just the acute trip. Although this is not a controlled experiment, it points to a trend that warrants further investigation. Case report (41-year-old woman): A published case report (2024) describes a 41-year-old patient with severe pulmonary COVID who achieved significant symptom relief after self-medication with psilocybin and MDMA. In her first session, she took 1 gram of mushrooms, which resulted in ~20% symptom improvement for a week. A second session 24 days later—this time a higher psilocybin dose plus MDMA—led to “greatly reduced symptoms” and a recovery of cognitive functioning, allowing her to resume her PhD work. After the flu in November, some symptoms temporarily returned, but a third psilocybin session resulted in complete remission of her pulmonary COVID symptoms. The authors emphasize that one case is not proof of causality, but they do cite the dramatic improvement as grounds for further study. Clinical research progress: Researchers are also cautiously initiating clinical trials. For example, a small-scale pilot study has been launched in the US in which long COVID patients receive a single hallucinogenic dose and are subsequently monitored for 2 months for improvement in, among other things, depression, brain fog, and fatigue. This trial—led by a physician-researcher who has long COVID himself—is intended to determine whether a single guided psychedelic experience provides measurable symptom relief. Additionally, Dr. Sue Sisley (Scottsdale Research Institute) advised lawmakers in Arizona on a bill for 1/4/30 million in research into psilocybin for various conditions, including long COVID. This underscores the growing scientific interest. Theoretical mechanisms of action Why would psilocybin have any effect at all on long COVID, which has both physical and neuropsychiatric aspects? Some hypotheses and findings from the literature: Inflammation inhibition and immune modulation: Increasingly, data indicate that serotonergic psychedelics (such as psilocybin) have anti-inflammatory properties. Long COVID is characterized in part by chronic inflammatory responses; Psilocybin could dampen certain inflammatory pathways via 5-HT2A receptor activation. Animal studies have shown that psychedelics can lower inflammatory markers. Dutch therapists emphasize this mechanism: psilocybin acts “as an anti-inflammatory in the brain” and could thus counteract the neuroinflammation driven by viral spike proteins in long COVID. Neuroplasticity and repair of nerve damage: Psilocybin promotes the production of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a growth factor that stimulates neuronal connections and neurogenesis. Long COVID is often accompanied by cognitive complaints (brain fog) and possible neuronal dysfunction due to, among other things, HPA axis dysregulation. A psilocybin trip could counteract this by increasing neuroplasticity and thereby promoting recovery or compensation in the central nervous system. Dr. Sisley speculates that psilocybin “stimulates new neural connections and tissue growth in the brain,” which could contribute to cognitive recovery in long COVID. Reset of network dynamics (Default Mode Network): Chronic stress and certain long COVID symptoms (anxiety, depression, rumination) are linked to a hyperactive Default Mode Network (DMN) in the brain. Psilocybin is known to disrupt and rearrange brain networks, including temporarily “switching off” the DMN. Triptherapie specialists note that psilocybin “reduces overactivity in the Default Mode Network – a network that is overactive during rumination, anxiety, and depression.” This can alleviate mental symptoms and provide a “reset” of ingrained thought patterns, accelerating recovery processes for long-term complaints. Psychological: breaking the negative spiral: In addition to biochemical effects, a psychedelic experience can help patients break out of a negative spiral of illness, depression, and anxiety. Long COVID is often accompanied by a loss of hope and motivation. A profound psilocybin experience – especially in a therapeutic setting – can lead to new insights, an improved sense of connection, and a sense of purpose. This can give patients the “nudge” to resume healthy routines during that period of heightened neuroplasticity immediately following the trip. Such a combination of physiological and psychological reset effects is seen as a unique opportunity to break free from a stagnant disease pattern. Although these hypotheses sound promising, researchers emphasize caution. The precise interplay between psilocybin, the immune system, the nervous system (including the gut-brain axis), and lung COVID pathology is far from being fully understood. More controlled research is needed to confirm whether these mechanisms actually occur in lung COVID patients. Anecdotal evidence from the field In addition to formal studies, countless anecdotal accounts circulate from patients who (out of desperation) have tried psychedelics for lung COVID. This anecdotal evidence – although uncontrolled – offers insight into possible outcomes. We highlight both international experiences (particularly via Reddit and media) and Dutch experiences via platforms such as Triptherapie. International anecdotal evidence (forums and media) On online forums like Reddit, many people with pulmonary COVID share their experiences with psilocybin (often mushrooms or truffles). Some notable stories: “Miraculous recovery” after a large dose: A 31-year-old woman (named “Ruth” in a TIME article) struggled with severe pulmonary COVID for over a year (shortness of breath, exhaustion, palpitations, neurological symptoms). Out of desperation, she took a single dose of approximately 5 grams of psilocybin mushrooms at home. “That one trip changed my life,” she says. The next morning, her heart rate was back to normal, breathing was easier than it had been in a long time, her menstrual cycle normalized, and both her brain fog and motor problems disappeared. She felt her energy returning, and although some mild symptoms remained, she attributes her renewed health to that psilocybin trip. Of