I microdose magic mushrooms for my mental health AMA

[BodyKeepingScore]

I have a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and CPTSD (diagnosed approx 18 years ago). Following an especially bad depressive episode last year for which I was hospitalised involuntarily I struggled with recovery at home and after many years of being compliant with conventional medications and therapy I decided to try microdosing psilocybin in an effort to try and improve my mental health. I am not a medical professional but have been interested in mycology and psychedelic therapies for years and spent a long (desperate!) time researching before I decided to proceed. AMA!

That's so interesting! Can I ask what your perspective was on the study? Had you any pre conceived ideas before being involved and were any of those views challenged by what you saw?

I've always been pretty open minded about psychedelics. Having used them recreationally prior to participating in the trial I could totally appreciate how they could help treat those with depression.

There's a great ted talk about the trial that influenced the one I was part of.

You have much more faith in the medical profession than you should do. I've been on antidepressants for about 15 years. There is barely any monitoring at all. And in that time I've developed loads of physical health conditions. No one's asked any questions as to whether this could be linked to long term AD use on which there is little research/evidence. No ones looking and trying to join these dots!

DisenchantedOwl
I am sorry to hear that, I really am. We’ve been helped a lot by doctors and hospitals over the years, my mum is in and out every few weeks and my dad had a ‘long term’ brain tumour. Mh stuff is awful though, I do know people who are failed xxxxxxxx

Same. For my friend.

Really interesting. Wonder how they work? GP did say as long as it doesn't break the bank or have side effects its worth a go (not sure he was thinking of mushrooms). I used to take them as a student, non medicinally. But these days more interested in therapeutic qualities.

@Alltheyearround I'd be lying if I said I had any idea how they work lol. I'm sure someone much more intelligent might be able to answer though

The medical powers that be don't know how SSRIs work either but that doesn't stop them being prescribed 🥴

I've read a lot of studies that point to the idea that the commonly held belief that depression is a lack of serotonin is actually baseless. There's no evidence to support it ergo the function of antidepressants becomes even less clear.

There was a program on netflix about mushrooms. Not the magic variety just mushrooms in general and how they network in nature and communicate like neurons firing in the brain.

When I was working on the clinic trial it was explained that psilocybin brings a lot of things to the surface, memories that we've buried and suppressed. The theory was that having these memories brought back to the surface meant the patient could then deal with them. Counselling was part of the trial after they received the psilocybin dose. There was also a therapist in the room with them during their trip.

This is something both my DH and I experienced when we took them. He had quite a traumatic childhood and got some flashbacks and remembered things. His memory is usually terrible and there's some black spots in his childhood memories. I also experienced some flashbacks.

I’m confused as to whether you grow mushrooms and make your own powder or initially bought capsules ready made, Bodykeepingthescore?
I did get some seed a couple of years ago but not the most patient person and ended up squirting in woodland next door - then not sure if the mushrooms were safe or not.
Since then I have spent a fortune on adhd diagnosis etc. but didn’t work for me. Bought some opium poppy seeds (legal for the garden) but have no idea what I will do with them - apparently growing stuff is quite common round here (quiet rural area) but I don’t actually know anyone for advice.

Bought ready made capsules initially, now grow my own to dehydrate and grind into capsules 😊

Hi @BodyKeepingScore I am looking into this for my brother who has severe mental health issues ranging from deep depression, anxiety, aggression, self neglect, behavioural problems etc and is highly drug resistant. Can someone help on how we find a therapist to support microdosing in West Yorkshire? I dont know how to find people to support us with this in person. thanks

There's a trial ongoing in the UK. It's not micro dosing. Patients are given a large dose of psilocybin then guided through the experience with the support of a therapist. I was involved in setting up the earlier trials which they had great results from and they are now only phase 3 trials. Not sure where all the sites are located but there's contact information at the bottom of the page.

compasspathways.com/compass-pathways-initiates-uk-component-of-global-phase-3-study-of-psilocybin-treatment-in-treatment-resistant-depression-and-launches-new-research-center/

Don't buy from shroomsshop.co.uk - I've just been scammed out of 159 quid.

Thanks @Scintella
And sorry to hear that.

Do they sell products with psilocybin? I thought they just sold other extracts? I'm really sorry you were ripped off. That's horrible.

When you say truffles do you mean normal culinary truffles or are these special ones that produce psilocybin?

So if you're using dried powdered psilocybin would you start off with something like 0.1g inside a capsule?

Yeah I fell out of awe for Nutt a while ago. I think he is too much ego and not enough ethical discipline and genuine curiosity for empirical evidence. I watched documentaries on his team dosing people with severe depression and felt their set up was profoundly unethical. They had students babysitting people on intensely disturbing trips. This was not microdosing. The outcome was not at all conclusive.

Also, his 'mood enhancing' non-alcoholic drink was disgusting. In no way did it offer any of the benefits of alcohol. It wasn't relaxing, didn't lift mood. The only similarity with alcohol was that if you drank a tiny shot if it, it had the effect of too much booze and made you nauseous.

Ones with psilocybin.

I thought I was buying psilocybin microdose capsules.

I've never actually met Nutt but I've watched things he was on and I was actually at a meeting in Lisbon with one of his students who was involved in the earlier psilocybin trials. The student was a principal investigator on the trial I was setting up which thankfully had a more structured setting with full qualified personnel monitoring the patients.

YouTube served me this video out of nowhere last week. No idea why as mushrooms hadn't been on my radar BUT I found it an incredibly touching journey to witness.

Thanks for sharing your experiences too, OP. It's all very interesting.

@Scintella I don't know of any uk sites you can buy the capsules on as they're illegal.