Sigmund Freud would probably roll his eyes at it, but psychedelic mushrooms for anxiety are gaining momentum in the field of psychotherapy.
Over 40 million adults in the U.S. have an anxiety disorder and traditional therapy models may not work for all of them. Typical anxiety treatments include anxiolytics and therapy to understand and work on techniques to handle the symptoms of an attack.
In recent years, alternatives to therapy are becoming popular. One prominent option is psychedelic therapy using medicinal fungi.
Could psilocybe cubensis turn you from a worry wart into a fun-gi?
Read on as we discuss the protocols for psychedelic assisted therapy and the scientific evidence to back it up. We also touch on the legal state of medicinal fungi and what to look out for when you buy medicinal fungi online.
Shrooms, medicinal fungi, purple passion, or Alice: whatever you call them, they’ve held a place in humanity for ages. Historians believe that the use of medicinal fungi dates back to 9000 B.C.
Many cultures have ancient art and literature that historians believe are related to medicinal fungi. North African indigenous people would create rock paintings in their honor. There are Mayan and Aztec ruins believed to be representatives of what seem to be mushrooms.
The Aztecs referred to a substance called teonanácatl, which translates to “flesh of the gods”. They used psychotropics to induce transcendental states and communicate with the gods.
Aztec merchants were known to take shrooms with honey and have banquets where they foretold their fates.
The Mexica also are also believed to have indulged in psychedelic mushrooms. They depicted images of hysterical laughter, visions, weeping, and auditory hallucinations. Shamanic healing using shrooms was prominent in many cultures.
Magic mushrooms contain a chemical known as psilocybe cubensis. The intestines convert psilocybe cubensis to psilocin, a compound with powerful psychoactive properties. Psilocin can amplify colors, uplift mental states, and put users in a deep self-reflective state.
There are many types of mushroom products. They can come dried, in powder form, or fresh. You can consume them plain or enjoy them in infused treats like chocolates, teas, or other edibles.
The effects typically last around three to six hours and hit their peak within the first three hours. They take about 30 minutes to kick in. So, what can you expect on a shroom trip? These are the common reactions:
Mushrooms are known to deliver trippy effects with hallucinations and rarely paranoia. So, wouldn’t that worsen anxiety instead of relieving it?
The truth is psilocybe cubensis has similar properties to serotonin. Mental health experts are aware that serotonin plays a key role in mood regulation. Low serotonin levels can cause symptoms of anxiety and depression. Mushrooms act on your serotonergic system, which restores balance.
Your serotonergic system plays a crucial function in appetite, sleep, and mood regulation. Magic mushrooms may stimulate serotonergic function which could increase serotonin, thus aiding sleep quality, weight reductions, and appetite reduction.
There are certain risks involved. A poor quality product or an excessive dose could increase paranoia and trigger anxiety symptoms. However, even with a bad trip, research suggests that a singular high dose of shrooms can have long-lasting benefits for reducing anxiety.
More people are seeking alternatives to Western medicinal methodologies and therapy techniques. Therapy can be an expensive, lifelong process which may not be worth it for some people.
Using psychedelic mushrooms for anxiety is something many practitioners are choosing to offer. The therapeutic methodologies are still the same when using psilocybe cubensis. The benefits of psychedelic mushrooms may help the patient enter therapy with a different outlook.
Practitioners are open to using psilocybe cubensis for treating anxiety because of its mechanism of action. Brain scans reveal that it works effectively to create a compound with a similar structure to serotonin.
Once you consume shrooms, your digestive system metabolizes it from psilocybe cubensis to its active form known as N-dimethyltryptamine, psilocin, or 4-hydroxy-N. This triggers the same neurotransmitters as serotonin. It creates a feeling of elevated mood and increased motivation.
The serotonin neurotransmitters are known as the 5-HT receptors. Psilocin triggers them, which causes a flood of positive feelings of well-being. This may help someone come down from an anxiety attack by pulling them out of the fight-or-flight spiral.
