Psychedelic therapy is a technique that involves the use of psychedelic substances to aid the therapeutic process. Hallucinogenic substances have been used in holistic medicine and for spiritual practices by various cultures for thousands of years.
Research on the use of psychedelics flourished during the 1950s and 1960s until such substances were made illegal in the United States. While psychedelic drugs such as LSD and psilocybin are still illegal in the U.S., they are believed to have the potential to treat a range of conditions including anxiety, depression, and addiction.
Over the last two decades, researchers have gotten approval from authorities to conduct trials on the use of these substances to treat various conditions. For example, researchers have found that psilocybin is not only safe but that it can produce significant positive effects on well-being.
When utilized under supervision in a carefully controlled setting, research shows that some psychedelic substances can produce lasting and significant psychological and behavioral changes.
Types of Psychedelic Therapy
There are a number of different types of substances that can have psychedelic effects. Some common psychedelic substance and their uses include:
Ayahuasca: This brew originating in South America is purported to help with addiction, anxiety, and depression. Possible side effects of Ayahuasca include serotonin syndrome and medication interactions.
LSD: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) can lead to altered mood, perception, and consciousness. Potential uses include the treatment of addiction and anxiety.
Psilocybin: Like LSD, psilocybin alters consciousness, mood, and perceptions. It is being studied for its use in the treatment of addiction, anxiety, and depression.
MDMA (ecstasy): While not a classic psychedelic substance, MDMA (also known as ecstasy) is a drug that produces “psychedelic effects” including feelings of euphoria, altered perceptions, increased arousal, and increased sociability. Research suggests it has therapeutic potential in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Techniques
Because there is no standardized method of administration and practice, individual practitioners have their own methods for administering psychedelic therapy. However, there are often a few common elements:
Administration of a low to moderate dose of a psychedelic drug
Supervision by a professional during the psychedelic experience
Repeating the psychedelic dose with one to two weeks between sessions
During a psychedelic session, factors known as set and setting are critical. Set refers to things such as mood and expectations. Setting refers to the environment where the session takes place and the relationship with the therapist. The goal is to be comfortable with the therapist and the room where the session will take place. It is also important for patients to go into the experience feeling calm and attentive.
After the psychedelic experience, the focus at the next step is a process known as integration. These psychotherapy sessions are designed to help the individual process, make sense of, and find meaning in the psychedelic experience.
Microdosing
One variation of psychedelic therapy is known as microdosing, which involves taking very small, sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelic substances. Proponents of microdosing suggest that even these very low doses can have beneficial health effects such as enhancing performance, increasing energy, and decreasing depression.
While there is some evidence that microdosing may have some beneficial effects, more research is needed.
What Psychedelic Therapy Can Help With
Researchers have uncovered a number of potential applications for psychedelic therapy. Studies have found that anxiety, depression, substance use, alcohol use, and PTSD may all respond positively to psychedelic-assisted treatments.
Anxiety and mood disorders: Psychedelics appear to have potential mood benefits that may be helpful in the treatment of depression. A 2016 randomized double-blind controlled trial found that psilocybin treatment led to significant reductions in anxiety and depression in patients undergoing cancer treatment.
Alcohol and substance use disorders: Early research showed strong evidence that LSD could help in the recovery from substance use conditions. Some more recent evidence also supports the idea that psychedelic therapy holds promise as an addiction treatment.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Research also suggests that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy may be useful in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MDMA is best known as the main ingredient in the club drug ecstasy (or molly), but it also has psychedelic effects that have been shown to be useful for severe forms of PTSD that have not responded to other forms of treatment.
Benefits of Psychedelic Therapy
Psychedelics are powerful substances that can produce profound mind-altering effects. These drugs are believed to work by affecting the neural circuits that use the neurotransmitter serotonin. Some of the potential benefits of these substances include:
Feelings of relaxation
Improved sense of well-being
Increased social connectedness
Introspection
Spiritual experiences
It is important to remember that while psychedelics can produce positive benefits, it is also common for people to experience effects such as:
Altered sense of time
Distortions of reality
Distorted perceptual experiences
Intense perceptions or emotions
Paranoia
Seeing, hearing, or sensing things that one would otherwise not experience
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), these effects are a type of drug-induced psychosis that affects a person’s ability to communicate with others, think rationally, and interpret reality. When used in a therapeutic setting where a trained professional can help a person understand and integrate these experiences, psychedelic therapy has the potential to help relieve the symptoms of certain psychiatric conditions.
After taking psychedelic substances, some people report having mystical or spiritual experiences. They may describe having feelings of peace, joy, unity, and empathy.
One study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that the mood improvements induced by psychedelic drugs also appear to have lasting benefits. People who took psilocybin continued to experience improved well-being and increased social connectedness even after the substances wore off.
Effectiveness
Psychedelic therapy shows a great deal of promise in the treatment of a wide variety of mental health conditions including addiction and depression. While further research is needed, current trials are underway to better determine the applications and effectiveness of using different psychedelic drugs to treat specific conditions.
Anxiety and Mood Disorders
Psilocybin-assisted therapy was also associated with increased quality of life, improved optimism, and reduced anxiety over mortality. About 80% of participants continued to show improvements six months later.
Another study looked at the effects of real-world psychedelic use by surveying music festival attendees. The participants reported that taking LSD and psilocybin helped improve mood and feel more socially connected. They also reported that these effects continued even after the drugs had worn off.
Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
A 2015 study found that psilocybin-assisted therapy was associated with decreased drinking, reduced alcohol cravings, and increased abstinence. Psychedelic therapy’s efficacy for alcohol and substance use has not yet been clearly established, however. One 2012 study found that a single dose of LSD had a beneficial effect on alcohol misuse up to six months after treatment, but the effects were not significant at the 12-month mark.
One 2019 study involved surveying people who had already quit using alcohol with the use of psychedelics. While only 10% of the respondents used psychedelics intentionally as a way to reduce alcohol use, more than 25% reported that the hallucinogenic experience played a role in changing their alcohol use.
It is important to note, however, that studies such as this are based on self-reports by people who have taken psychedelics in the past. In order to determine if psychedelic therapy is truly effective in the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders, more research using randomized clinical trials is needed.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Clinical trials have demonstrated the treatment’s long-term efficacy in the treatment of PTSD. One study found that 54% of participants no longer met the criteria for diagnosis following treatment. Only 23% of participants in the control group no longer met the diagnostic criteria upon follow-up.
The benefits also appear to be long-lasting: 68% of those in the MDMA-assisted therapy treatment did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD a year after treatment.
Things to Consider
While psychedelic therapy is generally considered safe and is well-tolerated, there are some potential risks and adverse effects to consider. The classic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin pose few risks in terms of physical or psychological dependence along with other risks such as the following.
Negative Psychological Reactions
The potential for negative psychological reactions such as the symptoms of anxiety, panic, and paranoia is something to consider. The use of psychedelics can also result in what is known as a “bad trip.” These experiences are marked by intense and terrifying feelings of anxiety and the fear of losing control.
Possible Personality Changes
Some have suggested that these drugs have the potential to produce long-term mind-altering, personality-changing effects. For example, one study found that psilocybin therapy was associated with increases in extroversion and openness. These findings suggest that people may become more outgoing and willing to try new things after being treated with psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Dangers of Self-Treatment
Another potential concern is the possibility of people using psychedelic substances to self-treat. Self-treatment can pose a number of risks including the psychological dangers of experiencing a bad trip, the possibility of drug interactions, and the fact that many street drugs are mixed with unknown and potentially harmful substances.
The effects that a person experiences with psychedelic substances can be unpredictable and can vary depending on the amount of the substance that is used as well as the individual’s personality, mood, and surroundings.5
How to Get Started
In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) named psilocybin-assisted therapy as a “breakthrough therapy.” This designation is designed to speed up the development and review of drugs that preliminary clinical trials have indicated treat serious conditions.
Currently, clinical trials into the use of LSD and psilocybin as treatments for alcohol dependence, anxiety, and depression are underway
Never try to self-treat with psychedelics. In clinical settings, people are given a specified, pure dose, are supervised during the psychedelic experience, and receive professional help from a therapist to integrate the experience.
It is also important to note that while psychedelic therapy has demonstrated that it can be helpful in the treatment of a number of conditions, researchers are still exploring the exact mechanisms of action. Further research will allow scientists to figure out which drugs are most helpful for specific conditions, what doses should be used, and when such treatments should be avoided.
So, if you’ve ever done magic mushrooms, it’s extremely likely that you’ve experienced the nausea that is widely reported as one of the most common unpleasant side effects of ingesting psilocybin mushrooms. Often, this is a mild nausea that starts to come on about 15-20 minutes after ingesting the mushrooms, before the psychoactive effects kick in – but sometimes, it resurfaces later in the experience. For most, it’s a nuisance that passes relatively quickly, but sometimes can be quite severe and even result in vomiting. So, what is it exactly that causes nausea? Why does it happen? And maybe most importantly, what (if anything) can we do about it? All this and more, answered in this article!
How Humans Digest Mushrooms
Obviously, magic mushrooms are different than their non-psychoactive counterparts, but mycologically speaking, aside from the presence of the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin, the human body digest magic mushrooms in much the same way as it digests normal mushrooms – so looking at what we know about how mushrooms are digested might offer the first clues. Paul Stamets is the author of Psilocybin Mushrooms in the World, a leading mycologist, and psychonaut who has been at the forefront of helping to classify and organize human knowledge around magic mushrooms for some time. He explained that, outside of instances where people are looking to eat mushrooms for their psychoactive potential, we should almost never be eating mushrooms raw.
“Raw mushrooms are largely indigestible because of their tough cell walls, mainly composed of chitin. Raw mushrooms and raw mycelium may pose health hazards from harmful pathogens and heat-sensitive toxins—potentially causing red blood cell damage, gastrointestinal irritation, and allergic reactions, such as skin rashes.” – Dr. Paul Samets
Another mushroom expert, Dr. Andrew Weil, in an article on his website, noted that “mushrooms have very tough cell walls and are essentially indigestible if you don’t cook them. Thoroughly heating them releases the nutrients they contain, including protein, B vitamins, and minerals, as well as a wide range of novel compounds not found in other foods.” He goes on to explain that not only is the chitin material that composes the cell walls indigestible, but it’s possible for it to cause inflammatory and immune responses in the process of being broken down. Chitin doesn’t occur naturally in the human body, but we do produce an enzyme called chitinase – this enzyme breaks up the chitin in our system, and the smaller molecules that occur as a result of this breaking down can potentially cause these inflammatory responses. So, when it comes to mushrooms that are being used for culinary purposes, on all fronts it seems like the best bet is to simply prepare them beforehand by cooking them in any number of different ways. However, cooking shrooms is not necessarily the best option when we’re talking about magic mushrooms. This is because heating them can destroy the psychedelic compounds; this is why magic mushrooms are traditionally eaten raw, or, most commonly, dried. It’s entirely possible that the nausea experienced from eating magic mushrooms is simply related to eating raw chitin, but there are some other ideas that have surfaced related to the different array of chemicals that can be found in magic mushrooms.
