Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms. Medicine Made of Mushrooms? Potential New Revolution in Medicine: Psychedelics
Medical experts claim that legal “magic mushrooms” offer numerous potential advantages, ranging from managing alcohol addiction to treating depression.
dim lighting. cozy furnishings. The walls are decorated with art.
This scene looks like a living room to the untrained eye. However, it’s not. This research facility was created with comfort and convenience of use in mind.
This is a psilocybin therapy session.
There is a patient on the sofa. They’re wearing headphones and eye sunglasses. There’s some soft music playing. The eight-hour session is led by two members of the study team who are in attendance. This will be a period of silent reflection for the most part.
There is trained medical personnel on hand in case something unforeseen occurs.
There is trained medical personnel on hand in case something unforeseen occurs.
This treatment session is anything but conventional, despite its outward appearance.
The primary component of “magic” mushrooms, sometimes known as “shrooms,” psilocybin, is a potent hallucinogenic.
Though it is approximately 100 times less powerful than LSD, it can nonetheless cause euphoria, mystical experiences, and distortions in one’s view of time and space.
Psilocybin doesn’t have the same level of cultural cachet as marijuana, which has seen a sharp shift in support for legalization and acknowledged therapeutic uses, or MDMA, which has made headlines recently for its possible use in treating PTSD (some researchers think the drug could receive FDA approval as early as 2021). Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
The status of studies on psilocybin| Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
Even though psilocybin hasn’t received FDA approval for anything, research has indicated that it may be able to treat a variety of behavioral and mental illnesses.
Depression, OCD, smoking cessation, alcoholism, cocaine addiction, cluster headaches, and psychological anguish due to cancer or other end-of-life issues are among its possible symptoms.
Prominent campaigns to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms have also surfaced in recent months in Denver, Colorado, and Oregon.
Experts do not believe they will pass, though.
As long as there is “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” psilocybin mushrooms are still considered a Schedule I narcotic by the narcotic Enforcement Administration.
Here’s what the current research says about psilocybin treatment for some potential indications. Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
Depression| Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
Depression is among the most researched indications for psilocybin therapy. As Healthline previously reported last year, psilocybin therapy was given “breakthrough therapy” designation (a review fast track) by the FDA for the treatment of depression.
The Usona Institute, a psychedelic research center, is currently in the planning stages of their phase III trial, which will likely begin this year.
Smoking cessation and other addictions| Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
In a small pilot study from Johns Hopkins UniversityTrusted Source, researchers found that psilocybin therapy significantly improved abstaining from smoking over a 12-month follow-up period.
Matthew Johnson, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, led that study.
According to him, psilocybin also has potential to treat other substance use disorders, including alcohol and cocaine addiction.
“The general idea is that the nature of these disorders is a narrowed mental and behavioral repertoire,” he told Healthline. “So, [psilocybin] in well-orchestrated sessions [has] the ability to essentially shake someone out of their routine to give a glimpse of a larger picture and create a mental plasticity with which people can step outside of those problems.” Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
Cancer-related psychological distress| Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
“There’ve been some promising preliminary results in such areas such as the treatment of overwhelming existential anxiety in people who are facing the end of life,who have diagnoses of advanced-stage cancer,” Dr. Charles Grob, professor of psychiatry at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, told Healthline.
Grob, who’s also affiliated with the Heffter Research Institute, has studied psilocybin extensively and authored research on the subject, including, among other things, a pilot studyTrusted Source in 2011 on psilocybin treatment for anxiety in people with cancer.
A randomized, double-blind trial from Johns Hopkins in 2016 found that a single dose of psilocybin substantially improved quality of life and decreased depression and anxiety in people with life-threatening cancer diagnoses.
“The thing that we have the most evidence for is cancer-related depression and anxiety. That seems really strong, and I’d be surprised if those results didn’t hold up,” Johnson said, who was part of that research.
Will psilocybin ever be approved by the FDA?| Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
Despite promising research, there’s no realistic timeline for when, or if, psilocybin will ever be approved by the FDA.
All three experts interviewed by Healthline stress that the substance can be dangerous for a host of different reasons if administered incorrectly.
“It will only be administered in a clinic by specially trained and certified therapists, physicians. It’s never gonna be available out on the street where people can sell it or take too much, or take too many of their pills from a prescription,” Greer said.
Psilocybin affects the cardiovascular system and can lead to increased blood pressure or irregular heartbeat.
It may also result in severe and long-lasting psychological issues.
“Compared to cannabis, psilocybin is far more dangerous psychologically, and it’s especially dangerous for a small percentage of the population who have experienced mania, psychosis, or a manic episode—or even, say, a close family member who has experienced those problems—because it can set off a manic or psychotic episode in someone who is susceptible to it,” Greer said.
Furthermore, using the medication could result in a “bad trip” or other unpleasant experience. Seldom but not infrequently, people have been known to jump to their deathsTrusted Source or act erratically in ways that put themselves or others in danger. Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
Enormous Benefits of Magic mushrooms
While research is ongoing and the legal status of these mushrooms varies, here are some of the potential medical benefits that have been studied:
- Treatment-resistant depression: Several studies have suggested that psilocybin, the primary psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, may have antidepressant effects. Research indicates that a single dose of psilocybin, combined with psychotherapy, could lead to significant and lasting reductions in depressive symptoms, particularly in individuals with treatment-resistant depression.
- Anxiety and PTSD: Preliminary research suggests that psilocybin-assisted therapy may also be beneficial for individuals with anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some studies have shown that psilocybin can help reduce anxiety and improve mood when used in a controlled therapeutic setting. Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
- Addiction treatment: There is growing interest in the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy for the treatment of various substance use disorders, including alcohol and tobacco addiction. Psilocybin therapy may help individuals overcome addiction by promoting self-reflection, enhancing motivation to change, and reducing cravings.
- End-of-life distress: Psilocybin therapy has shown promise in reducing existential distress and anxiety in individuals facing life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer. Some studies suggest that a single dose of psilocybin, administered in a supportive environment, can lead to significant improvements in quality of life and overall well-being in terminally ill patients. Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
- Neuroplasticity and brain function: Research indicates that psilocybin may promote neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new connections. This could potentially have implications for the treatment of various neurological and psychiatric disorders, although more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved. Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
It’s important to note that while these potential medical benefits are promising, further research is needed to better understand the safety, efficacy, and long-term effects of magic mushrooms and their psychoactive compounds. Additionally, the therapeutic use of magic mushrooms should only be undertaken under the guidance of trained professionals in a controlled and supportive setting. Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
