John Miller
Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms, has long been known for its use as a recreational drug. However, in recent years, a growing body of research has indicated that psilocybin may have significant potential in the treatment of mental and behavioural health disorders. When taken in a controlled setting, psilocybin can cause self-described spiritual experiences that generally result in positive changes in a person's attitude, mood and behaviour. It is believed that psilocybin increases the brain's capacity to change and adapt, helping to break negative thought patterns. As a result, psilocybin has shown positive results in the treatment of conditions such as depression, anxiety, OCD, addiction, anorexia nervosa and cluster headaches.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How psilocybin works | Psilocybin interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain to trigger psychedelic effects. |
| Types of mushrooms | Psilocybin is naturally produced by more than 100-200 species of mushrooms found worldwide. |
| History of use | Psilocybin mushrooms have been used by indigenous peoples in parts of Mexico and Central America for thousands of years as part of sacred traditions. |
| Mental health benefits | Studies have shown that psilocybin therapy may help with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health disorders. |
| Microdosing | Microdosing refers to taking very small amounts of psilocybin (typically 0.1 to 0.3 grams) to improve mental health symptoms and increase productivity. |
| Safety | Psilocybin has a low dependence potential, low chronic toxicity, and negligible public health risks according to some studies. However, very high doses can lead to severe adverse effects and even death. |
| Research and development | Organizations such as the National Institute of Health and COMPASS Pathways are exploring the potential therapeutic value of psilocybin for conditions like substance use disorders and anorexia nervosa. |
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What You'll Learn
Psilocybin mushrooms can help treat depression
Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as "magic mushrooms", have been used by indigenous peoples in parts of Mexico and Central America for thousands of years as part of sacred ancient traditions. The primary psychoactive ingredient in these mushrooms, psilocybin, has been found to interact with serotonin receptors in the brain to trigger various psychedelic effects.
Additionally, psilocybin mushrooms have the potential to improve overall mental health and well-being. Some people take psilocybin in "microdoses" or very small amounts because they believe it will improve mental health symptoms such as depression and stress, increase productivity, and reduce pain. Microdosing is the practice of taking tiny amounts of psilocybin mushrooms several times a week to maintain brain health and a creative perspective on life. There is significant anecdotal evidence to suggest that microdosing may have benefits for people with mental health disorders and overall wellness.
While psilocybin mushrooms have shown potential in treating depression and improving mental health, it is important to note that they can also have adverse effects. High doses of psilocybin can lead to severe adverse reactions, including significant fear and transient ideas of reference/paranoia. Additionally, some poisonous mushrooms resemble psilocybin-containing mushrooms, and confusing them could result in fatal poisoning. Therefore, it is crucial to approach the use of psilocybin mushrooms with caution and under the guidance of medical professionals.
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They may be useful for those with OCD
Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive ingredient in so-called "magic mushrooms", interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain to trigger various psychedelic effects. It is believed that psilocybin may be useful in treating mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, OCD and addiction.
OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is a hard condition to understand and treat. While FDA-approved treatments include SSRIs, CBT, and TMS, these treatments have modest remission rates and many patients with OCD are considered treatment-resistant. As a result, experts are turning to less conventional options.
Psilocybin has been found to be safe and well-tolerated, although it can cause side effects such as panic, paranoia, drowsiness, anxiety, and psychosis. Due to these side effects, patients with a history of bipolar disorder, mania, or psychosis are discouraged from using psilocybin to treat OCD.
Psilocybin may be useful in treating OCD as it affects the brain's serotonergic pathways, binding with serotonin receptors and preventing their reuptake. This is significant because serotonin has already been implicated as a central factor in the appearance of OCD symptoms. Combining psilocybin with psychotherapy can help patients better understand the psychedelic imagery and content that arises as a result of the drug, which may help them decipher their troubling and traumatic experiences that plague them in the form of OCD thoughts and obsessions.
Several studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of psilocybin on OCD. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study by Yale Medicine aims to investigate the effects of oral psilocybin on OCD symptomatology and provide evidence of the neural mechanism that may mediate psilocybin's therapeutic effects on OCD. The study hypotheses that psilocybin will normalize abnormal fronto-striatal functional connectivity in patients with OCD and decrease activation in certain areas of the brain in response to symptom-provoking stimuli. Another study by Nature.com surveyed the impact of psychoactive drugs on OCD symptoms, with 92% of participants reporting that psilocybin mushrooms were the most impacting substance.
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They can aid smoking cessation
Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive ingredient in "magic mushrooms", has been shown to be effective in helping people with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, OCD, and addiction. It is believed that psilocybin can aid in smoking cessation by breaking addictive patterns of thoughts and behaviours.
