Emily Johnson
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, has been touted as a potential treatment for addiction. While it is banned by the US government as a Schedule 1 substance, there is a growing body of research that suggests psilocybin may be an effective, low-risk tool to help patients break their dependencies on other substances, including alcohol, opioids, cocaine, marijuana, and nicotine. Clinical trials and studies have shown promising results, with participants reporting reduced cravings and increased abstinence from substances following the use of psilocybin, often in conjunction with therapy. While psilocybin may hold promise for addiction treatment, it is not a cure, and it may pose risks for those with underlying psychiatric conditions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Active ingredient in magic mushrooms | Psilocybin |
| Potential treatment for | Alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, smoking, cocaine-dependency disorder, heroin abuse, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, eating disorders |
| Benefits | Reduced risk of using other substances, reduced drinking, reduced cravings, reduced withdrawals, increased mental flexibility, rapid reduction in symptoms of major depression |
| Treatment process | Single or multiple sessions of psilocybin-assisted therapy, combined with psychotherapy or counseling |
| Treatment effectiveness | 80% success rate in 15 smokers, 67% abstinence rate after 52 weeks, 13.9% mean difference in percentage of heavy drinking days |
| Treatment risks | Potential serious health risk for those with underlying psychiatric comorbidities like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder |
| Legality | Federally illegal in the U.S., but decriminalized in some cities and states; Legalized for medical use in Oregon |
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What You'll Learn
- Magic mushrooms' active ingredient, psilocybin, is showing promise in treating addiction
- Psilocybin may help reshape neural networks in the brain associated with addiction
- It's being studied as a treatment for alcohol use disorder
- It's also being studied as a treatment for opioid use disorder
- It has been shown to help people quit smoking
Magic mushrooms' active ingredient, psilocybin, is showing promise in treating addiction
A growing body of research suggests that psilocybin can help treat addiction to alcohol, opioids, cocaine, marijuana, nicotine, and even crack. For instance, a 2017 Johns Hopkins University pilot study found that the majority of 15 participants were able to quit smoking for at least 16 months after receiving two to three moderate to high doses of psilocybin. A similar study in 2015 found that abstinence among alcohol addicts increased significantly following the use of psilocybin.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy may reshape the neural networks in the brain associated with addiction-related habits and help people escape rigid thinking patterns. According to Matthew Johnson, a psychologist at Johns Hopkins who leads the smoking trial, "people have greater mental flexibility following psilocybin. That increase in openness might be a permanent change that can help in overcoming addiction."
However, it is important to note that psilocybin is not a cure for addiction and should be used alongside other treatments. It also carries certain risks, especially for those with underlying psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Furthermore, while psilocybin is considered safer than ketamine and is not habit-forming, it does have some downsides.
Despite these concerns, psilocybin is being explored as a potential treatment for addiction in several US states, including Oregon, which opened a state-regulated program for its supervised administration, and Colorado, which plans to open a similar program soon.
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Psilocybin may help reshape neural networks in the brain associated with addiction
Psilocybin, the substance that gives ‘magic mushrooms’ their psychedelic qualities, has been banned by the U.S. government as a Schedule 1 substance, which supposedly means it has a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use in treatment. However, many medical researchers disagree with this classification, citing psilocybin's potential as a treatment for a range of health issues, particularly addiction.
A growing body of research supports psilocybin's use in this context. For example, a 2017 Johns Hopkins University pilot study found that the majority of 15 participants were able to quit smoking for at least 16 months after receiving two to three moderate to high doses of psilocybin. Another study, led by Professor Michael Bogenschutz of New York University Grossman School of Medicine, found that abstinence among alcohol addicts increased significantly following the use of psilocybin. Observational studies have also found that psilocybin is associated with a reduced risk of using substances like cocaine, marijuana, and opioids.
Psilocybin has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of addiction disorders, including alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, and addiction to smoking. It has also been found to be beneficial in treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and eating disorders. In a randomized controlled trial, the percentage of heavy drinking days during the 32-week double-blind period was significantly lower for psilocybin compared to a placebo. In another pilot study, the 7-day point prevalence of smoking abstinence at 26 weeks was 80% for psilocybin compared to 35% for the leading conventional antismoking drug Chantix.
