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Published on: November 25, 2025
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New treatments for OCD? Evidence for cannabinoids and psychedelics
Michael Van Ameringen1, Vidhi Patel2, Beth Patterson1
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; MacAnxiety Research Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Journal of Psychiatric Research
|November 29, 2025
Summary
Current treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are ineffective for many patients. This review examines cannabinoids and psychedelics, finding limited evidence for cannabinoids but a promising signal for psilocybin in treatment-resistant OCD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) etiology is complex, involving neurotransmitter imbalances.
- 40-60% of OCD patients are treatment-resistant (TR-OCD), necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Existing pharmacotherapies for OCD lack efficacy in a significant patient subset.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive scoping review of current literature on cannabinoids and psychedelics for TR-OCD.
- To detail evidence for specific substances including cannabinoids, psilocybin, LSD, N,N-DMT, and MDMA in OCD treatment.
- To identify research gaps and guide future clinical investigations.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive scoping review of published and grey literature on OCD.
- Inclusion of studies examining cannabinoids and psychedelics in OCD treatment.
- Analysis of evidence from surveys, case reports, and clinical trials.
Main Results:
- Limited evidence supports the use of cannabinoids (synthetic or natural) for OCD.
- A stronger signal suggests potential efficacy of psilocybin for TR-OCD.
- Current evidence largely comprises observational studies and small trials, lacking rigorous RCTs.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant need for well-controlled trials to validate the efficacy of cannabinoids and psychedelics in TR-OCD.
- Psilocybin shows preliminary promise for treatment-resistant OCD.
- Cannabinoids currently lack substantial evidence for OCD treatment.
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