course, this is just one case and not proof, but such drastic improvements spread quickly online. Reddit user “Potential_Fig1525”: This user shared on r/covidlonghaulers in Nov 2024 that he fully recovered from 2 years of long COVID symptoms after two guided psilocybin sessions (weekly, ~3 grams of mushrooms per session). His symptoms were primarily neuropsychological (depression, anxiety, concentration problems, unrefreshing sleep, brain fog, and moderate fatigue). He calls the trips “very unpleasant, but absolutely worth it.” Immediately afterward, he felt cured: “It cured my two years of long COVID.” However, he warns that this is “only N=1” and likely does not help with organic damage. Interestingly, he considers the period after the trip crucial: the psychedelic experience provides a window of increased plasticity and motivation, during which he had to build new healthy habits to maintain the gains. Updates revealed that about 1 month after the trips, the improvement largely held, but that by January 2025 some of his symptoms returned (albeit less severely than before). This illustrates that psychedelics may provide temporary resets, but are not a permanent “cure” for everyone. Improvement of brain fog, migraines, and trauma: In responses to the aforementioned Reddit post, multiple people report positive experiences. One user (middle-aged, new to psychedelics) took psilocybin on his own initiative after seeing reports regarding it, and was “amazed by how much it helped with brain fog and migraines.” Additionally, he felt significantly better mentally; he was able to view unresolved traumas in a different light, and anxiety and mood symptoms improved. This person practiced microdosing after the initial major trip, which continued to support his balance and well-being. Another noted that microdosing unfortunately did not eliminate his chronic migraines, but that it was “incredibly effective against [his] complex PTSD,” more than more than 20 years of antidepressants and therapy ever did. Such stories suggest that psychedelics – even if they do not resolve all physical symptoms – can still offer significant mental relief for long COVID. Microdosing as a pick-me-up: The TIME article also mentions Renée (53), who was left with, among other things, loss of smell, tachycardia, dizziness, tinnitus, severe brain fog, psychosis, and suicidal thoughts after her COVID infection in 2020. She started microdosing (initially skeptically) – small doses of LSD every few days – to get out of a deep slump. After a month, she reports: “I felt connected to humanity again. I had emotions again, I felt joy again. I felt normal.” Her cognitive functions improved dramatically, creativity returned, and her quality of life increased enormously. Nowadays, she microdoses psilocybin occasionally and considers it her “medicine.” This illustrates how regular microdosing can steadily pull some long COVID patients out of a deep mental rut, although core physical symptoms (e.g., loss of smell) are not necessarily resolved. Reports of no effect or side effects: Not everyone achieves success; some on Reddit indicate noticing little change. In the Reddit analysis, ~12% actually saw a worsening of users. For example, in a single case, it was reported that psilocybin “did not reduce migraine attacks” or that anxiety temporarily increased. Triptherapie noted one client who experienced more anxiety symptoms rather than improvement about a week after a session. Such variability emphasizes that psychedelics are not a universal cure and also carry risks (see further). Dutch experiences (Triptherapie et al.) In the Netherlands, experience is being gained with guided psilocybin sessions for long COVID, thanks to the legal status of truffles. Triptherapie.nl, an organization for psychedelic therapy, has reported explicitly on this: In their Q&A regarding psilocybin for long COVID, Triptherapie mentions that they have counseled multiple clients with long COVID. “In most cases, improvements are noticeable,” writes therapist Marcel. The “most frequently mentioned improvements” after a psilocybin session are more energy, fewer headaches, fewer depressive feelings, and particularly much less brain fog. This aligns with the complaints for which the most gains are also reported internationally. Triptherapie warns that success is not guaranteed – for instance, there was “a single case” where someone’s anxiety symptoms increased after the session. Nevertheless, they conclude: given the many positive experiences, psilocybin is “perhaps a lifesaver for some with long COVID.” In June 2025, Triptherapie shared a client case: a man with combined burnout and long COVID symptoms (prolonged mental and physical fatigue, brain fog, emotional flattening). This client was stuck despite conventional treatment pathways (overstimulated, exhausted). Under supervision, he received a high-dose truffle session at home (trip level 4-5, very intense). During the trip, he felt that he was “letting go” of something that was weighing heavily in the background. In the weeks that followed, after conscious integration, the following effects occurred: more energy and cognitive clarity, less brain fog, a decrease in emotional exhaustion, and a stronger sense of purpose and connectedness. This aligns with what Triptherapie frequently observes in both long COVID and burnout: psilocybin offers a “biological chance for recovery” through the combination of anti-inflammatory effects, neurotrophins (BDNF), and the breaking of negative thought patterns. The therapist notes that the true value only unfolds in the weeks following the session and that proper integration is essential to sustain the gains. Dutch-language forums: Apart from Triptherapie, there are few public forums in the Netherlands regarding this subject, partly because psychedelics for long COVID are a relatively niche and new phenomenon. Nevertheless, discussions on the subject surface occasionally (e.g., a question on DrugsForum or in Facebook groups). In general, Dutch experiences seem to align with international ones: anecdotally, some