The Other Chemicals in Magic Mushrooms
So, it’s well-known (and we’ve even mentioned earlier in this article) that psilocybin and pislocin are the two main compounds found in magic mushrooms that give them their psychedelic properties. There are a number of these compounds, but the most prevalent are baeocystin, norbaocystin, norpsilocin, aeruginascin and phenethylamine. Each of these compounds are similar to psilocybin, varying primarily in the different methyl groups on their amines. We do have records of studies in which people have taken pure, synthetic psilocybin and reported nausea as a side effect. These people had never taken mushrooms before and were not told beforehand to expect nausea as a side-effect, so it’s highly unlikely that this was a placebo effect.
So, contrasting what we just read in the preceding section, there may be something specific about the psilocybin compound itself that causes nausea, even when isolated from the other compounds found in the mushroom. We also know that the human body process psilocybin into psilocin in the process of digestion, and so it might be the psilocin being formed, or a side-effect of the processing that causes these issues Of all the compounds we listed, phenylethylamine is the most distinct.
Phenethylamine is a central nervous system stimulant and neurotransmitter that has potential hallucinogenic effects in humans. Amphetamine, methamphetamine, and MDMA are all examples of phenethylamines that enjoy widespread use in modern society for recreational, medicinal, and therapeutic effects. It’s also widely noted that these substances can cause side effects such as raising heart rate, increasing blood pressure, and inducing – you guess it – nausea. However, Alexander Shulgin (author of the famous books, Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved and Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved,) believes it is unlikely that phenethylamines in mushrooms are responsible for these effects. According the Shulgin, phenethylamines by themselves are “rapidly and completely destroyed” when ingested by humans, and that it’s only in the presence of a specific set of other molecules that phenethylamines will remain intact long enough for their psychopharmacological effects to be felt – and that these molecules are not present in psilocybin mushrooms.
The Role of Beta-Glucan
So, we’ve isolated the potentially nauseating components of magic mushrooms to: the chitin in the cell walls, and the psilocybin itself. Obviously, we don’t want want to do anything that would eliminate psilocybin from the mushrooms, as that would defeat the entire purpose – but can something be done about the chitin? Well, in order to understand that, we first need to understand what’s actually happening when it’s being broken down in the stomach. Biologist Ian Bollinger says that even though no one has pinned down exactly what it is that’s causing the nausea, there’s strong evidence that points to a substance called beta-glucan. Beta-glucan is a type of sugar that’s commonly found in oats, and other grains, but is found in significantly more abundance in the chitin of the mushroom cell walls.
His theory is that the excess amount of beta-glucan as it’s broken down in the stomach causes a reaction, because the stomach is acidic, and beta-glucan is basic – if you remember your elementary school science class lessons of missing vinegar and baking soda, that should be a quick reminder of what can happen when acids and bases are mixed! There’s more evidence to support this theory as well. Beta-glucan is sometimes taken as a supplement for people with high cholesterol, or who suffer from other heart health problems. One of the noted side effects of taking beta-glucan supplements is, you guessed it, nausea. Therefore, it seems likely that the nausea caused by ingesting magic mushrooms is largely attributable to the chitin in the cell walls, and the psilocybin compound itself. It’s also worth noting that the symptoms of nausea are far more likely to be experienced if a person is already dehydrated or in poor physical health, and also when taking exceedingly large doses. All of this is great, but… nausea still sucks! And is there anything we can do about it? Well, fear not fellow psychonaut – we have some answers that should help you with that, too!
How to Reduce Nausea When Taking Magic Mushrooms
A Citrus Bath with Lemon Juice Will Help With Nause from Magic Mushrooms
So, if the prospect of experiencing nausea or potentially vomiting is enough to dissuade you from taking mushrooms, even though you think the experience might otherwise be beneficial for you, then there is something you can do that has been shown to help reduce the experience of nausea, if not eliminate it altogether. So, what is this “One Simple Trick to Make Mushrooms Go Down Easier?” (Damn – I probably should have named the article that!) Well, it’s pretty simple – and it comes back down to the relationship between the stomach acid and beta-glucan. And the trick is, essentially, using lemon juice. It looks like this:
1: Grind the mushrooms into a fine powder, or as small pieces as possible.
2: Put the powder in a glass
3: Pour enough lemon juice to submerge the powder completely, and stir for 1 minute.
4: Down the hatch!
The reason that this works, according to Bollinger, is that the lemon juice has around the same Ph level as your stomach acid. By exposing the cell walls of the mushroom and the beta-glucan to lemon juice, it begins the process of breaking it down before the mushrooms are ingested, resulting in less of a reaction once the mushrooms reach the stomach acid. This technique has been used by many people who have reported favourable results, although there are certainly some caveats that should be considered.
The first thing that should be considered is that a citrus bath will actually cause the onset of your trip to come on faster, be greater in intensity, and last for a shorter period of time. In Bollinger’s own words, “Lemon juice is an aqueous solution with a low Ph,” Bollinger explains. “Low Ph means excessive hydrogens. Putting psilocybin in that solution removes the phosphate group and replaces it with a hydroxyl group. That turns it into psilocin. If you think of the experience like a bell curve,” Bollinger says, “with the effects slowly ramping up, peaking, and ramping back down, a lemon [bath] will compress it. What you’re doing is heightening the curve but you’re also shortening the length.” Depending on the kind of experience you’re looking for, a shorter, more intense high might suit your needs – but it’s good to understand that the citrus bath will affect how the high actually happens. Secondly, it’s important to understand that although the citrus bath will help mitigate the experience of nausea caused by ingesting magic mushrooms, it won’t necessarily get rid of it altogether. As mentioned before, it seems like the human body has a tendency to react to psilocybin by itself with a slight nausea, so even if you are treating your mushrooms with a citrus bath, you should still be expecting the nausea.
An even easier solution would be to take a look at our selection of magic mushroom teas.
Advice from Reddit
If that’s not enough for you guys, I’ve consolidated some of the advice users have provided on the forum Reddit, here: One user recommends a more refined citrus bath:
1 – go to the store, buy a lemon or lime, whichever you prefer the taste of.
2 – grind up your shrooms with either a grinder or your fingers. Both work just fine.
3 – put the shrooms in a french press and squeeze the lemon or lime into the french press until the little bits are fully covered.
4 – Stirring every so often, let the sludge sit for about 30 minutes. To better understand what is going on here, just look up lemon-tek.
5 – Put some ginger, your favorite tea (I prefer chamomile for this), some honey (or sugar if you have no honey) into the mix.
6 – bring water to an almost boil and then pour it into the french press.
7 – put the lid and such on and put the french press aside. Go take a shower and get ready for your trip.
8 – once you are done showering, give it a good stir and press the french press filter down as far as it will go.
9 – pour yourself a nice warm cup of tea and enjoy it; make sure you get ALL the liquid out. Some suggest squeezing the bits until they are dry and others don’t care. This is up to you. I prefer to not gulp it all down as I love the taste and love tea. some friends however prefer to just pound it. whatever’s clever for you.
This will do a few things. First, the lemon tek will help offload some of the psilocybin->psilocin process from your stomach. While this will not do much for nausea, it will kick-start the trip sooner and can yank you right past the anxiety and anticipation stage if that also bugs you. Second, part of what makes most nauseous comes from when the body tries to break down the cellular wall on the shrooms. By not putting this in your system, you are going to find that you won’t feel nauseous at all, or shouldn’t.
When eating them, I used to feel so damn sick through an entire trip that it would ruin my trips. By making tea, I am able to enjoy all that the shrooms have to offer without a worry of nausea.
I hope this helps!
MUSH LOVE!
Closing Thoughts
In summary, there are a few different methods you can try – but by all accounts, the most consistent and best method seems to be the preemptive citrus bath. In addition, some quick tips that will help to mitigate the nausea: – Eat a light snack beforehand. Not a full meal, which might delay the onset and offset the potency of the high, but enough that the shrooms aren’t going down on a completely empty stomach. – Make sure you’re well-rested and hydrated. Lack of sleep and dehydration can cause nausea by themselves, no reason to add tinder to the fire. – Don’t mix mushrooms with other drugs. This is just generally good advice – but the more psychoactive chemicals you’re mixing together, the more likely your body is to have an adverse reaction. Play it on the safe side, and keep them separate!
Stoned Ape Theory (A Visualization)The Stoned Ape Theory
As with much related to the history of psilocybin mushrooms, our records give us a piece of the picture when it comes to microdosing, but not the whole thing. Throughout the 1960s, the great American ethnobotanist and psychonaut, Terence McKenna, began documenting the cultural history of the usage of psychedelics (and especially psilocybin), in many different cultures around the world; especially throughout Nepal and the Southern Amazon.
His interests grew over time as he began experimenting with psychedelics more himself. He was a key public advocate for psychedelics while they experienced their first surge in popularity in America and Canada through the 1960s and 70s. McKenna, among many other things, was the first person to propose what has come to be known as the “Stoned Ape” theory, positing that the evolution from homo erectus to homo sapien has primarily to do with the introduction of psilocybin to their diet.
His theory goes that, around 100,000 BCE, during Africa’s great desertification, our ancestors would have been driven from the lush, tropical canopies into the harsher and dryer desert climate, with significantly scarcer food. At this point, humanity began following and hunting the massive herds of cattle that roamed the continent at that time. As a result, he explains, humans would have spent a lot of time around cow dung, in which psilocybin mushrooms were first found growing. It’s doubtless that these mushrooms, and the insects who fed on them, would have formed a part of our ancestor’s diets.
McKenna thought that these mushrooms, when consumed fresh and in small doses, could have provided increased mental and visual acuity. This could have made the people who first started consuming the mushrooms better hunters, and eventually over time as they consumed more and accessed higher levels of altered consciousness, helped plant the seeds of language, music, and culture. The link between psilocybin and visual cognitive processing has later been explored, such as by Richard M. Hill and Roland Fischer in a 1971 study, which found that psilocybin significantly lowered human spatial distortion thresholds (i.e. made us more sensitive to smaller shifts in our visual field. .)
So, if this theory has any purchase whatsoever, then the human species has been benefiting from microdosing psilocybin since before the human species was the human species.
Dr. James Fadiman – The Godfather of Modern Microdosing
Dr. James Fadiman – I’ll have what he’s havingDr. James Fadiman lounging
Not many people are aware that much of the modern buzz around psychedelic microdosing can be traced back to one man: Dr. James Fadiman. Fadiman was born to a Jewish family in New York, and grew up in Bel Air, California. After completing his Bachelor of Arts at Harvard, Fadiman spent the summer in Paris, where his former undergraduate advisor, Ram Dass, introduced him to psychedelics vis a vis psilocybin mushrooms. After being blown away by this experience, he accompanied Dass along with Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley to the 14th Annual Congress of Applied Psychology in Coppenhagan, Denmark, where there would be a panel on the possible uses of psychedelic drugs. These experiences would prove to provide defining guidance for the rest of Fadiman’s life and work, as he later returned to Stanford, CA to pursue his Master’s and PhD in psychology, with a focus on psychedelics.
