A Nature review asks whether the hallucinatory “trip” is necessary for psilocybin’s healing effects. Data suggest subjective states like awe, unity, and mystical-type experience explain about 24% of psilocybin’s antidepressant impact, but researchers are also testing new compounds that boost neuroplasticity without hallucinations. The debate continues over whether the “trip” itself is the medicine, or just a catalyst for brain and therapeutic changes.