A version of this article was originally published on High Existence, and The Third Wave.

Depression, despite affecting millions worldwide, is still a condition that we don’t fully understand.

In fact, we understand it so poorly that typical pharmaceutical treatments indiscriminately target whole neurochemical systems, resulting in unstable effectiveness and a host of side-effects.

Up to 44% of people suffering from depression have not found relief from typical antidepressant therapies. Even patients who find some form of relief from the usual prescribed antidepressants need frequent doses, sometimes causing unpleasant side-effects, and these drugs often lose their effectiveness after several years of treatment.

But where pharmaceuticals are failing, psychedelics could be a new hope.

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