Fadiman was one of the first academics to notice and zero in on the potential of what he called “sub-perceptual dosing” of psychedelics – a different term for what we know as microdosing today. In 1966, Fadiman was a part of the research team working on the psychedelics in problem-solving experimentat the International Foundation for Advanced Study in Menlo Park, CA. The experiment aimed to substantiate the hypothesis that microdosing psychedelics could help professionals with solving problems. Initial results from these trials were encouraging, but the research was unfortunately cut short one morning in the summer of 1966, when Fadiman and his team received a letter from the US Food and Drug Administration, pulling the plug on the project. The FDA declared a moratorium on all research into psychedelics using human participants as a tactic to combat illicit use.
Fadiman was crushed, but he and his team were forced to move forward with the results that they had. A total of 22 subjects had been dosed through their experiments – all of them scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. Since they were no longer allowed to dose new participants, all they had left to do was conduct their 6-month follow-up interviews with the people they’d already worked with. Every single one reported lasting effects that helped them in solve problems that seemed at the time otherwise intractable. The list of innovations they credited as having come from a single psychedelic experience included: a mathematical theorem for NOR gate circuits, a conceptual model of a photon, a linear electron accelerator beam-steering device, a new design for the vibratory microtome, a technical improvement of the magnetic tape recorder, blueprints for a private residency and an arts-and-crafts shopping plaza, and a space probe experiment designed to measure solar properties.
Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley at the 14th Annual Congress of Applied Psychology in Copenhagen, Denmark
Fadiman, then aged 27, knew that he was onto something major, and resolved to continue exploring the benefits of psychedelics, regardless of what the FDA had to say about it. Of course, he couldn’t keep doing so out in the open – he had to come up with a new strategy. He knew that there were still ways for people to buy magic mushrooms, LSD, and other psychedelics on the black market. And so, Fadiman founded the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology, a non-profit organization through which he provided advice to those who had access to their own psychedelics, and wanted to know how they should approach using them. He also solicited and collected anecdotal reports from 100s of people starting in the early 1970s, and continuing for 40 years before he published a summary of his findings from these reports in his 2011 masterpiece, The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide.
The book detailed the experiences of many people, with a specific emphasis on those in academia, technical STEM professionals, and creative professionals. Part of what he emphasizes in this book is the nearly universal acclaim for the benefits of microdosing. The book accumulated a bit of a cult following – especially in the burgeoning tech scene in San Francisco, where the term ‘microdosing’ and its popular use exploded, soon spreading to many other corners of the Western world. And so, the microdosing renaissance began to bloom. I’ll share the highlights from a few stories of people advocating for the benefits of microdosing:
Stories from Microdosing Enthusiasts
Stephen Gray, a self-described “lifelong student, teacher, and researcher of spiritual paths,” is an ardent advocate for the benefits of low-dose psilocybin, and in correspondence with Fadiman during the late 90s had this to say:
“It’s well known to the experienced that medium to high doses of psilocybin mushrooms… can provoke experiences of stunning insight, visions of great beauty, an abundance of love, and authentic mystical experiences…. Much less frequently discussed are the benefits of very low-dose experiences with these mushrooms.
“The result was… a subtle but noticeable sharpness of mind and emotion…. My guitar playing became more focused and agile…. I also noticed my ability to recollect lyrics was noticeably superior to my norm.
“In conjunction with the sharpness has been a softening of the heart, which helped me connect to the emotion of the songs…. I’ve noticed my mind grokked meanings that had previously eluded me.
“The mushroom appears to temporarily dismantle inhibition and hesitation to seeing things clearly and talking about personal topics straightforwardly…. I’ve had some very intimate conversations with friends where we revealed ourselves without raising defensive reactions.
“Ingesting such small doses is something most people can do safely on their own. No particular ritual is necessary to elicit beneficial effects.”
Anita, a professional model living in New York, on the habit of microdosing said,
“I took a pinch of it each day. I found that I was much more emotionally even and more able to see the world as inter-related rather than disjointed. It was a fully pleasurable experience.”
Nathan, a professional bass and guitar player, and avid surfer said,
“I took a small hit of mushroom the other day… went out surfing. It was a life-changing event. I was so much more in my body and could feel deeper into it…. What was so special is that for the past few weeks, I’ve been really down. A great long-term love relationship broke up, and I’ve been devastated. I’m still sad about it, but I now know it’s only a part of me.”
An anonymous psychedelic researcher, group leader, and writer, had this to share about his University days at the University of California in San Diego. His story is so charming, I’ve reproduced it here in full:
My introduction to psychedelics had convinced me of their value. I was taking a biology course to prepare for medical school, and we were studying the development of the chick embryo. After the first meeting of the one-quarter-long course, I realized that in order to stay alert, a tiny dose of LSD could be useful. With that in mind, I licked a small, but very potent, tablet emblazoned with the peace sign before every class. This produced a barely noticeable brightening of colors and created a generalized fascination with the course and my professor, who was otherwise uninteresting to me. Unfortunately, when finals came around, my health disintegrated and I missed the final exam. The next day I called my professor and begged for mercy. She said, “No problem, come to my lab.” “When shall we schedule this?” She suggested immediately. With some dismay, I agreed that I would meet her within an hour. I reached into the freezer and licked the almost exhausted fragment of the tablet I had used for class. I decided that there was so little left I might as well swallow it all.
At the lab my professor suggested that, since it was such an amazing day, perhaps I could take the exam outside in the wetland wilderness reserve that surrounded the lab. The view of the swamp was stunning! Somehow it had never seemed beautiful to me before. She asked that I take my notebook and pencil out. “Please draw for me the complete development of the chick from fertilization to hatching. That is the only question.” I gasped, “But that is the entire course!” “Yes, I suppose it is, but make-up exams are supposed to be harder than the original, aren’t they?” I couldn’t imagine being able to regurgitate the entire course. As I sat there despondently, I closed my eyes and was flooded with grief. Then I noticed that my inner visual field was undulating like a blanket that was being shaken at one end. I began to see a movie of fertilization! When I opened my eyes a few minutes later, I realized that the movie could be run forward and back and was clear as a bell in my mind’s eye, even with my physical eyes open. Hesitantly, I drew the formation of the blastula, a hollow ball of cells that develops out of the zygote (fertilized egg). As I carefully drew frame after frame of my inner movie, it was her turn to gape! The tiny heart blossomed. The formation of the notochord, the neural groove, and the beginnings of the nervous system were flowing out of my enhanced imagery and onto the pages. A stupendous event—the animated wonder of embryonic growth and the differentiation of cells—continued at a rapid pace. I drew as quickly as I could. To my utter amazement, I was able to carefully and completely replicate the content of the entire course, drawing after drawing, like the frames of animation that I was seeing as a completed film! It took me about an hour and a quarter drawing as fast as I could to reproduce the twenty-one-day miracle of chick formation. Clearly impressed, my now suddenly lovely professor smiled and said, “Well, I suppose you deserve an A!” The sunlight twinkled on the water, the cattails waved in the gentle breeze, and the gentle wonder of life was everywhere.
There are millions of people in America and Canada alone who admit to having microdosed psychedelics at some point in their lives, and experienced the incredible benefits they can offer – and we all owe a debt to Fadiman for the seminal work that he conducted in the field, right under the nose of US Lawmakers.
What Drugs are Used for Microdosing?
There are a wide variety of different drugs that people can and do microdose regularly. What we’ve compiled here is a list, specifically, of the 7 most commonly used drugs for microdosing.
We should emphasize that some of these drugs may be illegal where you live, and may be dangerous when taken without medical supervision. This list should not be considered a guide for using these substances, or as a recommendation – we’re just reporting what’s out there.
Psilocybin Mushrooms
Psilocybin Mushrooms are the most well-known and widely used psychedelic in the world. They are extremely popular in the microdosing community because they are all-natural, comparatively easier to find than some of the other substances on this list, and provide consistent and far-reaching benefits.
Users who microdose psilocybin often report feeling an increased sense of connectedness, sharpness, mental and visual acuity, creativity, problem-solving abilities, a higher level of engagement and interest in the world around them.
LSD
LSD (or lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as ‘acid,’) is, next to psilocybin, undoubtedly the most popular psychedelic drug for both mirco- and macro-dosing. LSD is a synthetic drug, first developed by the Swiss chemist, Albert Hoffman in the 1930s. From there, it found its way across the world, and has captivated the interests of researchers, psychologists, psychonauts, and recreational drug users around the world.
The LSD microdose effects are reportedly similar to those of psilocybin, however it is commonly reported that there is a kind of “buzz” of energy accompanying the LSD micro, somewhat like a caffeine high. This can be contrasted with the more mellow effects of the mushroom microdose.
Cannabis
Known by a wide variety of names (marijuana, weed, etc.), cannabis is one of the most popular drugs across the world. Derived from the buds of the cannabis plant, it is commonly smoked, vaporized, processed into extracts, eaten, and consumed in a wide variety of different ways.
People who microdose cannabis report that they often do so for pain alleviation from things like inflammation, or sore muscles after working out. Some users also report it helping them deal with anxiety in social situations.
DMT
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (commonly known as DMT), is well-known in psychonautic circles, but enjoys a little less mainstream acclaim than any of the previously-mentioned substances. Recently, DMT has been brought into the limelight a little bit by celebrities like Joe Rogan and Mike Tyson, who speak effusively about its incredible benefits. Most of the people who use DMT look for the “breakthrough” experiences that can happen with a macrodose, but there’s a growing contingent of people having great experiences microdosing as well.
Ayahuasca is an umbrella term that refers to a range of different herbal brews traditionally used in shamanistic practices in South America, especially in Peru. What all of the brews have in common is the inclusion of plants that contain DMT in their molecular structure.
Ayahuasca microdosing is not extremely common, but some users have commented that it provided them with an increased feeling of openness and spiritual connectedness, but also cautioned that it made them feel more passive and lazy, and it was not well-suited to getting work done.
Iboga
Tabernanthe iboga, often simply referred to as “iboga,” is a shrub native to Gabon, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but now actively cultivated across West Africa. It is an extremely potent hallucinogen, and one of the rare few psychedelics with known fatalities associated with its use – we thus prescribe extreme caution to anyone considering experimenting with it.
Iboga microdosing has anecdotally been reported to be incredibly effective in the treatment of addictions and certain compulsive behaviors. Compared with other psychedelics there is comparatively little research available on the plant, and we again recommend proceeding with extreme caution.
Ketamine
Ketamine is pretty well-known as a recreational, “party” drug – having found its initial clinical application as an anaesthetic and tranquilizer. It was noted by many users that when ingested, it can produce euphoric, psychedelic, trance-like states, and became popular for that reason.
