The findings are important because they address "a mismatch" between what psychiatrists and what patients think is important, Barba told Medscape Medical News.
"Psychiatrists really focus on negative symptoms of depression. So, if you are not sad anymore, if your sleep or appetite is not impaired, they think you're better. But if you look at what patients define as important, they say it's the degree in which their life is meaningful, in which they can connect with people around them, in which they can function in everyday life," Barba said.
"The study suggests that psilocybin therapy might be a more holistic treatment option for depression," added co-first author David Erritzoe, MD, PhD, clinical director and deputy head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London. "This could make a substantial difference in the overall happiness and daily activities of those suffering from depression, providing a more joined-up approach to mental health treatment."
(emphasis mine)
This resonated with me as someone close to me is regularly going to the psychiatrist to get prescriptions for light symptoms of depression. This person feels better thanks to it, yet the doctor regularly tries to convince them to sign up for additional meds to address other symptoms. It shows similar dynamics at play where the doctor just wants to address each of the symptoms while the patient cares about life improvement without necessarily addressing each minor symptom.