report benefits (especially mental/cognitive), while others experience less. It is to be expected that as more people try this—either under professional supervision or privately—more case reports in a Dutch context will appear (for example, as blog posts or interviews). In summary, these anecdotal accounts paint a mixed but encouraging picture: many long-haulers report substantial relief of particularly mental and neurological lung COVID symptoms after using psychedelics, sometimes even complete but temporary remission. This applies to both supervised macrodoses and microdosing regimens. At the same time, there are individuals for whom the effect is absent or who experience side effects. These anecdotes do not constitute hard evidence, but they have attracted the attention of researchers and offer hypotheses about who might benefit the most. (Table 1, which summarizes some sources and findings, is provided to illustrate the above-mentioned studies and experiences.) Source / Study Type Results regarding psilocybin and long COVID Bobak et al. 2025 – Reddit analysis Content analysis (N=110) 78% of online long COVID patients reported symptom improvement after psilocybin; most notably in fatigue, cognitive functions, and mood. ~12% reported worsening. Among ~78% of those with improvement, this lasted longer than the acute trip. Chopra et al. 2024 – Case report Case (woman, 41 years old) Significant improvement of long COVID after 2 supervised sessions: first session 1 g psilocybin → ~20% improvement 1 week; second session (psilo + MDMA) → strong symptom reduction, increased well-being, brain fog gone, return to work possible. Following a relapse, a 3rd psilocybin session followed → complete disappearance of symptoms. Triptherapie Q&A 2024 Client Experiences (NL) Most clients with long COVID see more energy, fewer headaches, less depression, and much less brain fog after a psilocybin session. In most cases, improvement; one case of increased anxiety after a week. Therapeutic hypothesis: anti-inflammatory action in the brain by psilocybin counteracts inflammation caused by COVID. TIME report 2023 – “Ruth” Personal story 31-year-old woman took 5g of magic mushrooms at home → “next day normal heart rate, breathing freely, brain fog gone, energy back”. She attributes her recovery largely to psilocybin (although some residual symptoms remained). Reddit user 2024 – “Potential_Fig…” Experience post online Man, 2 years of neuro-pulmonary COVID, took 2 guided trips (3 g magic mushrooms) → felt completely healed (depression, anxiety, brain fog disappeared). Found the trip heavy but effective. After ~2 months some of the symptoms returned, but still better than before. TIME report 2023 – “Renée” Personal story 53-year-old woman with long-term symptoms (incl. neurological and psychological) started microdosing LSD → dramatic improvement: “I felt normal again”, cognition and creativity recovered, mood and energy levels rose. Now microdoses psilocybin occasionally for maintenance. Table 1: Overview of several sources on psilocybin in pulmonary COVID, with type of evidence and reported outcomes. Different forms of use When pulmonary COVID patients use psilocybin, it is done in various ways. Broadly speaking, three forms of use can be distinguished, each with its own advantages and disadvantages: (1) supervised psychedelic therapy with a full (psychedelic) dose, (2) microdosing of psilocybin, and (3) unsupervised use at home (with or without a trip sitter, but without professional therapy). Below is a comparison: Characteristic Supervised therapy (macro dose) Microdosing (low dose) Unsupervised home use Dosage & frequency High, hallucinogenic dose (e.g. 1–5 g dried mushrooms or equivalent). Usually a single use or a few times with weeks/months in between. Very low dose (± 0.1–0.3 g magic mushrooms or truffles) – sub-perceptual level. In a schedule, e.g. every few days or weekly, for an extended period. Dose varies: some take a full trip dose (often a single use or occasional), others experiment with lower doses. No fixed schedule; use is on one's own initiative. Setting & Guidance Professional therapist/trip sitter present in a controlled setting (therapy room or at home). Includes intake, preparation, and integration sessions. Safe environment, usually legal (Dutch truffle ceremonies) or in clinical research. Usually independent at home. No acute supervision needed due to low dose; user generally functions normally. Sometimes online communities or coaches for guidance, but no direct supervision per dose. At home by yourself or with a friend as a sitter. No professional preparation or aftercare. The setting varies; potentially less safe than alone. Legally risky in countries where psilocybin is illegal (unless truffles are legal, etc.). Goal and Experience Therapeutic deep work: full psychedelic experience with insights, emotional breakthroughs (“trip”). The goal is often to achieve a breakthrough or reset in one or a few sessions. Intense, can be spiritual or confronting, therefore guidance is provided to achieve maximum therapeutic effect. Subtle effects: slight mood improvement, increased creativity and energy, reduction of anxiety and brain fog without hallucinations. The goal is gradual cumulative improvement. Users view it as a tonic or vitamin for functioning, rather than a one-time cure. Depending on the dose: a full trip at home resembles a guided session in terms of experience, but without professional support – the risk of a chaotic or anxiety-provoking trip is higher. The goal is often experimentation or, hopefully, immediate significant improvement (as with “Ruth” at 5 g). Lower unguided doses are sometimes taken purely to test for minor effects. Benefits – Maximum potential therapeutic effect due to high dose + professional support. – Integration helps translate insights into lasting behavioral change (e.g., a better lifestyle immediately after the trip). – Relatively quick results: clear improvement is sometimes reported after just 1 session. – Safe setting minimizes acute risks (attention is paid to physical and psychological