In recent years, research has been conducted into the potential efficacy of ketamine as a treatment option for people suffering with depression. And anecdotally, users have reported some effectiveness in using ketamine as a way to help manage anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other related mood disorders.
Reddit and Microdosing – A Deep Dive into r/microdosing
/r/microdosing Says
In October of 2019, a research team out of the German Institute for Addiction and Prevention Research, Catholic University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Germany consisting of Toby Lea, Nicole Amada & Henrik Jungaberle published a paper titled Psychedelic Microdosing: A Subreddit Analysis in which they analyzed the content of the microdosing forum on the popular internet site, Reddit. They wanted to understand more about the motivations, dosing practices, perceived benefits and limitations of microdosing, as self-reported by the users of the forum.
They analyzed all the threads on the r/microdosing subreddit posted between January 26 and March 14 of 2018 – in total, 174 relevant threads were studied – focusing specifically on psilocybin and LSD microdosing.
On the motivations behind microdosing, they found extremely strong trends and were able to lump them all into three distinct categories that would cover why people might be interested in microdosing.
Why Are People Microdosing?
1. Self-management of mental health issues – by far the most commonly represented, consisting primarily of people seeking alternatives to conventional pharmaceuticals as a way of providing self-managed maintenance therapy, especially for depression- and anxeity-related mental health issues.
2. Improving psycho-social wellbeing, the second-most common named motivation, these users were seeking a range of goals including self-acceptance, establishing greater meaning and purpose in life, aligning work and study with life goals, and cultivating more trusting and connected interpersonal relationships.
3. Enhancing cognitive performance – the third most common category consisted of people seeking to improve their focus, productivity, and stamina while working or studying, while a smaller number were microdosing to enhance creativity and problem-solving.
The benefits as self-reported by these users were separated into 7 distinct categories.
The Benefits of Microdosing
1. Cognitive and creative enhancement – some posters reported that absorbing new information and generating new ideas became “effortless”, without over-analysis, procrastination, and anxiety that could often characterize intellectual and creative tasks when not microdosing. Posters reported experiencing increased motivation and clarity in thinking, with which they were able to more effectively prioritize tasks both in and outside of work, and identify “time-wasting” activities. While most posters reported these effects in reference to days that they microdosed, some posters reported that the effects “do seem to carry over into the following days”
2. Reduced depression and anxiety – Microdosing was typically perceived as more effective than psychiatric medications in providing relief from mental health symptoms, and that the effects were experienced very quickly, often within one hour of microdosing. Many posters reported that they felt “normal” for the first time in many years, something that they did not experience with psychiatric medications. Microdosing had had a profound impact on some posters, who described it as “life-changing” and a “lifesaver”. Posters who were microdosing for anxiety reported feeling calmer, more present and able to face situations that would normally be anxiety-provoking, without getting stuck in a cycle of worry and inertia
3. Enhanced self-insight and mindfulness – posters reported reflecting on their life circumstances and identifying areas of discontentment, reasons for this discontentment and strategies to affect change. Similar to those who microdosed for cognitive enhancement, these posters reported a clarity in thinking and breaking down of cognitive barriers, which opened up new ways of thinking about personal problems. For posters who reported mental health conditions, many noted that microdosing had offered resolution or new pathways to healing that had been unattainable using conventional medications. One contributor noted that “it has really helped having a therapist who is on board” and supportive of their microdosing in order to process new insights and emotions in a therapeutic setting. Many posters, including those with and without mental health conditions, reported that microdosing lifted their mood and imbued a brightness and enthusiasm to everyday activities that peaked on microdosing days but also carried over into subsequent days. Some posters said that microdosing gave a “perceptual enhancement of all you do” alongside a sense of mindfulness and connection, so senses and emotions were experienced more fully.
4. Improved mood and attitude toward life – Many posters, including those with and without mental health conditions, reported that microdosing lifted their mood and imbued a brightness and enthusiasm to everyday activities that peaked on microdosing days but also carried over into subsequent days. Some posters said that microdosing gave a “perceptual enhancement of all you do” alongside a sense of mindfulness and connection, so senses and emotions were experienced more fully.
5. Improved habits and health behaviours – Many posters reported that since commencing microdosing they had changed habits and behaviors they were unhappy with and adopted more beneficial practices (e.g., healthier diet; weight loss; exercise and gym; ceasing or reducing substance use; improving sleep patterns; financial management). Posters typically reported that it was their efforts that would “foster new habits and break old ones” but that microdosing helped them to “stay motivated and on track.”
6. Improved social interactions and interpersonal connections – Posters also reported improved social interactions and interpersonal connections, with most citing acute effects on microdosing days. Posters reported that while microdosing they felt more social, closer to their friends, and found it easier to converse and connect with acquaintances and new people. Some posters reported that microdosing provided relief from social anxiety, and that feelings of “inner doubt,” fear of judgment, and overanalyzing situations were replaced by feelings of self confidence, openness and acceptance.
7. Heightened sensation and perception – Posters often commented on a sensation of deeper sensory awareness. One user comments, “It’s more of a small perceptual enhancement of all you do. Food tastes better, music is slightly more enjoyable, conversations happen easier.” Another contributed, “It made me really into my body. I wanted to move, and eat, and touch and especially [have sexual intercourse]!”
The Limitations of Microdosing
The most commonly reported challenges when it came to microdosing had to do with dosage issues. This is a recurring theme in a lot of the literature that exists around microdosing. Specifically, the challenge of accidentally macro-dosing.
This is an issue that can be directly avoided by working with a trusted supplier who is pre-fabricating properly dosed microdoses in a sterilized lab. For users looking to buy microdose magic mushroom capsules or magic mushroom chocolates, the team at Shroom Bros would be more than happy to help.
Some users also discussed adverse side effects experienced – typically, when the dosage was correct, these side effects were not experienced the day of microdosing, but rather on the off-days. One user complained of infrequent headaches when he first started microdosing on his off-days, although these symptoms quickly faded. Another poster commented that even though he felt incredibly sharp and capable on the days he was microdosing, the days he was off, he felt sluggish by comparison. It’s important to clarify that people’s experiences can range widely depending on a number of factors.
Can Microdosing Help Me? Insight from a Direct Survey
A study conducted by a team of researchers out of University of California in Davis, California sought to explore the issue further and was published in late 2020. These researchers solicited feedback directly through various channels from people who had experience microdosing in the past. They asked them a specific set of questions and tracked their responses. Specifically, the survey was interested in looking at the potential benefits microdosing might hold for those suffering from a variety of mental health disorders.
Participants were sought through various social media channels (e.g. Facebook, Instagram), the r/microdosing Subreddit, as well as via flyer distribution on UC Campus. In total, the survey had 2,347 participants from April through August of 2018.
Of the questions that were asked, the most important was whether or not the respondents experienced any noticeable benefits in the areas of depression, anxiety, focus, and sociability. And the answers are quite compelling.
Of all the respondents, 71.84% indicated that microdosing helped with their depression, 56.55% of people said that microdosing helped them with their anxiety, 58.97% said microdosing helped them to focus, and 66.56% of people said that microdosing helped them to become more sociable.
It’s quite an interesting result given the limited sample size, and certainly encouraging – especially given the recent buzz in the psychopharmacological community about the inefficacy of traditional prescription medications. All signs seem to be pointing to psychedelics as the next step forward in the treatment of these psychological disorders that plague so much of the population.
Also worth mentioning are the potential deterrents mentioned by the study’s participants. That is to say, what people’s reasons for choosing not to continue with microdosing.
Out of all the people surveyed, 8.23% said that the drugs were too expensive, 22.63% said that they were too hard to obtain, and 24.28% said the risk of psychedelic illegality turned them off to continuing further.
Importantly, only 4.94% of people complained that microdosing was an ineffective form of treatment, and even less people (4.14%, to be exact), complained of experiencing negative side effects – considerably less than almost any mainstream pharmaceutical.
The evidence collected up to this point continues to be largely circumstantial and anecdotal, but all signs seem to be pointing in one direction:
Microdosing is the future.
How to Microdose Mushrooms: A Practical Guide
“Okay,” you might be saying. “You’ve convinced me, and I’m willing to give microdosing a try – but how do I get started?”
This is a great question, and we’ve prepared below a guide that consolidates advice we’ve cultivated as a team through our own experiences with microdosing (trust us when we say that the Shroom Bros you know and love wouldn’t exist today if it wasn’t for microdosing from the team behind it), as well as the more scientific data collected in some of the papers, articles, and books we read in researching this article.
1: Set an Intention
Before microdosing, you should be extremely clear on what the reasons behind the action are. This is true any time you’re looking to use psychedelics (whether it’s a macro- or micro-dose.) Often, this is referred to as setting intention. We have spent a lot of time in this article talking about the scientific and clinical research, but almost all experienced psychonauts, regardless of their scientific background will talk about the spiritual side of the mushroom – and how one’s experiences seem to change depending on the intentions set before going into it.
Your intention could be related to mental health – e.g. feeling less depressed or anxious, it could be looking for a boost in focus or creativity related to a project or problem you’re working on. Some people find that microdosing helps them to more smoothly navigate day-to-day interactions with other people, and generally be more sociable.
Having a clear goal set will help you to get the most out of the experience.
2: Dose Carefully
As aforementioned, one of the biggest challenges facing people who’ve tried microdosing in the past is accidentally macrodosing themselves instead. Make sure that you measure out your dosage extremely carefully. If you are working with dried shrooms, we recommend using a blender to mix the mushrooms up into a fine powder, and weighing out that powder rather than just weighing out pieces of the mushroom.
This is because psilocybin is not necessarily evenly distributed through the mushroom – blending it doesn’t 100% guarantee even distribution, but makes it much more likely that the doses will be consistent in their potency.
Of course, the easiest and most reliable thing would be to work with a product that has already been measured out carefully by professionals – for example, you could buy mushroom chocolates or microdose capsules from our store.
3: Dose Early in the Day
It is recommended that you dose earlier rather than later to experience the full potential of microdosing. Assuming you wake up at 7AM and eat breakfast at 7:30AM, a good time to dose would be 8:30 or 9. The reason for this is that you want to make sure the dose has had its time to clear your system by the time you’re going to bed on that day. You don’t want to be going to sleep while your dose is at its most active.
4: Follow a Schedule
It’s unreasonable to expect yourself to experience the full benefits of microdosing if you just do it once, or do it sporadically. Virtually everyone who talks about microdosing talks about the importance of following a schedule. The most common schedules are either one day on followed by one day off, or one day on followed by two days off, and repeated for a period of at least 2 weeks, but ideally one month or longer.
It’s important first of all not to microdose every day – an important part of the experiment is comparing how you feel on days on compared with days off. It’s also commonly reported that the effects of microdosing last around 2 days, so dosing yourself on consecutive days is somewhat redundant.