While psilocybin shows promise in treating addiction, it is important to note that it is not a cure and should be used in conjunction with therapy or other forms of counseling. Additionally, psilocybin may not be suitable for those with underlying psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
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It's being studied as a treatment for alcohol use disorder
Psilocybin, the substance that gives ‘magic mushrooms’ their psychedelic qualities, is being studied as a treatment for alcohol use disorder. It is currently banned by the US government as a Schedule 1 substance, meaning it is believed to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use in treatment. However, many medical researchers disagree, and see psilocybin as a promising treatment for a range of health issues, particularly as a tool to help patients break their dependencies on other substances.
A 2015 proof-of-concept study into alcohol use disorder, led by Michael Bogenschutz, a professor of psychiatry at New York University Grossman School of Medicine, found that abstinence among addicts increased significantly following the use of psilocybin. In the study, 93 men and women aged 25 to 65 were chosen to receive either two psilocybin doses or antihistamine pills. The results showed that psilocybin, in combination with talk therapy, helped people with alcohol use disorder reduce drinking for at least eight months after their first treatments.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy may reshape the neural networks in the brain that are associated with addiction-related habits and could help people escape rigid thinking patterns. Chris Stauffer, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University, who is leading clinical work on psilocybin, said that past research has focused on certain brain circuits related to addiction that may be most susceptible to intervention. However, Wolfgang Sommer, the deputy scientific director of the Clinic of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, noted that psychedelic therapy likely has widespread effects on the brain.
Despite the promising results, it is important to note that psilocybin is not a cure for addiction. Mark Guckel, who struggled with crack addiction and has since become a professional recovery coach, shared that while psychedelics helped him stop using substances, they are just one of many treatments for substance-use disorders. Guckel warned that for people with underlying psychiatric comorbidities like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, psychedelics might pose a serious health risk.
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It's also being studied as a treatment for opioid use disorder
Psilocybin, the substance in magic mushrooms that produces psychedelic effects, is banned by the US government as a Schedule 1 substance, suggesting it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use in treatment. However, psilocybin is being studied as a treatment for opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders.
A 2017 Johns Hopkins University pilot study found that most of the 15 participants were able to quit smoking for at least 16 months after receiving two to three moderate to high doses of psilocybin. Another study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found that 75% of a small group of participants with depression who received two doses of psilocybin with supportive therapy still responded to the treatment, and 58% were in complete remission from depression.
Observational studies have also found that psilocybin is associated with a reduced risk of using substances like cocaine, marijuana, and opioids. In addition, psilocybin-assisted therapy may reshape the neural networks in the brain associated with addiction-related habits and could help people escape rigid thinking patterns.
Psilocybin is being studied as a treatment for opioid use disorder specifically. For example, a study led by NYU Langone Health in collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of New Mexico set out to test whether psilocybin, combined with therapy sessions, could help people with opioid use disorder cut cravings and stay sober.
While psilocybin shows promise as a treatment for opioid use disorder, it is important to note that it is not a cure and should be used under the supervision of qualified clinicians and therapists.
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It has been shown to help people quit smoking
Psilocybin, the substance in magic mushrooms that creates psychedelic experiences, has been shown to be a promising treatment for addiction. While it is banned by the US government as a Schedule 1 substance, researchers are increasingly finding that it is a potentially effective, low-risk tool to help patients break their dependencies on other substances.
A 2017 Johns Hopkins University pilot study found that the majority of 15 participants were able to quit smoking for at least 16 months after receiving two to three moderate to high-level doses of psilocybin. An early version of this study, published in 2014, reported an 80% success rate in 15 smokers, compared with 35% typically observed in patients taking the leading conventional antismoking drug Chantix.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy may reshape the neural networks in the brain that are associated with addiction-related habits and could help people escape rigid thinking patterns. It has been shown to be particularly effective when combined with talk therapy, with one study showing that two doses of psilocybin pills, along with psychotherapy, helped people with alcohol use disorder reduce drinking for at least eight months after their first treatments.
While psilocybin is illegal under federal drug laws, some cities and states across the US are working to decriminalize it. In 2020, Oregon voted to become the first state to legalize it for medical use, and Colorado is set to open a state-regulated program for the supervised administration of psilocybin in 2024.
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Frequently asked questions
Psilocybin is the substance that gives magic mushrooms their psychedelic qualities.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy may reshape the neural networks in the brain that are associated with addiction-related habits and could help people escape rigid thinking patterns.
Research has shown that psilocybin can help with alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, cocaine-dependency disorder, addiction to smoking, and heroin abuse.
