Anxiety is a common mental health condition with rising cases since the COVID-19 pandemic. 15% of people screened positive for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in a 2025 survey on mental health during COVID-19 in Canada, increasing by 2% since the beginning of the pandemic. Higher rates were found in Indigenous groups, frontline workers, those with a history of mental health conditions, and those with decreased income due to the pandemic. Those with anxiety are also reported to have higher rates of alcohol and substance use to cope with the condition, which could exacerbate symptoms and/or cause addiction.
Anxiety symptoms are commonly treated with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), medication, and more. Though, alternative treatments like psychedelic-assisted therapy are being increasingly studied as a viable option for those with the condition. A review of the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies found:
“Ketamine, LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin consistently produced an anxiolytic effect sustained for at least 2 weeks after the therapeutic session. Although ayahuasca did not produce a significant change in anxiety ratings, patients with social anxiety disorder had increased self-perception and performance. No life-threatening psychedelic-related adverse effects were reported in any of the trials.”1
Additionally, psilocybin and LSD have been shown to be effective in treating anxiety, particularly end-of-life distress and PTSD, in several studies (2,3,4). It continues to be researched as a viable option for mental health treatment, with recent news of the Kingston Health Sciences Centre Research Institute beginning the first Phase 2 clinical trial approved by Health Canada observing the efficacy of microdosing psilocybin to treat anxiety symptoms.
Sunshine Labs is dedicated to pioneering innovative mental health treatments by making controlled substances accessible to essential clinical trials by research professionals in order to ensure high quality care to patients in need.
Read more about substance use, trauma-related mental health conditions, and the role of psychedelic-assisted therapy here.