Once you’ve set the schedule and the intention, make sure you stick to it! Microdosing is all about consistency
5: Actively Reflect
Actively think about how you are feeling or performing compared to how you normally would. Many people find it helpful to keep a journal, even a brief one, to log how they felt that day. It’s useful to be able to look back, and ultimately this will be able to help you find a schedule, product, and dosage that works best for you.
6: Share Your Results
If you’re interested in experimenting with microdosing, the world is interested in hearing your results. A couple of the studies we mentioned earlier in this article looked directly to places like r/microdosing on Reddit, because the unfortunate legal status of psilocybin still inhibits direct research. So, if you have an experience – positive, negative, or neutral – consider sharing it with others, even anonymously to help us all further understand the process.
Psychedelic therapy is a technique that involves the use of psychedelic substances to aid the therapeutic process. Hallucinogenic substances have been used in holistic medicine and for spiritual practices by various cultures for thousands of years.
Research on the use of psychedelics flourished during the 1950s and 1960s until such substances were made illegal in the United States. While psychedelic drugs such as LSD and psilocybin are still illegal in the U.S., they are believed to have the potential to treat a range of conditions including anxiety, depression, and addiction.
Over the last two decades, researchers have gotten approval from authorities to conduct trials on the use of these substances to treat various conditions. For example, researchers have found that psilocybin is not only safe but that it can produce significant positive effects on well-being.
When utilized under supervision in a carefully controlled setting, research shows that some psychedelic substances can produce lasting and significant psychological and behavioral changes.
Types of Psychedelic Therapy
There are a number of different types of substances that can have psychedelic effects. Some common psychedelic substance and their uses include:
Ayahuasca: This brew originating in South America is purported to help with addiction, anxiety, and depression. Possible side effects of Ayahuasca include serotonin syndrome and medication interactions.
LSD: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) can lead to altered mood, perception, and consciousness. Potential uses include the treatment of addiction and anxiety.
Psilocybin: Like LSD, psilocybin alters consciousness, mood, and perceptions. It is being studied for its use in the treatment of addiction, anxiety, and depression.
MDMA (ecstasy): While not a classic psychedelic substance, MDMA (also known as ecstasy) is a drug that produces “psychedelic effects” including feelings of euphoria, altered perceptions, increased arousal, and increased sociability. Research suggests it has therapeutic potential in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).2
Techniques
Because there is no standardized method of administration and practice, individual practitioners have their own methods for administering psychedelic therapy. However, there are often a few common elements:
Administration of a low to moderate dose of a psychedelic drug
Supervision by a professional during the psychedelic experience
Repeating the psychedelic dose with one to two weeks between sessions
During a psychedelic session, factors known as set and setting are critical. Set refers to things such as mood and expectations. Setting refers to the environment where the session takes place and the relationship with the therapist. The goal is to be comfortable with the therapist and the room where the session will take place. It is also important for patients to go into the experience feeling calm and attentive.
After the psychedelic experience, the focus at the next step is a process known as integration. These psychotherapy sessions are designed to help the individual process, make sense of, and find meaning in the psychedelic experience.
Microdosing
One variation of psychedelic therapy is known as microdosing, which involves taking very small, sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelic substances. Proponents of microdosing suggest that even these very low doses can have beneficial health effects such as enhancing performance, increasing energy, and decreasing depression.
While there is some evidence that microdosing may have some beneficial effects, more research is needed.
What Psychedelic Therapy Can Help With
Researchers have uncovered a number of potential applications for psychedelic therapy. Studies have found that anxiety, depression, substance use, alcohol use, and PTSD may all respond positively to psychedelic-assisted treatments.
Anxiety and mood disorders: Psychedelics appear to have potential mood benefits that may be helpful in the treatment of depression. A 2016 randomized double-blind controlled trial found that psilocybin treatment led to significant reductions in anxiety and depression in patients undergoing cancer treatment.
Alcohol and substance use disorders: Early research showed strong evidence that LSD could help in the recovery from substance use conditions. Some more recent evidence also supports the idea that psychedelic therapy holds promise as an addiction treatment.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Research also suggests that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy may be useful in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MDMA is best known as the main ingredient in the club drug ecstasy (or molly), but it also has psychedelic effects that have been shown to be useful for severe forms of PTSD that have not responded to other forms of treatment.
Benefits of Psychedelic Therapy
Psychedelics are powerful substances that can produce profound mind-altering effects. These drugs are believed to work by affecting the neural circuits that use the neurotransmitter serotonin. Some of the potential benefits of these substances include:
Feelings of relaxation
Improved sense of well-being
Increased social connectedness
Introspection
Spiritual experiences
It is important to remember that while psychedelics can produce positive benefits, it is also common for people to experience effects such as:
Seeing, hearing, or sensing things that one would otherwise not experience
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), these effects are a type of drug-induced psychosis that affects a person’s ability to communicate with others, think rationally, and interpret reality. When used in a therapeutic setting where a trained professional can help a person understand and integrate these experiences, psychedelic therapy has the potential to help relieve the symptoms of certain psychiatric conditions.
After taking psychedelic substances, some people report having mystical or spiritual experiences. They may describe having feelings of peace, joy, unity, and empathy.
One study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that the mood improvements induced by psychedelic drugs also appear to have lasting benefits. People who took psilocybin continued to experience improved well-being and increased social connectedness even after the substances wore off.
Effectiveness
Psychedelic therapy shows a great deal of promise in the treatment of a wide variety of mental health conditions including addiction and depression. While further research is needed, current trials are underway to better determine the applications and effectiveness of using different psychedelic drugs to treat specific conditions.
Anxiety and Mood Disorders
Psilocybin-assisted therapy was also associated with increased quality of life, improved optimism, and reduced anxiety over mortality. About 80% of participants continued to show improvements six months later.
Another study looked at the effects of real-world psychedelic use by surveying music festival attendees. The participants reported that taking LSD and psilocybin helped improve mood and feel more socially connected. They also reported that these effects continued even after the drugs had worn off.
Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
A 2015 study found that psilocybin-assisted therapy was associated with decreased drinking, reduced alcohol cravings, and increased abstinence. Psychedelic therapy’s efficacy for alcohol and substance use has not yet been clearly established, however. One 2012 study found that a single dose of LSD had a beneficial effect on alcohol misuse up to six months after treatment, but the effects were not significant at the 12-month mark.
One 2019 study involved surveying people who had already quit using alcohol with the use of psychedelics. While only 10% of the respondents used psychedelics intentionally as a way to reduce alcohol use, more than 25% reported that the hallucinogenic experience played a role in changing their alcohol use.
It is important to note, however, that studies such as this are based on self-reports by people who have taken psychedelics in the past. In order to determine if psychedelic therapy is truly effective in the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders, more research using randomized clinical trials is needed.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Clinical trials have demonstrated the treatment’s long-term efficacy in the treatment of PTSD. One study found that 54% of participants no longer met the criteria for diagnosis following treatment. Only 23% of participants in the control group no longer met the diagnostic criteria upon follow-up.
The benefits also appear to be long-lasting: 68% of those in the MDMA-assisted therapy treatment did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD a year after treatment.
Things to Consider
While psychedelic therapy is generally considered safe and is well-tolerated, there are some potential risks and adverse effects to consider. The classic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin pose few risks in terms of physical or psychological dependence along with other risks such as the following.
Negative Psychological Reactions
The potential for negative psychological reactions such as the symptoms of anxiety, panic, and paranoia is something to consider. The use of psychedelics can also result in what is known as a “bad trip.” These experiences are marked by intense and terrifying feelings of anxiety and the fear of losing control.
Possible Personality Changes
Some have suggested that these drugs have the potential to produce long-term mind-altering, personality-changing effects. For example, one study found that psilocybin therapy was associated with increases in extroversion and openness. These findings suggest that people may become more outgoing and willing to try new things after being treated with psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Dangers of Self-Treatment
Another potential concern is the possibility of people using psychedelic substances to self-treat. Self-treatment can pose a number of risks including the psychological dangers of experiencing a bad trip, the possibility of drug interactions, and the fact that many street drugs are mixed with unknown and potentially harmful substances.
The effects that a person experiences with psychedelic substances can be unpredictable and can vary depending on the amount of the substance that is used as well as the individual’s personality, mood, and surroundings.5
How to Get Started
In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) named psilocybin-assisted therapy as a “breakthrough therapy.” This designation is designed to speed up the development and review of drugs that preliminary clinical trials have indicated treat serious conditions.
Currently, clinical trials into the use of LSD and psilocybin as treatments for alcohol dependence, anxiety, and depression are underway.
Self-treatment is always an option, but for clinical therapeutic purposes never recommended – specific dosages and having a trained attendant are part of the therapeutic aspect.
It is also important to note that while psychedelic therapy has demonstrated that it can be helpful in the treatment of a number of conditions, researchers are still exploring the exact mechanisms of action. Further research will allow scientists to figure out which drugs are most helpful for specific conditions, what doses should be used, and when such treatments should be avoided.
These days it seems like every week, a new institution is publishing groundbreaking research reaffirming the incredible potential of magic mushrooms in the treatment of depression.
The link between psilocybin usage and recovery from depression is one that has been explored for decades, but scientists although the benefits of psilocybin treatment have been empirically substantiated and documented, the exact mechanics through which psilocybin interacts with the depressive brain are still a hotly debated issue in scientific communities.
In an attempt to shed more meaningful light on the issue, the team at Yale led by Alex Kwan, associate professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, found that administering a single dose of psilocybin to mice prompted an immediate and long-lasting boost in connections between neurons in the brain.
Patients suffering from depression and chronic stress often exhibit a lower level of neuronal connectivity, and it’s now hypothesized that repairing and strengthening these neuronal connections may partially explain the efficacy of psilocybin treatments in depressive patients, on a neurological level.
Alex Kwan elaborates, “We not only saw a 10% increase in the number of neuronal connections, but also they were on average about 10% larger, so the connections were stronger as well.”
Neurons, when observed under a microscope, have a feature called a dendritic spine – a protrusion responsible for receiving synaptic input, effectively allowing the neuron to “fire.” These dendritic spines were analyzed in mice administered a single dose of psilocybin, and researchers noticed that in addition to the amelioration of stress-related behavioral deficit, the following quantitative changes could be observed:
– Psilocybin increases spine density and spine size in frontal cortical pyramidal cells
– Psilocybin-evoked structural remodeling is persistent for at least 1 month
– The dendritic rewiring is accompanied by elevated excitatory neurotransmission
In layman’s terms, not only did the dendritic spines grow considerably, they appeared more communicative, and the effects appeared to be long-lasting.
“It was a real surprise to see such enduring changes from just one dose of psilocybin,” said Kwan.
Could this be the key to uncovering the scientific rationale behind psilocybin’s incredible curative properties? It’s possible! And in any case, it is encouraging to see research from one of the most reputable educational institutions in the world reaffirming what amateur psychonauts have known for so many years: magic mushrooms are so much more than a recreational drug – and we’re only beginning to understand the incredible potential they could have for humanity.