Psilocin also stimulates the 5HT-2A receptors, which reduces inflammatory and oxidative stress in the brain pathways. It has a ripple effect that results in an improved mood and an increase in brain plasticity, which boosts cognitive flexibility and empathetic thinking.
With all the possible therapies available, you may wonder why practitioners want to use psychedelic mushrooms for anxiety?
Psilocybin has a superpower that can put people with mental illness in a better position to transform with therapy. When someone has mental instability for an extended period, their mind gets trapped in a self-consuming cycle of negative thinking.
The longer the mind stays in the negative thinking patterns, the more it starts to become a hard-wired habit. When this patient goes into therapy, they may find it challenging to seek a more positive mindset.
Breaking free from self-debilitating thoughts and behaviors is impossible without a mindset shift. Psychedelic medicines like psilocybe cubensis hold the potential to help patients escape the negative thinking cycle.
Psilocybin can break through hard-wired patterns and enable patients to benefit more from sessions. It could also increase the emotional bond with the therapist, which creates rapport and builds an openness to change.
One of the key benefits of psychedelic mushrooms is its ability to stimulate brain cells. Long-term anxiety can cause premature shrinkage of brain cells. This effect negatively affects cognitive function, memory loss, and mood stability.
Psilocybin stimulates brain cells, which triggers them to grow and build more neuron connections. It may improve the speed of brain messaging and repair shrinking of the hippocampus. Patients could experience improved memory, cognitive function, and mood.
Using psilocybe cubensis in therapy is known as psychedelic assisted psychotherapy (PAP). It’s based on the grounds of traditional therapy practices with the help of a psychedelic drug.
These mind-altering compounds help the patient experience therapy with an altered perception, but what if there’s more to it? Some argue that the psychedelic isn’t just a catalyst for treatment, but the treatment itself.
The psychedelic experience (or trip) experienced when consuming shrooms creates an opportunity for self-reflection. Individuals gain new insights, find personalized ways to handle trauma, and realize negative thought patterns and behaviors holding them back.
Complex interactions with a therapist or unregulated psychotherapy practices can affect the interpretation of the psychedelic experience.
Therapist expectations could result in the grounds for mutual unblinding, which may create a therapist-biased experience.
In other words, the therapist may steer the session in a direction they see as beneficial. However, the patient’s psychedelic experience may seek to unpack other experiences or traumas.
So, what is the role of the therapist in PAT? Well, newer studies use psilocybe cubensis as the main aspect of the session. The mental health profession ensures the physical and psychological safety of vulnerable patients.
People with schizophrenia or deep-seated trauma may be prone to bad trips, terrifying hallucinations,or inflicting self-harm. Therapists should possess the skills to guide patients out of these dark mental hallways and assist them in creating a meaningful experience.
The therapist acts as a safety net during the psychedelic experience. The patient has peace of mind that a professional can help guide them without dictating the direction of the trip.
So, what can you expect from a typical psychedelic therapy session? It’s usually conducted in three stages.
Before the practitioner administers psychedelics, they ensure the patient won’t have any contraindications. Therapists look through the patients’ pre-existing conditions to determine if they’re a good fit for psilocybe cubensis-assisted therapy.
The consultation is also an excellent opportunity to discuss your personal goals or concerns with psilocybe cubensis therapy.
Once the therapist understands the patient’s goals, fears, and medical background, they provide the psychedelic substance to them. This step can only be done under the careful supervision of a trained therapist. They either inject it or the patient consumes psilocybe cubensis products.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy typically involves one to two sessions.
Usually, the therapist provides the patient with an eye mask, a comfortable bed, and usually some soft music. The therapist allows the patient to take the journey through the trip while they offer support throughout.
Once the psilocybe cubensis-assisted sessions are done, the therapist and patient unpack the experience. They seek to integrate meaning from the psychedelic trip that speaks to a specific past life event or future possibility.