condition). – Mild, manageable approach: little chance of an overwhelming experience, no interruption of daily functioning. – Can be sustained long-term; Ideal for someone who wants to progress gradually or finds psychedelic effects frightening. – Anecdotally, there is often improvement in energy, concentration, and mood without drastic side effects. – Legal risks are sometimes smaller (microdosing attracts less attention; truffles are legally available in the Netherlands). – Accessible: one can start immediately on one's own, without a waiting list or therapist fees. – A full dose at home, if it works out well, can provide a breakthrough experience that alleviates symptoms, just like guided therapy (some prefer their own environment for comfort). – One has complete control over timing and setting according to one's own preference. Disadvantages & Risks – Practical: expensive sessions; professional guidance is not available everywhere. – Legal: psilocybin is strictly regulated in many countries – therapy must move to places with exceptions (such as Dutch truffles, or clinical trials). – The intense trip can be very emotionally heavy; despite guidance, there is no guarantee of a positive outcome (it can also be neutral or unpleasant). – Not everyone is suitable (therapists screen for psychosis, medication interactions, etc.). – Effect uncertain: scientific evidence for microdosing is limited; some users feel little to no improvement. – It may need to be used long-term for an effect, which is an issue regarding illegality and costs (although microdoses are relatively cheap). – Risk of tolerance: frequent use can reduce the effect, therefore breaks are necessary (protocols such as “2 days on, 1 day off,” etc.). – With an incorrectly adjusted dose, someone might still unintentionally experience hallucinogenic effects, which can be inconvenient in a daily routine. – Safety: tripping alone increases the risk of panic, dangerous actions, or medical emergencies without assistance. No one monitors physical parameters such as blood pressure, which can be risky for long COVID patients with, for example, heart problems. – Lack of integration: insights can fade or be processed incorrectly without a follow-up discussion, reducing the potential therapeutic effect. – Legal and quality risk: one is reliant on personal means (growing/buying) of variable strength; moreover, this is punishable in many countries. This can deter people from seeking help if something goes wrong.– Psychological risk: a negative experience can cause trauma or exacerbation of anxiety if there is no expert guidance to reverse it. As the table indicates, supervised therapy appears to be the safest and most promising route for those wishing to use psychedelics against long COVID, as it channels the powerful effects within a therapeutic framework. This was illustrated by the case of the 41-year-old woman who made tremendous progress under supervision. In contrast, microdosing is appealing to people who prefer not to go through an intense trip; it requires discipline and patience, but in some cases (e.g., Renée’s story) brought about significant recovery in quality of life. Unsupervised home use is the most risky – some have benefited from it (Ruth’s single megadose radically improved her condition), but others may be unlucky with a bad experience or no effect. Experts therefore recommend that, if one wishes to try psychedelics, one should do so as much as possible within a research setting or with professional supervision. This ensures screening, dosage, and follow-up, which is important for an experimental form of treatment. Conclusion: Psilocybin as a potential treatment for long COVID is still in the early stages of research, but both scientific and anecdotal sources paint a cautiously positive picture. Scientific evidence comes primarily from a case report and a retrospective analysis of online experiences, both of which show remarkable improvements, particularly in neuropsychiatric symptoms. Theoretically, psilocybin could help through anti-inflammatory effects, neuroplasticity, and breaking negative patterns—relevant targets given the suspected pathophysiology of long COVID. Anecdotal evidence from patients and therapists (both internationally and in the Netherlands) supports these ideas: numerous people with long COVID report a reduction in fatigue, brain fog, depression, and anxiety after using psilocybin, either in a single deep trip or through microdosing. Some individuals even speak of (temporary) 'cure' of long-standing complaints. Conversely, there are also cases without effect or with exacerbation, which emphasizes that individual responses vary widely. Crucial is the manner in which psilocybin is used. Guided, therapeutic sessions offer the best safeguards and appear to be the most successful in reports, certainly for complex cases. Microdosing has enthusiastic users who recover steadily, but also an unclear success rate. Unsupervised home experimentation can sometimes be beneficial, but entails more risks and uncertainty—something that should not be taken lightly in a vulnerable population like long COVID. Experts warn against considering psychedelics as a ‘magic solution’: further clinical studies are absolutely necessary to confirm efficacy and safety for long COVID. The current state of knowledge is therefore promising but premature. Psilocybin could become a novel therapeutic tool for long COVID, particularly for patients for whom conventional options fail, by providing relief on both the physical-energetic level (inflammation/fatigue) and the mental-emotional level (depression/brain fog). However, until larger-scale research shows who truly benefits from it and under what circumstances, independent application remains experimental. For long COVID patients who have exhausted all other avenues, the described experiences do offer hope. With adequate guidance and caution, psilocybin therapy may well develop into a recognized component in the multidisciplinary approach to post-COVID syndrome in the future—a field yearning for effective interventions.

