Could Psilocybin cure mental health issues?

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NC

I watched a couple of really interning films this weekend. One was 'Fantastic Fungi" and another was 'Magic medicine'. Both were talking about the effects that Psilocybin can have on curing mental health.

(For anyone that does'nt know what Psilocybin is - its the active ingredient in magic mushrooms)

There was an interesting study in the U.K with macrodosing ( large quantities) and I think one is Canada has just started.

I have seen quite a few sites on macro dosing - very small doses ( not enough to get high) and people have been saying that its massively improved their lives.

Psilocybin is actually illegal in this country and thats why its been so hard to even get permission to have these trials/studies.

I am just wondering if people have heard of this or what their views on it were

Thank you

Micro dosing - very small amounts

I think there is huge potential in psychedelics. I took a small LSD trip last year and saw the most massive improvement in my ADHD symptoms, anxiety and depression. The positive after effects only started to wear off after about 8 weeks and there was no bounce back in terms of my symptoms being worse when they returned. I was just back to my usual baseline. I would love to do it again but getting safe drugs and space to do it.

Following as I have read about this, of course as it won't generate lots of cash for big pharma, it won't be encouraged. I have heard very positive things about the benefits of microdosing for MH.

another one with a friend who does this.

She has a traumatic background and has significant mental health issues. Certainly seems much more stable and less "rollercoaster" moods on a wee nibble on a mushroom.

I don't know where she gets the stuff from. Interesting that it helped your ADHD symptoms for two months @Seaography

@Seaography

I think there is huge potential in psychedelics. I took a small LSD trip last year and saw the most massive improvement in my ADHD symptoms, anxiety and depression. The positive after effects only started to wear off after about 8 weeks and there was no bounce back in terms of my symptoms being worse when they returned. I was just back to my usual baseline. I would love to do it again but getting safe drugs and space to do it.

Thats really interesting Seaography, I would love to try something like this but scared about 'come down' or similar.

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

another one with a friend who does this.

She has a traumatic background and has significant mental health issues. Certainly seems much more stable and less "rollercoaster" moods on a wee nibble on a mushroom.

I don't know where she gets the stuff from. Interesting that it helped your ADHD symptoms for two months @Seaography

I have a friend who does it too, she micro doses. Says it makes her more present and switched on, helps her complete tasks and get on with life in general rather than being in a 'fugge'. She doesnt get high from it as she takes it in such small doses every 3/4 days.

I agree big Pharma would lose massive amounts of money

I watched the same programmes and it was fascinating.

I would not recommend anyone self medicates.

But it is any interesting area of research that was off limits for several decades. Imperial College has a Centre for Psychedelic Research whose work you might be interested in. They are currently recruiting for a pilot study in the use of psilocibin in the treatment of anorexia. They also have an anonymous survey for anyone who has ever used psychedelics. They were the first group to investigate the use of psilocibin in depression.

www.imperial.ac.uk/psychedelic-research-centre/about-us/
www.imperial.ac.uk/psychedelic-research-centre/participate-in-research/
www.imperial.ac.uk/psychedelic-research-centre/trials/

www.imperial.ac.uk/people/r.carhart-harris/publications.html
www.imperial.ac.uk/people/r.carhart-harris

KCL are also researching the use of psilocibin in treating depression, PTSD and other disorders, and are recruiting for some trials.

www.kcl.ac.uk/research/psilocybin-trials

www.kcl.ac.uk/people/james-rucker
(links to research and mainstream media articles)

I have seen both of those documentaries and found them very interesting - I have a child with significant MH issues and am hopeful this is a breakthrough (whether it will become mainstream in time to help them I don't know)
I have always been quite 'anti-drugs' but become much more open minded after seeing the results of studies into psychedelics.

Really interesting. I felt sorry for the guy who had been so much better after his first trip and then suffered a relapse. And for his kids. I think there’s huge potential in it too. Under supervision.

For me it was the way it allowed me to see things more clearly during the trip. I could see what I actually had achieved in my life instead of beating myself up over what I perceived as my failure. It reduced a lot of the guilt and made me feel that I deserved to treat myself more kindly. I felt more in touch with the world and with the people around me.

I also had the most remarkable clarity of thought for the first few days. I felt like I imagine an NT person thinks rather than my ADHD brain. That put me into a position to make a more sensible plan and actual start it! I had more respect for my body so didn't binge food or drink and attended yoga a lot more often.

Done right I think it could be incredibly powerful tool for mental health. I have read before that the introspection of psychedelics has been very successful in treating addiction.

Despite this I wouldn't advise anyone to self medicate as it does have the potential to go wrong and cause more damage.

Ive name changed for this.