As part of the integration process, the patient might want to try microdosing. It requires occasional low doses to keep anxiety at bay.
Clinical trials and studies are emerging to discover the true efficacy and applications for psychedelic mushrooms for anxiety. While most users tout the mental health benefits of psilocybe cubensis, it’s important to look at the research to make an informed choice.
A recent meta-analysis looked at the potential benefits of using psilocybe cubensis for anxiety and depression. Researchers found statistical significance for the reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms based on psilocybe cubensis treatments.
This meta-analysis noted that evidence is still at the preliminary phase with low to moderate heterogeneity on the effect rates. They also found no publication bias and noticed positive results of the treatment in short, medium, and long-term time frames.
Another significant study held psilocybe cubensis-assisted therapy to observe how it affects attachment anxiety and insecurity. The participants were male long-term AIDS survivors. They all displayed moderate-to-severe demoralization.
The researchers used the Experiences in Close Relationships scale to measure the attachment insecurity levels of the group. They noted the results before treatment and three months after.
The treatment consisted of a single mid-treatment open-label psilocybe cubensis session, which a therapist conducted individually. The researchers measured the results of the session using the Mystical Experience Questionnaire and the Challenging Experience Questionnaire.
Researchers found that ratings of attachment anxiety decreased by 95% from baseline to three months post treatment. They found that most of the positive results strongly correlated with mystical-type experiences associated with psilocybe cubensis psychedelic effects.
Anxiety is a common symptom in patients with terminal illness. It can cause debilitating anxiety or panic attacks surrounding death.
People with terminal illness may particularly worry about dying with pain or passing before doing something important to them. Certain medications used for these diseases may also cause anxiety as a side effect.
End of life anxiety is particularly difficult to treat. Typical anxiety medications aren’t as effective and may interact with other terminal illness medicines. One study looked at psilocybe cubensis as a possible treatment for patients with anxiety as a result of advanced-stage cancer.
Researchers took twelve advanced-stage cancer patients who met the DSM-IV28 diagnosis for anxiety disorder due to cancer. This placebo-controlled study aimed to look at the efficacy of psilocybe cubensis to treat psychological distress because of terminal disease.
Patients were informed of what they could expect when under the influence, including hallucinations and psychological issues. Researchers informed subjects of the purpose of the study and the importance of their feedback.
The experimental sessions all took place in a decorated hospital room to provide subjects with a comfortable environment. Each subject was informed they would receive two treatments.
One treatment would consist of 250 mg of niacin and the other occasion would include 0.2 mg/kg of psilocybe cubensis. Each session was six hours long and treatment personnel would sit alongside the patient.
After both sessions, patients noted their psychospiritual and aesthetic cognitive experiences. Self-report inventories and questionnaires revealed that psilocybe cubensis induced sessions left patients with reduced death around anxiety and a sense of fulfillment.
Psychospiritual experiences were prominent and most subjects felt calmer about what would happen when they passed on.
It’s important to acknowledge the risks associated with psychedelic assisted therapy. While psilocybe cubensis is generally safe, people with underlying conditions like heart problems or schizophrenia may experience unpleasant effects.
Stringent screening criteria are essential before psychedelic assisted therapy. Bear in mind that psilocybe cubensis can cause negative reactions in certain individuals. For instance, patients with cardiovascular issues may experience elevated heart rate and BP.
Patients with a history of psychosis, suicide ideation, and schizophrenia may be excluded from PAP sessions. While there’s no guarantee that a patient with these disorders will experience negative reactions, it’s not worth the risk.
People with a history of psychotic disorders, or the genetic capability for these mental illnesses, should not try psychotics. In rare occasions, psilocybe cubensis can trigger a psychotic episode even weeks after consumption for vulnerable patients.
