The Life Altering Potential of Magic Mushrooms
Throughout recent years, one of the most disastrous tragedies to occur is the continuous existence of cancer. Cancer patients are some of the most depressed individuals we know of, as they have a condition in which there is no known remedy that has a high success rate, along with the processes that exist for attempting to cure it being painful and agonizing.
Chemotherapy is an extraordinarily difficult thing to undergo, as it robs you of many intrinsically meaningful and joyful aspects of life, and frequently right before death. Your last memories are of such intense suffering due to the side effects associated with the treatment, that you are unable to live the last of your days in the manner that would bring you the most satisfaction.
Scientists continue to try to discover various alternative forms of medicine to combat the effects of cancer, but the detrimental psychological effects it has on the minds of those suffering are unparalleled.
Psilocybin is a naturally existing psychedelic drug whose experience upon ingestion is characterized by deep spiritual phenomenon and hallucinations. The sense of self that one identifies with is frequently entirely shattered, which scientists believe allows for new pathways of thought to emerge, and for various addictions to cease.
The use of this compound has shown amazing effects of reducing the fear of death among cancer patients, while also reducing the severity of certain mental health conditions like OCD and there is great evidence supporting its use in helping quit even lifelong addictions.
Cancer is a horrible disease. Cancer is one of those things that continuously brings out feelings of dread and terror because of the awful manner in which it kills its victims. They usually experience a slow and agonizing death throughout which their body kills itself, and depending on the severity of the cancer, this can last a very long time. The psychological effects this imposes on one with cancer are sometimes even worse than the illness itself, and that is why the introduction of psilocybin could be an astronomical success in helping these people.
The existential dread and demoralization that those afflicted with terminal cancer experience is unmatched and extremely common. They usually are not given much time to live in which to deal with their terrible fate, but psilocybin has demonstrated an immensely powerful way to overcome that fear of death. People report that with the use of this drug they are able to directly confront the terminal illness they experience, and for the first time in their life overcome this burden they have been carrying with them.
Following the session with psilocybin, the patients themselves and those who had been close to them reported a significant decrease in the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and an astounding change in their outlook on life (Clinical Trials Using Psilocybine, n.d.). Their moods had been uplifted to an enormous degree and this effect stayed consistent throughout their life. More than 80% experienced substantially greater meaning and satisfaction in their life (Griffiths, Roland R., 2016). The vast majority of those who had gone through this treatment declared it one of the most spiritually significant moments in their life, frequently in the same category as the birth of their children.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental condition in which a person experiences recurring and obsessive behaviors that interfere with their daily functioning significantly. Often this psychologically damages the individual because of their inability to go about their daily tasks as they wish.
Psilocybin temporarily alters firing of neurons in the brain known as the (DMN) or Default Mode Network. This network of the brain is where the conception of the self resides, and has more connections and neuronal firing in those affected by OCD (Francisco Moreno, Francisco & Brian Bayze, Brian, 2020). Psilocybin allows for the sense of self to be altered, and therefore significantly changed, allowing for new patterns of thinking to emerge, which is greatly helpful in assisting those who have been affected by OCD.
The University of Yale is currently conducting a study using psilocybin to treat those with OCD (Mental Health Benefits from One Dose of Psychedelic Drug Last for Years in People with Cancer, 2020). This study is done with the intention of exploring the neuronal connectivity the drug changes and enhances, and how that will alter the lives of those who have experienced it even months after the experience is over. Psychotherapy often attempts to assist in breaking fixed patterns of thought and introducing a more open way of thinking and viewing the world, and the mystical experience that is induced by psilocybin may contribute greatly to improving the quality of life and decreasing the symptoms of those with OCD.
Johns Hopkins University similarly did a study involving the treatment of long term cigarette addicts, and the potential ability of the active compound psilocybin to assist in ceasing this addiction. 6 months following the ingestion and mystical experience, 80% of the participants had still not smoked.
The professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins stated that this is a significantly higher abstinence rate than in normal trials involving the attempt at quitting this addiction. Only 35% of people using varenicline, which most deem to be the most effective drug to use in order to quit smoking succeed (‘Magic Mushrooms’ Can Help Smokers Break the Habit, n.d.).
10 men and 5 women were involved in this study and the average age of the participants was 51. On average, they smoked around 19 cigarettes a day for over 30 years, and had in the past failed at their previous attempts to quit. Those who conducted this study say that this is a possibility of the ability of psilocybin to stop addictive behaviors and negative patterns of thought.
The chemical compound psilocybin has great potential in assisting fixed patterns of thinking and behavior, as well as overcoming the anxiety and depression associated with the fear of death.
Many extremely reputable Universities have undergone studies in how it relates to the nature of addictive behavior as we currently understand it, and the consensus is that although we are unable to fully understand how or why, the mystical experience induced by psilocybin frequently has long lasting effects of well being on the participants. Those suffering from addiction and recurring behaviors have not had a medicine that is anywhere near as successful as this.
The use of this drug in a proper clinical setting assisted greatly in overcoming the fear of death associated with terminal cancer, as well as the ability to stop fixed patterns of thinking in conditions like OCD and stop long term addiction.
Clinical Trials Using Psilocybine. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/intervention/psilocybine
Francisco Moreno, Francisco & Brian Bayze, Brian. (February 3, 2020). The University of Arizona Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://psychiatry.arizona.edu/news/psilocybin-and-ocd
Griffiths, Roland R. et al. (November 30, 2016). National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5367557/
‘Magic Mushrooms’ Can Help Smokers Break the Habit. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/stories/mushrooms_quit_smoking.html#:~:text=Johns%20Hopkins%20researchers%20report%2015,most%20effective%20smoking%20cessation%20drug.
Mental Health Benefits from One Dose of Psychedelic Drug Last for Years in People with Cancer. (January 28, 2020). Retrieved from https://nyulangone.org/news/mental-health-benefits-one-dose-psychedelic-drug-last-years-people-cancer