Source / Study	Type	Results regarding psilocybin and long COVID
Bobak et al. 2025 – Reddit analysis	Content analysis (N=110)	78% of online long COVID patients reported symptom improvement after psilocybin; most in fatigue, cognitive functions and vote. ~12% reported deterioration. In ~78% of those with improvement, this lasted longer than the acute trip.
Chopra et al. 2024 – Case report	Case (woman, 41 years old)	Significant improvement of long COVID after 2 supervised sessions: first session 1 g psilocybin → ~20% improvement 1 week; second session (psilo + MDMA) → strong symptom reduction, well-being up, brain fog cleared, return to work possible. In the event of a relapse later, a 3rd psilocybin session followed → completely disappear of symptoms.
Triptherapie Q&A 2024	Customer experiences (NL)	Most clients with long COVID more energy, fewer headaches, less depression, much less brain fog after a psilocybin session. Improvement in most cases; one case of increased anxiety after a week. Therapeutic hypothesis: anti-inflammatory effect in the brain by psilocybin counteracts inflammation caused by COVID.
TIME report 2023 – “Ruth”	Personal story	31-year-old woman took 5 g of magic mushrooms at home → “next day normal heart rate, breathing freely, brain fog gone, energy back”. She writes her recovery largely depends on psilocybin (although some residual symptoms remained).
Reddit user 2024 – “Potential_Fig…”	Online experience post	Man, 2 years of neuro-pulmonary COVID, took 2 guided trips (3 g magic mushrooms) → felt completely healed (depression, anxiety, brain fog disappeared). Found the trip heavy but effective. After ~2 months some of the symptoms returned, but still always better than before.
TIME report 2023 – “Renée”	Personal story	53-year-old woman with long-standing complaints (incl. neurological and psychological) began Microdosing LSD → dramatic improvement: “I felt normal again”, cognition and creativity recovered, mood and energy levels increased. Now microdoses psilocybin occasionally for maintenance.