The setting for psychedelic assisted therapy is also important. When someone is experiencing the effects of shrooms, the environment should be calming, peaceful, and quiet. Loud noises and bright colors may cause overstimulation or intense visual and auditory hallucinations.
Most studies on PAP have provided patients with a bed and eye masks. The eye mask prevents subjects from becoming visually overstimulated and allows them to focus on how they feel instead. It’s also a good idea to play calming music or a guided meditation.
Be wary about where you buy medicinal fungi. One of the most threatening risks of consuming medicinal fungi is accidental poisoning. Be wary of where you buy them from because you could consume a toxic mushroom if it’s not from a reputable seller.
Mushrooms laced with other drugs are also a concern. You could end up getting ill or worse, if you consume laced shrooms.
Most symptoms of mushroom poisoning occur quickly and worsen rapidly. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience the following:
Ensure you buy medicinal fungi online from a reputable site. Good Moods is PsiloSafe Certified, meaning our products ensure safety and efficacy. Our medicinal fungi meet industry standards for the manufacturing of psilocybe cubensis based products.
Magic mushrooms are listed as Schedule I drugs. Despite emerging research on its potential therapeutic effects, psilocybe cubensis is in the same category as hard drugs like heroin.
There are also no FDA-approved uses that allow the application of psilocybe cubensis. Despite research showing its potential to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other disorders, federal law doesn’t distinguish between drug varieties.
The Controlled Substances Act still refers to these psilocybe cubensis as having a high potential for abuse and no medical use.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration only applies grace with sanctioned clinical trials or designated breakthrough therapy exceptions.
Possessing, selling, or using psilocybe cubensis can lead to penalties in states that haven’t legalized it. Oregon is the only state to have completely decriminalized medicinal fungi. Here are the other states that have decriminalized it in certain cities:
Several states are actively in the process of decriminalization of medicinal fungi. The paradigm shift is largely in response to the therapeutic effects of psilocybe cubensis found in many recent studies.
Advocates are pushing for the progressive legislation of psilocybe cubensis as a means of an alternative to antidepressants and anxiolytics. Psilocybin could provide long-lasting results without the negative side effects associated with traditional medicines.
Future legislation is focussed on legalizing psilocybe cubensis for addiction treatment, psychiatric conditions, and terminal illnesses.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) is a federal law that protects people’s rights to practice their religious beliefs freely. It required the governments to provide a compelling reason for laws that restrict religious practices.
We touch on this act in our FAQs. Our products help you seek out the Divine and practice your spiritual beliefs freely.
By proclaiming that the mushrooms help you seek sacrament or practice your religious beliefs, you’re protected by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
After psilocybe cubensis therapy, patients should have a space to unpack their experiences and insights gained from their psychedelic trip. Follow up care helps them find meaning and navigate post-therapy challenges.
It’s important to provide patients with resources to join support groups and engage in further therapy sessions to seek further guidance. Psilocybin therapy isn’t a cure all and patients need access to additional support to maintain the long-term benefits of PAP.
Psychedelic mushrooms produce a compound called psilocybe cubensis. It has a psychedelic effect with a similar reaction to serotonin, which promotes relaxation, and a positive mood. Emerging research reveals that shrooms may hold benefits for patients with anxiety.
Studies reveal that psilocin triggers the 5-HT and 5HT-2A receptors. It may reduce inflammation and increase brain plasticity which could help anxiety patients transform negative thinking patterns.
Unlike traditional therapy, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy takes place in one to two sessions. In this setting the therapist is more of a guide to ensure the patient’s comfort and safety.
We believe that psilocybe cubensis-assisted therapy will become a popular alternative to traditional therapy. The most important factor in psilocybe cubensis-assisted therapy is using high-quality products. Our shrooms are grown by shamans with pure healing and loving intentions. Good Moods mushrooms are flowing with positive vibrations perfect for your psychedelic journeys.
Good Moods Inc. 70 SW Century Dr
Bend, Oregon 97702
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