Psychedelic mushrooms, also known as psilocybin mushrooms or magic mushrooms, are a large group of mushrooms that contain psilocybin, a compound known for its psychedelic properties. These special mushrooms used to be researched extensively until the 1970’s, but the legal restrictions and bans related to the psilocybin mushrooms have also slowed down the research related to these interesting fungi. However, several major research universities, such as Johns Hopkins and others, have taken up psilocybin research again, their studies pertaining to the positive effects of the compound on general health and mental well being and its potential for being used for medicinal purposes. Here are some updates about the results achieved.
Psilocybin in the Treatment of a Variety of Psychiatric Conditions and Behavioral Disorders
Some recent studies into the experiences of volunteers with micro-dosing psilocybin have opened the road for more extensive research in the positive effects of the compound in the treatment of severe depression. The researchers at Johns Hopkins found that as little as two doses of psilocybin produced a very significant and long-term reduction in the symptoms of severe depression, about half of the study participants reporting complete remission during the follow-up period of four weeks. Psilocybin – look at research related to penis envy mushrooms – being likely to be able to help in the treatment of other, similar disorders and issues, there is an increasing number of studies and research programs started to figure out how to use the compound for therapeutic purposes.
Psilocybin in Smoking Cessation
Tobacco has long been known as an extremely harmful addictogen. With smoking cessation campaigns being launched all the time, more and more smokers try to kick the habit. While success stories are surely numerous, many smokers find it hard to stop reaching out to their cigarettes, the addiction being not so much physical as it is emotional and mental. A novel area for psilocybin research is how the compound can be used to help with smoking cessation efforts – the compound is known to be non-addictive, therefore the qualities that make it efficient in the treatment of depression might make it suitable for being used as an aid in quitting smoking. If psilocybin proves efficient in the area, research might continue in the direction of revealing the compound’s potential in the treatment of other addictions as well, such as alcohol abuse and drug abuse.
Emotional and Mental Help for Cancer Patients
Cancer is an illness that is often accompanies by severe depression and anxiety – conditions that seriously hinder the life quality of cancer patients and that have been found to hinder the healing process as well. A double-blind study conducted also at the Johns Hopkins University in 2016 found that a single, large dose of psilocybin provided very significant relief to patients suffering of advanced or terminal cancer as well as from the existential anxiety that appeared as a reaction to the cancer diagnosis, the outlook and the treatment. Psilocybin proved to have not only long-lasting effects – the effects were also very quick to be felt, an important benefit compared to anti-depressants and mood enhancers that might take weeks to produce noticeable effects.