A controversial subject. Almost immediately, the mentioning of the word “psychedelic” invokes images of tie-dye hippies of the 1960s counterculture, or maybe even the horror stories linking bad “trip” experiences to states of psychosis.
Yet there’s another – quieter – side to the psychedelic coin. One that has been in existence for centuries within indigenous cultures and, more recently, medical research[1]. Over the past decade, scientists have revived psychological studies dating back to the early 1950s; working behind the scenes in testing psychedelic mushrooms as an alternative therapeutic treatment for a vast range of mental disorders – including anxiety and treatment-resistant depression.
And, thus far, these recent studies reveal positive results.
All counterculture stigma set aside, evidence of long-lasting therapeutic effects – even from just a single, high dosage of these mushrooms – suggest a paradigm shift in Western medicine; one that might alleviate suffering down the line, across multiple mental health problems[1].
Given the choice…would you try it?
10 Therapeutic Benefits Behind Psychedelic Mushrooms
The naturally-occurring psychoactive ingredient that gives psychedelic mushrooms their therapeutic kick, is psilocybin. There are over 100 species of mushrooms across the world that contain psilocybin and, “have been used ritually for at least 3000 years”[2].
Most people today assume that the only appropriate place for enjoying psilocybin’s benefits – alongside other psychedelics – is at a concert, party, or music festival.
Not true.
In fact, these particular settings do little to actually establish any long-term therapeutic value, and only build upon the negative reputation attached to this already taboo topic.
When it comes to psychedelic mushrooms, “set and setting” play a key role in determining a beneficial therapeutic experience for the recipient. Clinical researcher Charles Grob, MD, of UCLA – one of the leading psychiatrists of the current psychedelic research renaissance – explains that “optimizing set…asks patients what their intention is, and what they hope to get out of their experience. Setting is maintaining a safe and secure environment and having someone there who will adequately monitor you”[3].
Although psychedelics remain illegal outside these controlled clinical trials, there are some recreational users who prefer nature as their ideal setting for optimal healing. They’ll take psilocybin mushrooms with close friends or loved ones in peaceful environments, such as secluded forest areas – the very same places that these fungi originally come from.
“Optimizing set…asks patients what their intention is, and what they hope to get out of their experience. Setting is maintaining a safe and secure environment and having someone there who will adequately monitor you.”
Charles Grob, MD
Whether it be a clinical therapy room or a foliage-dense wilderness, if mindfully taking proper set and setting into account – as well as turning inward to have a more personal, meditative experience – the mushroom user generally reports a positive shift in their cognitive perception.
Not only that, but some of the overarching, long-term therapeutic benefits that people suffering from mental disorders tend to gain after a single high-dose experience include (but certainly aren’t limited to):
- Reconnection to one’s personal identity; a reestablished sense of “Self” and purpose.
- A reduction in treatment-resistant long-term depression[4].
- Minimized anxiety and rumination cycles.
- Improved mood, and a stronger positive outlook on life.
- Feelings of “Oneness” – with both nature and other people.
- An expanded periphery – “Lifting the Veil” to understand one’s surroundings more vividly.
- Potential development for new, long-lasting positive thinking patterns.
- Reducing (or possibly breaking) bad habits and addictions – including tobacco and alcohol dependence[4].
- Diminished feelings of fear.
- Mindful awareness to the present moment.
Where do all these amazing changes come from? According to scientific researchers, when taking these mushrooms in safe, controlled settings, the brain becomes more “plastic”– allowing different regions to communicate at a higher rate than they normally would, in a more fluid, less rigid way[3][5]. This is where the possible formulation of new neural pathways can help “shift you into new patterns of thinking”[3].
Patterns that allow you to transform your life towards a positive direction – long after the psilocybin diminishes.
Hopes for the Future
All this is certainly saying something. Where conventional antidepressant and medication treatments lack (they can be likened to slapping a bandage over the mental wound without fixing it), psychedelic mushrooms hold promise.
It’s important to note that psychedelic mushrooms do not contain addictive properties and, unlike conventional treatments, a single psilocybin session can “trigger long-term changes in behavior and thinking”[2].
It is time to shift the narrative.
We must remove the cultural baggage attached to these fungi and recognize them as an alternative medicine, not a gateway drug to insanity. The evidence is based in the reemerging scientific research – the outlook remains promising.
And change is on the horizon. With Denver, Colorado being the first US city to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms on May 7th, it’s evident that government officials are starting to get the larger picture at hand (albeit slowly). If eventually made legal again, psychedelic mushrooms hold the potential for revolutionizing modern medicine and healthcare.
But, one must remember that these mushrooms are never a complete substitute for working on yourself. Once taken, it’s up to the user to implement psilocybin’s therapeutic teachings on a daily basis to ensure positive changes in personal perception. In order to get beyond difficult moments, you must work through them.
One of the ways this can be done: meditation – I’ll leave you with that to ponder.