Feature	Supervised therapy (macrodosis)	Microdosing (low dose)	Unsupervised home use
Dosage & frequency	High, hallucinogenic dose (e.g. 1–5 g dried mushrooms or equivalent). Usually one-time or a few times with weeks/months in between.	Very low dose (± 0.1–0.3 g magic mushrooms or truffles) – sub-perceptual level. In a schedule, e.g. every few days or weekly, for an extended period.	Dosage varies: some take a full trip dose (often once or occasionally), while others experiment with lower doses. No fixed schedule; Use is at your own initiative.
Setting & guidance	Professional Therapist/tripsitter present in a controlled setting (therapy room or at home). Including intake, preparation and integration-sessions. Safe environment, usually legal (NL truffle ceremonies) or in clinical research.	Generally independent at home. No acute guidance is needed due to the low dose; the user generally functions normally. Sometimes online communities or coaches provide guidance, but there is no direct supervision per dose.	At home yourself or with a friend as a sitter. No professional preparation or aftercare. The setting varies; possibly less safe than alone. Legally risky in countries where psilocybin is illegal (unless truffles are legal, etc.).
Goal and experience	Therapeutic deep work: full psychedelic experience with insights, emotional breakthroughs (“trip”). The goal is often a breakthrough to achieve a reset in one or a few sessions. Intense, can be spiritual or confronting, therefore guidance is provided to achieve maximum therapeutic effect.	Subtle effects: slight mood improvement, increased creativity and energy, reduction of anxiety and brain fog without hallucinations. The goal is gradual cumulative improvement. Users view it as tonic or vitamin for functioning, more than as a one-time cure.	Depending on the dose: a full trip home In terms of experience, it resembles a guided session but without professional support – the risk of a chaotic or anxious trip is higher. The goal is often experimentation or hopefully immediate significant improvement (like with “Ruth” at 5 g). Lower unguided doses are sometimes taken purely to test for minor effects.
Advantages	– Maximum potential therapeutic effect through high dose + professional support.– Integration helps translate insights into lasting behavioral change (e.g., a better lifestyle immediately after the trip).– Relatively quick result: sometimes clear improvement reported after just 1 session.– Safe setting minimizes acute risks (attention is paid to physical and psychological condition).	– Mild, manageable approach: low risk of overwhelming experience, no interruption of daily functioning.– Can be sustained for a long time; ideal if someone wants to progress gradually or finds psychedelic effects scary.– Anecdotally often an improvement in energy, concentration and mood without drastic side effects.– Legal risks sometimes smaller (microdosing attracts less attention; truffles are legally available in the Netherlands).	– Accessible: one can start immediately on their own, without a waiting list or therapist fees.– A full dose at home is possible, if it works out well, just like with guided therapy for a breakthrough experience care that relieves symptoms (some prefer their own environment for comfort).– You have full control over timing and setting according to your own preference.
Disadvantages & risks	– Practical: expensive sessions; professional guidance is not available everywhere.– Legal: in many countries, psilocybin is strictly regulated – therapy must turn to places with exceptions (such as Dutch truffles, or clinical trials).– The intense trip can very emotionally heavy be; despite guidance, there is no guarantee of a positive outcome (can also be neutral or unpleasant).– Not everyone is suitable (therapists screen for psychosis, medication interactions, etc.).	– Effect uncertainScientific evidence for microdosing is limited; some users feel little to no improvement.– It may need to be used for a long period for effect, which is an issue regarding illegality and costs (although microdoses are relatively cheap).– Risk of tolerance: frequent use can reduce the effect, therefore breaks are necessary (protocols such as “2 days on, 1 day off”, etc.).– With an incorrectly adjusted dose, someone could still unintentionally experience hallucinogenic effects, which can be inconvenient in daily routine.	– SafetyTripping alone increases the risk of panic, dangerous actions, or a medical emergency without help. No one monitors physical parameters such as blood pressure, which can be risky for long COVID patients with, for example, heart problems.– No integrationInsights can fade or be processed incorrectly without a follow-up discussion, reducing the potential therapeutic effect.– Legal and quality risk: one is reliant on one's own resources (growing/buying) of variable strength; moreover, this is punishable in many countries. This can deter people from seeking help if something goes wrong.– Psychological riskA negative experience can cause trauma or worsen anxiety if there is no expert guidance to reverse it.

[Solved] Does psilocybin therapy help with long COVID?

Scientific and medical evidence

Recent studies and case reports

Theoretical mechanisms of action

Anecdotal evidence from practice

International stories of experience (forums and media)

Dutch experiences (Triptherapie etc.)

Various forms of use

Conclusion