Why do magic mushrooms turn blue when they are cut? Chemists have now unravelled this decade-old mystery, in the process revealing that the dark blue pigments at the centre of the mystery are similar to indigo, the dye used to produce blue jeans.
Magic mushrooms or Psilocybe are fungi producing the psychotropic compounds psilocybin and psilocin. They are one of several species that instantly develop a blue coloration when they are cut or bruised. In Boletales mushrooms, oxidised gyrocyanin or pulvinic acid are the source of the blue colour. But that isn’t the case in Psilocybe mushrooms.
Previous research had established that the blue colour was caused by oxidised psilocybin, but the nature of the pigment and the biochemical pathway producing it had remained elusive.
Magic mushrooms contain a number of psychotropic compounds including psilocybin and psilocin.
Dirk Hoffmeister from the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Germany and his team had been working with Psilocybecubensis for several years. Growing the mushrooms in their lab, they had seen the mysterious blueing reaction countless times. ‘We were just curious and tried to solve a phenomenon that’s been known for decades,’ Hoffmeister says.
But when they tried to extract and purify the blue compound, they failed. ‘It puzzled and challenged us,’ says Hoffmeister. ‘This is where previous researchers – very talented people – had to give up, and that’s where we went one step further with unconventional analytical methods.’
The researchers dug deep into the analytical toolbox with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, Maldi mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, as well as time-resolved nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to observe the compounds as they form.
The pigment, as it turns out, is not just a single compound but a complex mixture of linked psilocybin oxidation products. Most of them are quinoid psilocyl oligomers – compounds not unlike indigo, a deep blue pigment used to dye jeans. ‘[The blue compounds and indigo] share structural similarities in the indole core, and in both the basis for the colour is a quinoid,’ says the study’s lead author Claudius Lenz.
All of the six mushroom pigments the team identified are products of a cascade reaction starting with psilocybin. A phosphatase enzyme takes off its phosphate group, converting it into psilocin. An oxidising laccase then creates psilocyl radicals, which combine to form C-5 coupled subunits and then further polymerise via C-7. ‘I think they did a beautiful job of showing the cascade reaction,’ says Jaclyn Winter, who studies natural product biosynthesis in bacteria and fungi at the University of Utah, US.
Proposed reaction scheme for the conversion of psilocybin into blue pigments
What exactly the blue pigments do, however, remains a mystery. ‘Our hypothesis – and we don’t have any evidence for this yet – is that it might serve a protective role, like an on-demand repellent against predators,’ says Hoffmeister. The compounds might produce reactive oxygen species, which are toxic to any insect nibbling on the mushrooms. ‘I think we’re going to see a lot of follow-up studies on the true ecological role of these molecules,’ Winter says.
Hoffmeister hopes that his study not only inspires others to study fungi from a chemistry perspective but also changes people’s mind about psilocybin. ‘Psilocybin is looked at as this illegal, recreational drug, but it has a fantastic potential as a medication for therapy resistant depression,’ he says.
Winter agrees. ‘There’s quite a few groups who are studying psilocybin, and especially because it’s been legalised in the US in various states, and because it’s in clinical trials,’ she says. ‘I think [this study] is going to have a huge impact in the field.’
We’ve previously covered in-depth some of the research that has been conducted regarding the potential efficacy of magic mushrooms in the treatment of depression. You can read our article for a bit of the background, but the gist of it is this: psilocybin (the psychoactive component found in magic mushrooms) has repeatedly been shown to be helpful in treating depression, along with a host of other mental illnesses.
What has been lacking for some time, however, is comparative research looking into how well psilocybin therapy can work compared with more traditional methods of psychological treatment. However, a study recently published by The New England Journal of Medicine provided some preliminary insight into just that – we read the study, and prepared an article here to help summarize its goals and findings for you!
The purpose of this study more specifically was to compare the efficacy of psilocybin and escitalopram in the treatment of depression. Before diving into the comparison, let’s talk a little bit about escitalopram.
Escitalopram Background
Escitalopram (frequently sold under the brand names of Cipralex and Lexapro,) is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant. Many patients suffering from the symptoms of depression exhibit signs of serotonin imbalance. Serotonin is a very complex neurotransmitter that is naturally produced by the human body. We could write an entire series about this chemical, its role in the human body, and the research that has been done around it – but for now, the important thing to know is that serotonin is synthesized in the central nervous system, and some of its functions include the regulation of mood, appetite, and sleep as well as some cognitive functions such as memory and learning.
People suffering from depression often exhibit lower-than-average levels of serotonin production, and so drugs like Escitalopram were developed to help these patients regulate levels of serotonin production, and alleviate some of the symptoms of depression (and potentially even cure it!)
Psilocybin and Serotonin
Sounds pretty helpful, right? So where does psilocybin fit into this, and what does it have to do with serotonin? Well, there’s a little journey to follow there as well. When magic mushrooms are ingested, psilocybin is metastasized into a sister chemical called psilocin. Once processed, the psilocin is believed to stimulate serotonin receptors in the brain – effectively mimicking the body’s naturally occurring serotonin. With the oversight of a trained medical professional, psilocybin has been used as a more natural alternative to manufactured drugs with the aim of balancing serotonin levels in the human body.
In another word, doctors have been experimenting with using shrooms instead of meds to help regulate levels of serotonin in depressive patients. It has been effective, but thus far there has been little research done to compare just how effective it is compared with pharmaceuticals.
Okay, so I think that’s enough of a background for us to go on. So, let’s talk about the study itself.
The Methods of the Study
The study was conducted as a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial involving patients with long-standing, moderate-to-severe major depressive order. Psilocybin was compared with escitalopram over a 6-week period; patients were assigned in 1:1 ratio, and received comparable doses of both drugs depending on the group they were assigned to. In the end, the patients were re-assessed on their depressive symptoms to compare the efficacy of both courses of treatment. The changes are measured via a Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR-16) – and differences in their scores on those reports before and after treatment.
In laymen’s terms, people were scored on their levels of depression, randomly sorted into two groups, given one drug or the other without knowing which was which, and the results were studied at the end. At the end of the trial, their level of depression was tested again.
Results of the Study
Of the 59 patients in the study, 30 were given psilocybin and 29 escitalopram. The QIDS-SR-16 is scored from 0 to 27, with a higher number indicating a greater level of depression. After the trial was completed, patients in the psilocybin group saw their QIDS-SR-16 scores drop by an average of 8 points, while patients in the escitalopram group saw their scores drop by only 6 points. Although both treatments were observed to be effective, it’s notable that the psilocybin group saw, on average, a reduction in levels of depression over 30% greater than those in the escitalopram group.
Additionally, secondary endpoints were studied, evaluating the work, social functioning, anxiety, and general wellbeing of patients in both groups. Similar patterns favouring psilocybin were found in these trials as well.
Conclusions of the Study
Although it is tempting for any advocate of psychoactive medicine to point to the results of this trial as conclusive proof of the superiority of psilocybin to pharmaceuticals, the reality is that these results are far from conclusive.
Medical research is slow work – and it has, over the past couple of decades, been especially slow regarding psilocybin therapy owing to the illegal status of the drug in most first-world countries. However, that trend is shifting – and more and more money is being poured into psilocybin research every day, with research continuously coming back in support of this amazing drug.
At the end of the day, this was a small trial conducted over a short period with a small number of patients. Before any kind of definite conclusion can be reached, there is much more clinical research that needs to be done. George Goldsmith, CEO, and Co-founder of Compass Pathways, a psilocybin-focused research group working on discovering new therapies for the treatment of depression, had this to say:
“In a field of research where it is very difficult to separate treatments in head-to-head comparative efficacy trials, this study found signals favouring psilocybin therapy over escitalopram. This is an encouraging investigator-initiated study that supports the need for additional clinical investigations in larger, well-powered studies to more accurately determine the efficacy of psilocybin in treating major depressive disorder.”
Parting Thoughts
The evidence of the incredible healing and restorative properties of psilocybin mushrooms continues to mount each day. However, this is a relatively new frontier of scientific research and something about which we are only beginning to scratch the surface.
We want to emphasize that the writer of this article is not a medical professional – and if you think you are suffering from the symptoms of depression or any other mental illness, we recommend speaking with a trained medical professional to seek treatment.
However, those looking to buy shrooms online can find many places to do so!
There is some amazing news for mental health professionals in Canada who are interested in learning more about psychedelic-assisted therapy and receiving dedicated instruction on and insight into how psychedelic medicines can be leveraged as they become legally accessible across Canada.
Back in February, the ATMA Journeys Centers in Calgary, AB announced their Psychedelic Therapy Training Program for Mental Health Professionals program – providing Canadian mental health professionals for the first time with access to top-tier training in magic mushroom therapy. The initiative was launched with the full blessing of the Federal and Provincial governments, in conjunction with the Wayfound Mental Health Group, Inc. and the Psychologists Association of Alberta.
The course was massively popular, selling out in a matter of days, and now boasts a substantial waiting list as rave reviews have come pouring in after the first 3-month cohort concluded.
About ATMA Journeys Centers
ATMA Journey Centers is a clinic founded by Dr. David Harder and Dr. Vu Tran in Calgary, AB. ATMA is dedicated to advancing accessibility to psychedelic therapy in Canada. On their website, they claim that they “believe that psychedelics hold the key to actually resolving the root causes of mental health issues that affect so many.” Their self-stated mission is “to deliver effective and innovative healing and transformative experiences that awaken the inner healer and allow a deeper connection with self and with the world.”
About The Wayfound Mental Health Group
The Wayfound Mental Health Group was founded in Calgary, AB over 21 years ago by Dr. William McElheran. McElheran has been widely regarded as a pioneer at the cutting edge of the most effective emerging techniques in trauma treatment, and this reputation has attracted some of the best counseling talent in the world to his clinic. The partnership with ATMA represents their first official foray into the world of psychiatric therapy.
About The Program
It is unsurprising that the demand for mental health therapists has shot up dramatically over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising unemployment, concerns about health, and increasingly isolated lifestyles are suspected to contribute to this unprecedented level of demand.
David Harder, Co-CEO of ATMA says, “we’re seeing substantial interest from therapists who are looking for more effective tools to help their clients. Significant evidence-based research around psychedelic medicine continues to emerge which is highlighting how promising psychedelic medicine is. There appears to be a shift in the industry where therapists have heard about the potential of psychedelic medicine and are now stepping forward to learn about it.”
ATMA and Wayfound saw a gap in the increasing demand from Canadian patients and the availability of training for mental health professionals in this same area. Harder commented,
“One of the major obstacles in increasing access to psychedelic therapy is an acute shortage of therapists who have the education, knowledge, and resources both from a psychological and psychedelic perspective to provide the necessary support and guidance to patients. This training program provides an accredited base of understanding for therapists who are seeking information and therapy involving psychedelics.”
