Emma Wilson
While the use of psychedelic mushrooms for treating anxiety remains illegal in most places, it is gaining traction as a promising alternative treatment. The active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, psilocybin, acts on the body's serotonin system, which may help to restore serotonin balance in the body and alleviate anxiety symptoms. Microdosing, or taking small doses of psychedelics, has become an increasingly popular way to potentially improve mental health symptoms like anxiety. However, due to the illegality of psilocybin, evidence supporting its use for anxiety is limited. Nevertheless, institutions like Johns Hopkins Medicine are leading the way in psychedelic research, exploring psilocybin's potential to treat mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Effectiveness | Some sources claim that certain types of mushrooms can help with anxiety. |
| However, there is limited evidence to support this claim. | |
| Experts have yet to come to any conclusions, but the existing evidence seems promising. | |
| Research suggests that adaptogens in functional mushrooms can help with anxiety. | |
| Legality | Psilocybin mushrooms are illegal in most of the United States, but some cities have decriminalized their use. |
| Oregon has legalized the use of psilocybin for medical and mental health benefits. | |
| Safety | It is recommended to work with a therapist when trying mushrooms for anxiety. |
| Microdosing with mushrooms may carry risks due to the potential for drastic changes in brain chemistry. | |
| Types of mushrooms | Reishi, Lion's Mane, and Cordyceps are among the top choices for managing anxiety. |
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What You'll Learn
Microdosing with mushrooms
Microdosing with psilocybin may offer mental health benefits, and some research suggests it can improve cognitive function and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. One large study showed that individuals who microdosed psilocybin had improved mood and reduced anxiety over a one-month period compared to those who did not microdose.
However, it is important to note that evidence supporting the use of microdosing for anxiety is limited, partly because psilocybin remains mostly illegal. Some people have reported unpleasant experiences, sometimes called "bad trips", involving extreme fear, confusion, or panic. Adverse effects from psilocybin can include increased blood pressure and heart rate, headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, paranoia, persistent psychosis, and hallucinations. Microdosing psilocybin can also lead to insomnia, increased anxiety, poor mood, low energy, physical discomfort, poor focus, and impaired cognitive functioning.
If you are considering microdosing with mushrooms, it is always best to work with a therapist who can help track your mental health symptoms and treatment progress. You should also get professional guidance before stopping any prescription medication or changing your dose.
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Psilocybin therapy
The therapeutic benefits of psilocybin therapy for anxiety are still being studied, and the practice is not without its challenges. The hallucinatory effects of psilocybin mushrooms can be a barrier to their widespread use, as they require extensive monitoring and may not be suitable for all patients. As a result, there is growing interest in non-hallucinogenic psychedelics or non-psychedelic compounds that offer similar anti-anxiety effects without the psychedelic experience. Microdosing, or taking very small doses of psilocybin mushrooms, is another approach that has gained popularity, although evidence supporting its effectiveness for anxiety is limited.
When considering psilocybin therapy for anxiety, it is essential to proceed with caution and under the supervision of a licensed professional. While some people may find relief from their anxiety symptoms, it is important to remember that psilocybin therapy may not work for everyone, and the effects may not always be permanent. Combining psilocybin therapy with traditional talk therapy can be beneficial, as a trained therapist can help track mental health symptoms, explore anxiety triggers, and provide lasting relief.
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Non-hallucinogenic treatments
While psychedelic mushrooms have shown promise in treating anxiety, there are concerns about the scalability of this treatment option due to the hallucinatory effects of psilocybin, which is the main ingredient in so-called magic mushrooms. As a result, there is a growing interest in non-hallucinogenic treatments for anxiety.
One alternative treatment option is microdosing, which involves taking a small dose of psychedelics every few days. However, evidence supporting the use of microdosing for anxiety is limited, and some research suggests that people eventually stop microdosing because it proves to be ineffective.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of anti-depressant drugs that can be used to treat anxiety. SSRIs modulate serotonin levels in the brain and can cause a wide range of unpleasant side effects. While SSRIs lead to an immediate increase in serotonin levels, people who take these drugs typically do not report feeling the anti-depressant effects until weeks later.
