For thousands of years, magic mushrooms have been widely used for recreational and spiritual purposes. However, they remain illegal in a majority of states globally. With the performing of scientific research that concluded that psilocybin contained in magic mushrooms could treat depression, The Food and Drug Administration approved this compound for drug trials, primarily for depression treatment. Microdosing psilocybin for depression has become a widespread practice these days. In this article, we’ll discuss the issue of can magic mushrooms cure depression, and discover their potential advantages and downsides.
The pros of using shrooms for depression
1. Efficient for treatment-resistant depression
Treatment-resistant depression is when no one of appointed treatments is useful, including medications, talk therapies, lifestyle changes, etc. Some recent studies have shown that patients suffering from this condition respond well to psilocybin. This compound can give patients a start they need to break out their depression, as well.
2. Long-lasting effects
How magic mushrooms have become a potential depression treatment? One magic mushrooms depression study concluded that a single dose of psilocybin is likely to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with cancer. At the same time, research has shown that psilocybin action can last up to five weeks once consumed in two doses. It is worth mentioning that usual antidepressants should be consumed every day to reach desired results.
3. Provide faster action
Since antidepressants usually require weeks to see the first results, psilocybin with its fast-acting properties is attractive for multiple patients. One research has demonstrated that participants who were suffering from depression states notice their first health effects after one week of usage. It is a principal benefit of psilocybin since any self-harming behavior or obsessive thoughts require immediate treatment.
The cons of using psilocybin for depression treatment
1. Avoid self-medication
While magic mushrooms help treat depression states, it is not recommended to use them as self-medication. That’s because psilocybin might produce several risks that can be difficult to deal with on your own. The potential dangers often include paranoia, potent visual or auditory hallucinations, confusion, feeling that an environment and thoughts are unreal, etc. If you don’t have a sitter during a psychedelic practice, the experience might appear quite unsettling to you.
2. Illegality
Using and distributing psychedelic substances, like psilocybin, is forbidden in various countries, including the USA. You might be committed to crime if you decide to utilize magic mushrooms to fight depression. Most patients typically will not want to use forbidden substances in the name of curing, so illegality remains one of the most common challenges. You can even find so-called magic mushroom retreats in countries where magic mushrooms are legal, like the Netherlands and Jamaica. But these places usually don’t provide services for patients with depression and don’t involve psychotherapists.