Consulting with leading authorities on psychedelic therapy from all over the world, this course consolidates their teachings to help address that problem, and provide Canada’s most forward-thinking therapists with access to top-of-the-line training in therapy with magic mushrooms in Canada.
On the importance of training mental health professionals on how to properly apply psychedelic therapy in their own practices, Megan McElheran, CEO of Wayfound said:
“Research has shown that psychologists are uniquely skilled to support the psychedelic process, and the psychotherapeutic process is proven to be an essential component to the success of psychedelic treatment. For this reason, I support psychologists and other health care providers to build their capacity and skills through training that prioritizes professional, clinically-sound, ethical practice and due diligence in the delivery of care.”
With psychedelics increasingly entering into the mainstream of the media, more and more people looking for access to magic mushrooms in Calgary, and all signs pointing to rapidly impending legalization in Canada, Vu Tran emphasizes the importance of trained therapists in helping guide psychedelic therapy. He commented,
“The training program is just the first step of our plan to create solutions for the industry to scale and support therapists who wish to participate in psychedelic-assisted therapy…. We want to see more therapists educated on the benefits of psychedelic therapy in hopes that more awareness will help the legislative and policy frameworks move forward in a timely manner. Mental health professionals will face great challenges with capacity in the coming years, so we’re working towards a support structure for therapists to progressively look at psychedelic therapy as a growing part of their business without a steep learning curve. Psychedelics have the proven ability to reduce lifelong ongoing patient therapy, and this can assist in reducing the burden on the health care system.”
Rave Reviews
The first cohort of the month-long program concluded in May, and the 2nd sold-out cohort began in June of this year. One of the therapists who graduated from the first training, Dr. Angela Grace, had this to say:
“The training program provides an excellent overview of psychedelic therapy with experienced practitioners and researchers in the field. The learning, discussions, experiences, and connections made are invaluable as an introduction to the field.”
Information on Upcoming Programs
According to ATMA and Wayfound, the feedback has been immensely positive across the board. So much so that they immediately launched a second training, and have three more planned for later this year, on September 7, October 5, and November 2.
David Harder comments: “We encourage any mental health professional to contact us to discuss the training programs. This emerging field is a significant opportunity for licensed therapists who want to add another effective tool to their practice and learn how psychedelics can integrate into an existing practice.”
There are many wonderful ways to use magic mushrooms, but more and more everywhere you look, you are reading about the incredibly beneficial therapeutic applications of shrooms. One of the institutions leading the way in this research is The Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, out of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Since 2000, and backed by tens of millions of dollars in funding, Johns Hopkins was the first clinical center given regulatory approval in the United States for conducting clinical research using psychedelics as therapeutic aids.
Since that time, they have remained at the forefront of psychedelic research and clinical advancements, demonstrating how magic mushrooms can be effectively used to help in the treatment of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many other mental health conditions.
Of course, not everyone can make the trip to Baltimore to receive their patented brand of psychedelic therapy – but we’ve done a little bit of digging to uncover some tools you can use right in your own home.
This playlist is 7 hours and 40 minutes in length, and its beautiful progression of concertos, baïlèros, and symphonies has been painstakingly and thoughtfully tweaked over decades of research into psychedelic medicine. The playlist is designed to help carry patients through every stage of the psilocybin session. The music starts simple and relaxing, increasing in complexity and intensity over time as it guides the patient from the beginning of their session, through ingesting the medicine, to beginning to climb and hitting the peak, and the eventual coming down.
The History of the Playlist
The playlist is the brainchild of psychologist Bill Richards, who has been involved in psychedelic research since the early 1960s. As one of the leading researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center, he has this to say about the effects this playlist can have on those who listen to it during their trip:
“We’re exploring the human psyche, which might take you through some painful things in childhood. It may take you into some archetypal or visionary realms that you never knew were possible. It might take you beyond usual consciousness into a realm that feels eternal.
The music chromatically develops, and it goes up and reaches this exquisite climax and then comes back down… It’s going somewhere, it’s picking you up and carrying you. It’s got some force, some substance. It doesn’t have very unpredictable changes of rhythm or something that’s going to startle or frighten you. So, it’s a net of reassurance, almost, and of leadership.”
The music helps keep participants from prematurely returning to normal conscious awareness, Richards says.
“I think of it as a nonverbal support system, sort of like the net for a trapeze artist,” he says. “If all is going well, you’re not even aware that the net is there — you don’t even hear the music — but if you start getting anxious, or if you need it, it’s immediately there to provide structure.”
Recently, the playlist was featured prominently and supported the experiences of all those who participated in a new study published by Johns Hopkins on Nov 4, which found that psychedelic substances can have profoundly beneficial effects on those suffering from Major Depressive Disorder.
How to Use the Playlist
The best way to use the playlist is as follows:
The first 30 minutes of the playlist are designed to help set the patient up for the impending psychedelic experience. So, you should start the playlist before taking the mushrooms, somewhere where you can be relaxed, with your eyes closed, in meditation, or a state of deep relaxation. This time should be spent on what we call intention-setting: becoming clear with yourself on what the purposes of this session are, and what you want to get out of it.
It is important in the use of mushrooms for therapy not to skip this step. We must be clear with ourselves in what we want to get out of the experience – this will help shape the course of our trip, and help keep us grounded in the psychedelic journey that is to follow.
Once you feel that your intentions are clear, it’s time to dose yourself. The playlist is designed to support a more moderate to heavy usage. Depending on your tolerance, somewhere from 2.5 to 4 grams should be appropriate. Once the mushrooms have been ingested, lie back again and close your eyes – try not to focus too hard on the music, but rather lean into it as a guide that will help guide your mind through the trip to come.
Your mind may wander to different subjects, but you would do best to keep your intention in mind. If negative thoughts or feelings arise, you shouldn’t try to run from them or shut them down, but allow them to wash over you as you relax further into the playlist. About 85 minutes in, the playlist begins to seriously increase in its complexity and intensity, as you approach your peak. Follow the trip – go where it wants to take you, and allow the music to be your tether to the world.
The songs contain no English lyrics at all (and few lyrics in general) during the first 6 hours of the playlist. This is on purpose so the music will not provide any kind of distraction from the important work that’s happening inside your mind, but rather serve as a guide. Says Richards,
“I think of it as a nonverbal support system, sort of like the net for a trapeze artist, if all is going well, you’re not even aware that the net is there — you don’t even hear the music — but if you start getting anxious, or if you need it, it’s immediately there to provide structure.”
As the playlist winds down, you will begin to hear some more recognizable songs with recognizable lyrics, designed to help you transition smoothly back to reality.
In closing, Bill Richards had this to say about the playlist and how it affected his patients:
“It spoke [to them]. It took on meaning in the struggle, the unfolding, the dissonance being resolved. They could understand that that type of classical music is a language about life and human experience. And when you’re in the music, it’s so different from listening to the music.”
Can magic mushrooms help me quit smoking or drinking?
Do magic mushrooms help with cluster headaches?
Are magic mushrooms addictive?
New research is revealing that magic mushrooms could play a role in the future of mental health treatment for Canadians.
After decades of little or no investigation into the clinical potential of mushrooms, scientists are conducting exploratory research into magic mushrooms as mental health therapy, targeting common conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction.
Some of these studies were so compelling that Health Canada recently granted 24 special medical exemptions allowing Canadians to receive psilocybin therapy.
If you’re excited to learn more about the potential of magic mushrooms as a treatment for some of the most common mental health issues, we’ve got you covered. We’ve created this guide to bring you the most up-to-date information on what we’re learning about magic mushrooms and mental health.
We’ll start with a basic overview of magic mushrooms, explaining what they are and how they work. Then, we’ll talk about some of the latest research we’ve uncovered on the treatment potential of magic mushrooms for depression, anxiety, addiction, and more. We’ll also share what we’ve learned about whether mushrooms are addictive or safe to use.
<Hey Reader! Just want to remind you that we’re not your doctor, we’re not diagnosing you, and we’re not prescribing your magic mushrooms. This article is for educational purposes and should not be taken as medical advice. If you’re concerned about your mental health, please talk to your doctor.>
Let’s get started!
What are Magic Mushrooms?
Magic mushrooms are a family of naturally-occurring psychedelic mushrooms. There are over 180 different known varieties of magic mushrooms, with names such as:
Psilocybe cubensis – the easiest magic mushroom to cultivate indoors, there are now 60+ different strains of P. cubensis.
Psilocybe semilanceata – also known as Liberty caps, they grow commonly all over the world.
Psilocybe azurescens – also known as flying saucers, blue runners, blue angels, or azzies.
Psilocybe tampanensis – they produce yellow-brown, psilocybin-containing truffles.
Psilocybe cyanescens – also known as wavy caps, they grow in Central Europe and the Pacific Northwest.
Psilocybe mexicana – the species of magic mushrooms used ceremoniously by the Aztec people and called “Teonanacatl”, meaning “flesh of the gods”.
Magic mushrooms contain a chemical compound known as psilocybin that gives them their hallucinogenic properties. In clinical research, psilocybin is extracted from magic mushrooms before being administered to patients. This allows researchers to carefully control the dosages of psilocybin received by patients in the study.
Magic mushrooms grow naturally on all six continents, but little was known about them before the 1960s when Westerners first experienced magic mushroom ceremonies while visiting Mexico. Consuming magic mushrooms is known to produce effects that include hallucinations, dilated pupils, relaxed muscles, altered experiences of time and space, altered perceptions of tactile stimulation and sensory perception, and reduced concentration.
How Do Magic Mushrooms Work?
Like we just mentioned, the medicinal or “active” ingredient in magic mushrooms is a compound called psilocybin.
Psilocybin is also known as 4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine. It is classified as an indole-alkylamine in the tryptamine family. Other drugs in this family include lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and N,N-dimethyltryptamine, the dream-inducing compound known as DMT or the “spirit molecule”.
On a physiological level, psilocybin in the brain interacts with the serotonin system. It has a high affinity to bind with specific types of serotonin receptors in several areas of the brain, including the thalamus and the cerebral cortex. The thalamus is involved in the regulation of consciousness and alertness, as well as relaying sensory and motor signals, while the cerebral cortex acts as the main site of neural integration and plays a role in sensory, visual, and motor processing.
Some researchers believe that interactions with serotonin receptors in areas of the brain responsible for visual processing are the physiological cause of hallucinations when taking psilocybin, and there’s a growing body of evidence that these same interactions could provide relief for individuals with mental health issues.
Let’s now take a closer look at the connection between magic mushrooms and mental health.
Magic Mushrooms and Mental Health
The connection between magic mushrooms and mental health is an emerging area of science. We’ve seen a few promising studies so far, but there’s a lot more work to be done before we can fully understand the impact of magic mushrooms on mental health.
Below, we’re going to explore and highlight the most significant investigations that have taken place so far into the clinical potential of magic mushrooms for treating anxiety, depression, addiction, cluster headaches, and epilepsy. We’ll give a brief overview of each illness, then highlight the latest research into how magic mushrooms and psilocybin can help.