I watched the same programmes a while back. Started doing research etc. I'm bipolar, 42 yo and suffer with PTSD from sexual abuse. I have had LOTS of therapy and can cope without constant prescribed drugs but ended up self medicating with booze and cigarettes.

Last august I bit the bullet and started cultivating some b+magic mushrooms. Ended up with a decent yield and started microdosing late November. My sister also started at the same time as she suffers anxiety and depression due to our childhood and again drinks too much.

If I have fresh mushrooms then I take 4g finely chopped every 3-5 days. Dried I take 0.4g. I have taken less some days, and a little more others. I have had zero side effects other than mild nausea ( they don't taste particularly nice). I have had no other come down. But I am happier than I have been in decades. I feel like I felt before I was raped and abused. I feel lighter, like a weight has been lifted from my mind and my body. My marriage has been totally rejuvenated and I am absolutely head over heels in love with my husband where 4 months ago I did love him but it's like I was going through the motions and he was "alright". I'm more productive. And I'm at peace. I'm not over thinking things. And best of all for me I've quit smoking and barely even had 15 units of alcohol this month.

It's transformed my life.

Regarding ADHD it could be the effect on the receptors but equally it could be the reducing the guilt and anxiety. Everyone I know with ADHD that wasn't diagnosed until adulthood says it got worse as they got older as we get mired in a toxic mix of guilt, shame, anxiety, depression and chronic low self esteem. By greatly reducing those feelings we greatly reduce the chaos in our heads. My head would probably still be too nuts for an NT person to live in but to me it was now almost blissfully calm.

Thats wonderful to hear @McScreamysGhostPants. How long did it take you to feel a difference with microdosing? Did it take any adjustment time?

I took magic mushrooms 3 years ago and afterwards was the best I've felt in over 16 years.chronic depression and social anxiety,also believe I am on spectrum.

So, did you both stay on your prescribed medication at the same time as trialling the mushrooms?

@Seaography

Thats wonderful to hear *@McScreamysGhostPants*. How long did it take you to feel a difference with microdosing? Did it take any adjustment time?

Right after the first dose. I do take the very top end of what is considered a micro dose though. 4g seems to work really well for me and I love the feeling of freedom and lightness that I feel in the few hours after I take it. Lots of intensifying of colours, very keen sense of smell and taste etc. No visual hallucinations on a small dose like that but a lovely mellow but that makes you smile and laugh. I'm about to take todays and am looking forward to watching Trolls music world tour as it's just a lovely accompaniment to it while I'm chilling on the couch.

How do you cultivate magic mushrooms? Do you need to access the dark web?

I have heard similar anecdotes about psychedelic drugs having a positive effect on various mental health issues, obviously taken in very small, very controlled doses.

Following with interest

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

So, did you both stay on your prescribed medication at the same time as trialling the mushrooms?

I don't take any regular prescribed medication as I can't tolerate the side effects due to me having to be on lifetime medication for a Auto immune disease. But I do take short term drugs to help me sleep etc as needed and I'm definitely using less of those too (and less pain killers too!) as I'm not lying awake at night over thinking things. Dreams are much more intense due to the mushrooms though.

@SailingNotSurfing

How do you cultivate magic mushrooms? Do you need to access the dark web?

I have heard similar anecdotes about psychedelic drugs having a positive effect on various mental health issues, obviously taken in very small, very controlled doses.

I use the pf tek method. To start with I night ready sterilised filled pots. Then just injected spores. Supers are not illegal but mycelium (the roots) and mushrooms ( fruiting bodies) are illegal in lots of places. I injected the spores, left them in a dark warm space. Two month later I put them into a home made fruiting chamber. I had shrooms within ten days.

Now I make my own jars and fill with rice flour and vermiculite and sterilise them myself in a pressure cooker. You can buy spore syringes from mucci spores and shiny spores. I've attached a pic of my mycelium jars. Two injection ports and a non permeable filter for gas exchange. The last pic is my shrooms. The blue isn't mold, the bruise blue when picked.

You can get ketamine transfusions at Oxford Hospital.

I came across this a while ago, it all looks very intriguing.

Whilst down a rabbit hole about this I learnt that there is something of a mushroom mafia situation going on, with mushroom experts and growers being threatened for sharing their knowledge on mushrooms, going beyond psilocybin (I think there are components of some species that have anti-cancer properties).

It’s a while since I looked into it, but one of the experts is Paul Stamets, in case anyone else wants to lose a whole afternoon!

I haven't read up on it or watched the documentaries but I saw something about it when I watched 'Nine Perfect Strangers'. It looked really interesting but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it, there could be a real lack of control. I'd want to know more about the possible side effects and if it was addictive.