Research suggests that psilocybin can help people quit smoking by altering the way the brain functions. During the experience, well-worn neural pathways become quiet while areas of the brain that normally do not communicate begin to do so. This allows people to gain new insights and a sense of clarity about their addiction.
In a 2014 pilot study, 15 participants received counselling and three doses of psilocybin. Six months later, 80% of them were smoke-free. This is a significantly higher success rate compared to conventional therapies such as nicotine replacement or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which typically have a success rate of 10% to 35%.
Another study found that the combination of CBT and psilocybin resulted in substantially higher 6-month smoking abstinence rates than other medications or CBT alone. However, it is important to note that the studies on psilocybin-assisted therapy for smoking cessation are still relatively small, and more research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness and mechanisms.
The use of psilocybin for smoking cessation is a promising development, offering hope to long-term smokers who have struggled to quit through other methods. While it may not be a suitable approach for everyone, it presents a potential new solution for those seeking to break free from their addiction to nicotine.
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They can help treat anorexia nervosa
Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive ingredient in so-called "magic mushrooms", has been used by indigenous peoples in parts of Mexico and Central America for thousands of years. In recent times, it has been studied for its potential in treating mental and behavioural health disorders.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious and life-threatening psychiatric condition that is notoriously difficult to treat. It is the most fatal of all psychiatric conditions, with mortality rates 11.6 times higher than the general population. Of these premature deaths, 25% result from suicide, with the reported suicide rate in AN up to 56 times that of the global average. Treatment dropout rates are also high, with 20 to 50% of inpatients and up to 70% of outpatients ending treatment prematurely. The standard treatment for young people with AN, family-based treatment, yields recovery in only 38% of cases.
Psilocybin therapy has been explored as a potential treatment for AN. Clinical trials are currently underway, with encouraging preliminary results that warrant further investigation in larger-scale studies. Results from early studies suggest that psilocybin therapy is safe, tolerable, and acceptable for female AN patients. However, larger clinical trials with more participant diversity are needed to deepen our understanding of the safety and tolerability of psilocybin therapy in this population.
The safety and tolerability of psilocybin therapy in individuals with AN are of utmost importance due to their unique medical vulnerabilities. The most common physiological adverse effects of psilocybin administration include tachycardia, hypertension, electrocardiogram changes, nausea, headache, and lightheadedness. Risk mitigation strategies for each of these adverse effects have been proposed to optimize the safety and tolerability of psilocybin therapy for AN patients.
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They can help treat alcohol use disorder
Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive ingredient in "magic mushrooms", has been used by indigenous peoples in parts of Mexico and Central America for thousands of years. It has been the subject of growing research interest over the past 20 years, with studies showing its potential in treating mental and behavioural health disorders.
Psilocybin has been found to be effective in treating alcohol use disorder. A 2022 study found that two doses of psilocybin pills, coupled with psychotherapy, helped people with moderate alcohol use disorder reduce drinking for at least eight months after their first treatments. The study, which involved 93 men and women with alcohol dependence, showed that psilocybin reduced heavy drinking by 83% relative to their drinking before the study began. Almost half of those who received psilocybin stopped drinking altogether compared with 24% of the placebo group.
The findings suggest that psilocybin therapy is a promising means of treating alcohol use disorder, a complex disease that has proven difficult to manage. According to Dr. Michael P. Bogenschutz, MD, director of NYU Langone’s Center for Psychedelic Medicine, "Our findings strongly suggest that psilocybin therapy is a promising means of treating alcohol use disorder, a complex disease that has proven notoriously difficult to manage."
Psilocybin is believed to produce its effects by being metabolized into psilocin, which activates serotonin 5-HT2a receptors on cortical pyramidal cells in the brain. These cells are described as "the major computational units of the brain, which is where everything comes together".
While psilocybin-assisted therapy may not be for everyone, it could be a game-changer for some patients with alcohol use disorder.
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Frequently asked questions
Psilocybin is a chemical in certain types of mushrooms that grow on nearly every continent. They have been used in religious rituals for thousands of years.
Psilocybin interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain to trigger various psychedelic effects. It has been shown to be beneficial in relieving symptoms of treatment-resistant depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other mental health disorders. It may also help with smoking cessation and anorexia nervosa treatment.
Psilocybin can cause extreme fear, anxiety, panic, or paranoia as it induces hallucinogenic effects. There is also a risk of misidentifying mushrooms and taking a toxic mushroom instead. It is recommended that people only take psilocybin under the care of a trained therapist or facilitator.
Microdosing is the practice of taking very small amounts of psilocybin regularly to improve mental state and productivity. A typical microdose is 0.1 to 0.3 grams of dried psilocybin mushrooms.
