Interest in psilocybin as a treatment for depression has risen over the past decade, fuelled by promising clinical trials and a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. Media coverage plays a critical role in shaping public perceptions, yet little is known about how psilocybin is portrayed in global anglophone online news for the treatment of depression.

This study examines the comprehensiveness and sentiment of English-language online news articles (n = 125) discussing psilocybin as a treatment for depression from January 2000 to May 2024. Articles were sourced from the top 30 global anglophone news outlets, assessed using a 13-item instrument for comprehensiveness, and analysed for sentiment across five thematic categories. A separate sub-analysis was completed for Irish media.

Findings indicate a significant increase in coverage over time, with 43.2% of articles published between 2022 and 2024, predominantly from the USA (68%). While 90.4% of articles cited researchers, fewer addressed risks (47.2%), long-term evidence (46.4%), or patient perspectives (25%). Sentiment analysis revealed a very positive sentiment across articles which was 2.27 on a scale from −5 (most negative) to + 5 (most positive) (SD 1.33), with no significant changes over the time period. Reporting on psilocybin’s onset and duration of effects increased significantly, reflecting growing clinical evidence. However, coverage remains concentrated in prominent outlets, with limited attention to patient experiences and long-term safety.

These findings highlight the media’s role in shaping discourse on emerging treatments and suggest a need for more balanced reporting to align public understanding with scientific evidence. This study provides a foundation for future research on media portrayals of psilocybin and implications for public perception and policy.

Understanding variations in knowledge and attitudes of psychiatrists to psilocybin therapy is important for the collective discourse about the potential impact on clinical practice and public health in Ireland.

A 28-item questionnaire was designed based on previous studies and distributed to psychiatrists in Ireland via online mailing lists and at in-person academic events.

151 psychiatrists completed the questionnaire (73.3% were under 40 years of age, 76.0% were trainees, and 49.0% were female). In the total sample, 81.5% agreed that psilocybin therapy shows promise in the treatment of psychiatric disorders and 86.8% supported funding research, 86.8% would be willing to refer a patient if it was licensed and indicated, and 78.1% would consider the treatment for themselves, if indicated. Conversely, 6.6% agreed that psilocybin therapy was unsafe even under medical supervision, and 21.9% thought it was potentially addictive. 15.9% of the total sample reported at least one concern including, lack of robust evidence, long-term effectiveness, superiority to current interventions, potential harmful effects, cost and accessibility, and impartiality. Less than half of respondents felt knowledgeable (40.0%) and 9.9% felt adequately prepared to participate in psilocybin therapy. Consultant psychiatrists trended towards less optimism for a potential role in bipolar depression and emotionally unstable personality disorder compared to trainee psychiatrists.

Overall psychiatrists in Ireland held positive attitudes towards psilocybin therapy. However, there was a lack of knowledge evident. Addressing the knowledge gap and aligning with the best available evidence will be key if psychedelic therapy is to prevail in a clinical setting.

Smoking and vaping are prohibited on Ireland's Health Service Executive (HSE) campuses. The HSE states that there is no evidence to suggest vaping is less damaging than cigarettes. Recent meta-analyses have shown that e-cigarettes are in fact less dangerous and can help smokers quit. Our study analyses the current smoking policies in place in mental health ‘approved centres’ in Ireland, what is being done to help smokers quit while in-patients and the level of support among staff for the introduction of e-cigarettes as a harm reduction tool. Clinical nurse managers from each mental health approved centre were surveyed to assess adherence to smoking policies.

Only 5% of surveyed units enforce the HSE's Tobacco Free Campus Policy; 55% of units supported the idea of using e-cigarettes to help patients quit cigarettes.

Ireland's hospital campuses are not tobacco free. Changes need to be made to our smoking policies and their enforcement.