Magic mushrooms are not something new to the world we live in. It contains psilocybin, which people used for ceremonial and spiritual purposes for thousands of years. Since the key ingredient of magic mushrooms is psilocybin, people also call it psilocybin mushrooms. This compound can trigger numerous psychoactive effects when consumed.
In the recent past, scientists discovered the potential therapeutic effects that psilocybin can create on mental health. In fact, it shows as a promising ingredient to treat numerous mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and addiction. Continue to read this article and let’s explore more about it.
How Psilocybin Mushrooms Work
There are over 180 mushroom species that contain the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin. After ingestion, these compounds stimulate serotonin receptors in the brain. They include altered thinking processes and mystical states. Effects can include euphoria, perceptual changes, emotional release, feelings of connectivity, and introspective insights.
Indigenous groups like the Mazatecs have used rituals involving psilocybin mushrooms for spiritual divination. On the other hand, Aztecs called them “flesh of the gods.” Accounts of mystical-type experiences induced by mushrooms date back thousands of years in certain societies. Some theories even posit religious symbols like the Tree of Knowledge could be inspired by visionary effects of psychedelic fungi.
From the 1950s through the 1970s, there was widespread psychiatric interest in using psilocybin and LSD to treat conditions like alcoholism and obsessive disorders. But in 1970, the US classified psilocybin as a Schedule I illegal drug, greatly limiting further research. In the new millennium, scientific investigation has gradually resumed, funded by non-profit groups and for-profit companies.
Emerging Psychedelic Industry
An array of biotech and pharmaceutical startups have recently formed to research and develop psychedelic medicines. They are mostly focused on psilocybin, MDMA, and ibogaine. The model typically involves synthesizing proprietary versions of these compounds for use in FDA-approved clinical trials. The goal is to create regulated, standardized psychedelic-assisted therapies for treating mental illness, eventually generating profits through medical licensing.
Investor interest is quite substantial; one industry report projects the market for psychedelic medicines could top $10 billion globally by 2027. Dozens of private and publicly traded companies now make up a legal psychedelic sector trying to replicate the success of medical marijuana. However, some practitioners worry profit incentives could undermine the deeper healing value of these visionary plants and compounds at the heart of ancient ceremonies.
Psilocybin Decriminalization Efforts
While psychedelics remain illegal in the federal system, several local governments have passed resolutions to deprioritize or decriminalize natural psilocybin. Most notably in 2019, Denver became the first US city to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms, with several more cities following soon after. The state of Oregon legalized supervised psilocybin services in late 2020.
Activists behind these reform movements want to encourage safe, regulated access to natural psilocybin for therapeutic uses. Decriminalization aims to avoid unnecessary legal penalties against possession or use, while permitting a legal market for clinical administration adhering to best practices. However, sales outside of approved settings typically remain prohibited under reform laws.
Clinical Research on Psilocybin
In the past decade, prominent medical institutions like Johns Hopkins, NYU, Imperial College London, and Yale have published promising clinical studies regarding psilocybin. Areas researched include treatment-resistant depression, end-of-life anxiety, alcoholism, PTSD, OCD, anorexia, and cigarette addiction.
Small sample sizes are still the norm, given psilocybin’s restricted status, but certain trials show exceptionally high remission rates after brief psychedelic-aided interventions, including for cases unresponsive to standard treatments. Exact mechanisms are not fully understood, though therapists speak of mind expansion facilitating emotional breakthroughs. Patients report life-changing mystical states providing enduring alterations in worldview and self-awareness.
Despite lacking full governmental sanction, this second “psychedelic renaissance” continues to demonstrate psilocybin’s versatile applications, including easing psychological, existential, and spiritual distress typically impervious to modern healthcare. As culture and science evolve further, accessibility of psilocybin-assisted therapy may follow the paths of acupuncture, medical cannabis, and other once-marginalized healing modalities officially legitimized through relentless clinical verification.