Magic Mushrooms and Anxiety
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety can be simply described as a feeling of fear or apprehension that may or may not have an environmental trigger. Symptoms of anxiety may include:
Increased heart rate
Rapid breathing
Generalized feelings of fear and worry
Difficulty sleeping
Difficulty concentrating
Shortness of breath
Dizziness or feeling faint
Restlessness
Anxiety is part of how humans respond to stressful situations, acting as a precursor to the “fight, flight, or freeze” response to environmental dangers or threats. When we experience life events that make us fearful or nervous, we may experience temporary anxiety.
An anxiety disorder occurs when feelings of anxiety begin to emerge at inappropriate times, and when those feelings are so severe and intense that they interfere with an individual’s daily life and activities. Anxiety disorders are the most common forms of mental disorder, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
Can Magic Mushrooms Treat Anxiety?
So far, there have been just a handful of studies done on magic mushrooms and anxiety.
The first such study was published in the Archive of General Psychiatry in 2010 by a group of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and titled “Pilot study of psilocybin treatment for anxiety in patients with advanced-stage cancer”. The research participants were a group of twelve late-stage cancer patients who had also been diagnosed with anxiety.
Researchers started by measuring the anxiety of each participant using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Then, researchers administered a dosage of psilocybin to each participant according to their body weight. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered to patients one, three, and six months after the treatment to measure any changes or improvements in mood.
Ultimately, researchers found that psilocybin treatment resulted in a significant mood improvement and decreased anxiety at both one month and three months after treatment. The effect seemed to drop off by the six-month follow-up, indicating that additional rounds of psilocybin therapy would be needed to sustain the positive effects.
This time, research participants included 51 late-stage cancer patients that were also diagnosed with either depression or anxiety. Participants received two psilocybin therapy sessions with two different dosages – a high dose and a low dose. Patients were evaluated after each session and 6 months after the end of the treatments to assess the benefits. Researchers also rigorously documented the behaviour and mood of patients during the treatment.
Research participants reported significant positive mood changes after participating in the psilocybin treatment and at the six-month follow-up. Overall, 82.6% of participants said that the treatment increased their well-being or life satisfaction either “moderately” or “very much”.
Depression is a mood disorder that causes the affected person to experience persistent feelings of sadness, despondence, hopelessness, and/or disinterest. It is one of the most common emotional disorders, affecting more than 250 million people worldwide.
Some people may be unsure whether their emotional experiences count as depression. It is normal to feel sad, tired, or lonely sometimes in response to challenging life events. Depression becomes a disorder when those feelings persist over time, sometimes even when there’s nothing materially wrong.
Common symptoms of depression include:
Increased irritability or restlessness
Unpredictable mood swings
Erratic sleep patterns
Loss of energy or initiative
Shallow affect
Lack of productivity and low self-esteem
Researchers have identified many potential causes of depression, including early childhood trauma, structural differences in the brain, certain medical conditions, and a family history of mood disorders.
Can Magic Mushrooms Treat Depression?
In just the past five years, researchers have learned a lot about the impact that magic mushrooms can have on treating depression.
Addiction sometimes called “substance use disorder”, is a complex mental health issue that can be described as compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences. Addiction is rooted in the dysfunction of chemical systems in the brain that regulates reward, motivation, and memory.
Drug addiction is a major public health issue. Below are listed the ten types of drugs most often implicated in substance use disorders in North America:
Tobacco/nicotine
Alcohol
Painkillers like oxycontin, codeine, and vicodin
Cocaine and its variants
Heroin
Benzodiazepines like valium and xanax
Stimulants like methamphetamine and adderall
Inhalants
Sedatives, including sleeping pills like ambien and lunesta
Cannabis
Symptoms of substance use disorder may be grouped into four categories:
Drug Effects – Addicts increase their tolerance to their substance of choice over time. Eventually, they require larger amounts to get the same effects. They may experience withdrawal symptoms when losing access to the drug.
Impaired Control – Addicts experience cravings and strong urges to engage with their drug of choice, often resulting in failed attempts to quit.
Risky Use – Addicts may take risks to acquire or use their drug of choice. They may continue to engage in risky behavior despite knowledge of the potential consequences.
Social Problems – Addicts may find that drug use interferes with their ability to function in society, including holding down a job and maintaining relationships with friends, colleagues, and family members.
Can Magic Mushrooms Treat Addiction?
While no single treatment is appropriate for every person suffering from depression, there has been some evidence that psilocybin therapies could be useful for some individuals trying to quit smoking or reduce their dependence on alcohol.
Studies in this area have been extremely limited so far, but we’re hoping that future research will look more closely at how magic mushrooms can trigger behaviour changes that lead people away from addiction.
Can Magic Mushrooms Help Me Quit Alcohol?
A 2015 study conducted by Michael P Bogenschutz and colleagues at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center was the first to investigate the efficacy of psilocybin for alcohol dependence. The study was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology under the title “Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: a proof-of-concept study”.
The study involved 10 research patients with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence. The participants were given 8 weeks of motivational enhancement therapy and received two doses of psilocybin – one after the fourth week, and one after the final week of therapy.
Researchers found that the participants all showed increased rates of alcohol abstinence after receiving the psilocybin treatment. The intensity of their psychedelic experiences during week 4 of the study correlated strongly with a reduction in alcohol consumption during weeks 5-8. These preliminary findings seem to suggest that psilocybin therapies can actually help reduce alcohol dependency in chronic drinkers.
Can Magic Mushrooms Help Me Quit Smoking?
So far, we’ve seen just one small study that investigates whether magic mushrooms could be used to help quit smoking.
This study included 15 participants who had been smoking an average of 19 cigarettes per day for an average of 31 years, with an average of 6 previous attempts to quit smoking. The participants were given 15 weeks of structured smoking cessation therapy, during which they received moderate or high doses of psilocybin. At the 6-month follow-up, a biomarker assessment demonstrated that 12 of the 15 participants had abstained from smoking over the prior seven days.
This study shows a lot of promise that magic mushrooms could be used in the future in therapies that help people quit smoking, even after they’ve smoked for decades and failed to quit multiple times.
Magic Mushrooms and Cluster Headaches
What are Cluster Headaches?
Cluster headaches are not very common, as they seem to affect just 0.1% of the population. Still, cluster headaches are considered one of the most painful and unpleasant types of headaches. They are characterized by intense pain localized around one eye or on one side of the head.
Cluster headaches may occur in cyclical patterns known as cluster periods. A cluster period lasts between one week and one year, during which the patient experiences headaches almost every day, or even multiple times per day. A cluster period may be followed by a period of remission where the individual experiences no headaches for a period of months or years.
Common symptoms of cluster headaches may include:
Severe pain on one side of the head or around one eye
Restlessness
Teary eyes, facial sweating, or runny nose
Swelling around the eye, redness of the eye, or a droopy eyelid
Can Magic Mushrooms Treat Cluster Headaches?
If you’re currently suffering from cluster headaches, the available evidence suggests that magic mushrooms might be the solution to your problems.
One of the first research papers on the medicinal properties of magic mushrooms was written in 2006 by R Andrew Sewell and colleagues at Harvard University and published in the journal Neurology with the title “Response of cluster headache to psilocybin and LSD”.
Sewell and his colleagues interviewed 53 cluster headache patients who had self-medicated using either magic mushrooms or LSD. Their findings can be summarized as follows:
85% of psilocybin users who were interviewed said that taking magic mushrooms allowed them to abort cluster headache attacks at their onset.
52% of psilocybin users reported that using magic mushrooms resulted in the termination of a cluster period and the onset of a remission period.
95% of psilocybin users reported that using magic mushrooms extended their remission period, effectively increasing the length of time between cluster headache attacks by months or years.
The war on drugs in North America began in 1971 and was characterized by the suppression of research into psychedelic medicine and the widespread distribution of misinformation about drugs like psilocybin. This climate has created big misconceptions that need to change if Canadians are going to benefit from psilocybin treatments in the future.
According to Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., Professor at Johns Hopkins University and career researcher into magic mushrooms, the biggest misconception about magic mushrooms is that it’s highly addictive.
In fact, Johnson said in a 2019 interview that magic mushrooms don’t really have the same addictive properties as other drugs that are more commonly abused (like the kind we listed under the “What is Addiction?” header in this article). Johnson also points out that magic mushrooms don’t interact with the dopamine system, so they’re not producing a reliable feeling of euphoria or the typical dopamine response you see with a smoker or an alcohol abuser.
Based on this understanding, researchers at Johns Hopkins are now recommending that psilocybin be reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule IV in the controlled substances act. This change would acknowledge its low potential for abuse and accepted medical uses, opening the door to future clinical investigation.
Are Magic Mushrooms Safe?
Magic mushrooms can only be used to treat mental health issues if they don’t cause other kinds of harm. Unfortunately, there are widespread misconceptions about the kinds of harm that magic mushrooms can cause.
A 2011 literature review analyzed pooled data from 8 different studies involving psilocybin administration to assess the short-term and long-term safety concerns. In total, the analysis included data from 110 research participants who received a total of 227 doses of psilocybin.
This review found that more research participants reported pleasurable, enriching, and non-threatening experiences while under the influence of magic mushrooms. While there were some adverse reactions reported, they were generally related to the highest dose conditions and successfully managed using interpersonal support.
Follow-up questionnaires with research participants revealed that none of them had experienced:
Any subsequent issues with substance abuse,
Any persisting disorders of perception,
Any symptoms of prolonged psychosis,
Any long-term functional impairment.
Based on these results, it appears that psilocybin is quite safe to use in the clinical context. This is great news for both clinicians and mental health patients who are excited about the therapeutic potential of magic mushrooms for mental health.
Summary
Thanks for checking out our ultimate guide to magic mushrooms and mental health in 2021!
Here’s a quick summary of what we covered in this article:
Exciting new research is showing that magic mushrooms might be helpful in treating a variety of mental health conditions
Research into magic mushrooms and anxiety showed that participants do experience increased levels of well being and life satisfaction after receiving psilocybin therapy
Research into magic mushrooms and depression has found that therapies involving psilocybin do result in mood improvements for patients.
Early experimental results have shown that psilocybin therapies might help to elevate the success rate of addiction therapies, including tobacco cessation therapies and motivation enhancement therapy for recovering alcoholics.
Many people who suffer from cluster headaches have reported significant relief after taking magic mushrooms.
Leading psilocybin researchers say that magic mushrooms and other psychedelics do not share the same addictive properties as alcohol and tobacco.
Magic mushrooms are being used safely in clinical research, with participants reporting generally positive experiences and no long-term negative side effects.
Based on everything we’ve shared here, we’re excited about the future of magic mushrooms as a treatment for mental health disorders in Canada. We hope the next generation of Canadians will benefit from interventions for depression, anxiety, and addiction that harness the therapeutic power of magic mushrooms – a power we’re just beginning to understand.