In addition to SSRIs, there are other non-hallucinogenic compounds being developed that target the same brain cell receptors as psychedelic drugs. For example, a research team from UNC-Chapel Hill, UC San Francisco, Yale, Duke, and Stanford developed a compound that triggers long-lasting anti-depressant action without psychedelic effects in mice. This compound is patented by Yale, UNC-Chapel Hill, and UCSF and licensed to Onsero, a company that fine-tunes experimental compounds before they can be further tested in clinical trials. While this compound has only been tested in mice, it could be a game-changer for treating anxiety and depression if it proves effective in humans.
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Therapeutic advantages
Psychedelic mushrooms have been found to act on the body's serotoninergic system, which could help restore serotonin balance. Low or imbalanced serotonin levels can lead to anxiety, so this mechanism may help alleviate anxiety symptoms. Additionally, mushrooms contain bioactive compounds that can positively influence brain chemistry, particularly adaptogens, which help the body resist various stressors. By regulating stress hormones, improving mood, and enhancing overall brain health, mushrooms can potentially reduce anxiety.
Psilocybin therapy, a specific type of mushroom-based treatment, has demonstrated positive effects on mental health disorders, offering long-lasting relief for treatment-resistant depression and anxiety. Research suggests that psilocybin can induce an altered state of consciousness, leading to hallucinations and profound emotional experiences that contribute to therapeutic effects. However, the hallucinatory aspect of psilocybin treatment may limit its scalability due to extensive patient monitoring requirements. As a result, there is growing interest in non-hallucinatory psychedelics, and scientists have recently developed a non-psychedelic compound with similar antidepressant effects.
Functional mushrooms, which are non-psychedelic, have been used for centuries in traditional eastern medicine for their mind-body health benefits. Certain species, such as Reishi, Lion's Mane, and Cordyceps, are known for their calming effects and ability to regulate the body's stress response. Reishi, in particular, has been revered in traditional Chinese medicine and is known as "the mushroom of immortality." It contains over 400 different compounds that may assist the body in various ways, including potential brain-protecting properties that could improve mental health.
While the therapeutic potential of psychedelic mushrooms for anxiety is promising, it is important to note that research is still ongoing, and the practice of microdosing should be approached with caution and preferably undertaken with professional guidance.
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Balancing serotonin levels
Serotonin is a chemical messenger that carries messages between nerve cells in the brain and throughout the body. It plays a key role in bodily functions such as mood, sleep, appetite, digestion, blood clotting, and sexual desire. When serotonin is at normal levels, you feel more focused, emotionally stable, happier, and calmer.
Low serotonin levels are associated with depression and anxiety. Many medications used to treat anxiety and depression target ways to increase serotonin levels in the brain. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) enhance serotonin levels in cells throughout the body. However, SSRIs can cause a wide range of unpleasant side effects, and people who take these drugs do not typically feel the anti-depressant effects until weeks later.
You may be able to increase your serotonin levels without medication by spending time outdoors, exercising, and adjusting your diet. Serotonin levels tend to be lower after winter and higher in summer and fall, and spending time in the sunshine appears to help increase serotonin levels. Research exploring this idea suggests that the skin may be able to synthesize serotonin.
Additionally, some dietary supplements may help increase serotonin production by increasing tryptophan, an amino acid converted to serotonin in the brain. Tryptophan is found primarily in high-protein foods such as turkey, salmon, and tofu. However, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before taking any supplements, as they may interact negatively with other medications.
Massage therapy may also increase serotonin levels, as well as decrease cortisol, a hormone produced by the body during stressful periods.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms act on the body's serotoninergic system, which could help restore serotonin balance in the body. They also contain bioactive compounds that can influence brain chemistry, particularly adaptogens, which help the body resist stressors.
Psilocybin mushrooms won't work for everyone, and even when they do, the effects may not be permanent. They can also cause hallucinations and profound emotional experiences, which may be harrowing for some individuals.
Yes, psychedelic mushrooms remain illegal in most places. However, some cities have decriminalized their use, and the state of Oregon has legalized the use of psilocybin for medical and mental health benefits.
It is recommended to work with a therapist who has experience with psychedelic therapy and can help you explore anxiety triggers. Microdosing, or taking a small dose of psychedelics every few days, is also an option but should only be done under the supervision of a licensed professional.
