Psychedelics like ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA are emerging as promising treatments for mood disorders that don’t respond to standard care. What has research shown using these compounds as therapeutic tools? How can psychedelics work in the brain to alleviate mental health symptoms? We spoke with Janette Leal, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist, about the psychedelics currently being studied, their potential to safely and effectively ease symptoms in supervised settings, how they may help rewire thought patterns, common misconceptions about psychedelic-assisted therapy, and why working with a trained clinician is essential.

<p>Psychedelics like <a href="https://www.webmd.com/depression/features/what-does-ketamine-do-your-brain" data-testid="linkable-text">ketamine</a>, <a href="https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1654/psilocybin#overview" data-testid="linkable-text">psilocybin</a>, and MDMA are emerging as promising treatments for mood disorders that don&rsquo;t respond to standard care. What has research shown using these compounds as therapeutic tools? <a href="https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/story/how-do-psychedelic-treatments-work#:~:text=Each%20of%20these%20drugs%20works,range%20of%20mental%20health%20conditions." data-testid="linkable-text">How can psychedelics work</a> in the brain to alleviate mental health symptoms? We spoke with <a href="https://www.janettelealmd.com/" data-testid="linkable-text">Janette Leal, MD</a>, a board-certified psychiatrist, about the psychedelics currently being studied, their potential to safely and effectively ease symptoms in supervised settings, how they may help rewire thought patterns, common misconceptions about psychedelic-assisted therapy, and why working with a trained clinician is essential.</p>

WebMD Chief Physician Editor Neha Pathak, MD, and Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, MD, MPH, explore fascinating stories to find the unexpected things that help us understand our health.

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