Mushrooms and Depression – Could Shrooms be the Cure?

Mushrooms and depression aren’t a likely match, but psilocybin, the psychedelic compound responsible for hallucinogenic “trips,” could be the secret in treating treatment-resistant depression.

For centuries, psychedelic substances such as magic mushrooms have been used in religious rituals and healing ceremonies. 

Still, their real-world medical applications are just beginning to be unravelled as the attitudes towards mental health, therapy and psychedelics are starting to change.

Those suffering from depression and anxiety aren’t expected to self-diagnose and go off on a spiritual journey with psilocybin mushrooms but research is opening up the potential for psilocybin to treat depression, anxiety, and treatment-resistant depression in clinical settings. 

Here’s what science has to say about mushrooms and depression. 

Mushroom and Depression – What Does the Science Say?

In a research study released on November 4 of 2020, a randomized clinical trial of 24 adults with major depression discovered that two doses of psilocybin cubensis or magic mushrooms,  resulted in large reductions in depressive symptoms when accompanied by supportive psychotherapy.

Psilocybin, the hallucinogen found in shrooms, produces visual and auditory hallucinations, but the effects can also induce introspection, change consciousness, and reveal new perspectives to its users!

The study says that the effects of psilocybin revealed in the clinical trials showed that the hallucinogenic substance was 4x stronger than that of traditional antidepressants in terms of magnitude.

When it comes to treating depression, the treatment’s duration, possible side effects and costs are problematic for clients. 

While traditional depression treatments can take upwards of weeks and months with some unwanted side effects accompanying the results, magic mushrooms could expedite the treatment process with little to no adverse effects.  

In fact, the study found that psilocybin therapy produced results after only one or two doses.

Side effects of traditional anti-depressants often produce intensive weight gain, decrease in libido, and suicidal ideation.  The use of magic mushroom-derived psilocybin; on the other hand, only produces moderate headaches and intense emotions during the hallucinogenic trip.

Dr. Davis, the co-author of the study and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the John Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research, says that magic mushrooms “could be a game-changer if these findings hold up.”

Using Mushrooms to Treat Depression

Before we dive into this section, let us be clear in stating that medical advice regarding diagnosis, treatment, and psychological support should be obtained from a licensed medical professional and/or therapist. 

Self-diagnosis, personally derived treatment plans, and therapy should not be self-directed and could cause more harm than good.

The possibility of psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin magic mushrooms, treating depression isn’t a new concept. 

Research into the possibility of psilocybin and other hallucinogenics being used in treatments began as early as 1995. But it wouldn’t be until much later that the stigma against hallucinogenic and mental health improved enough for more research to be conducted.

Some of us at Mushroom Genie have used or know someone who has used magic mushrooms to treat depression and treatment-resistant depression. 

We like to think of ourselves as an open-minded bunch, so we had no problem undergoing the experience a couple of years before seeing what this supposed “drug” could do.

Many people believe that using a “hard drug” such as magic mushrooms would cause your brain to melt and for you to see demons, dragons, and a host of other scary visuals haunting your experience, but we found the opposite to be true.

Using magic mushrooms to treat our and our friend’s depression and anxiety wasn’t a cure-all. It wasn’t as if taking a dose of magic mushrooms simply melted away all of our problems. 

It’s not psilocybin, but the experience that psilocybin provided us helped put us on the path to recovery.

The intense introspection, difficult emotions, and spiritual experience that psilocybin helps grant its users shed a lot of insight into the problems we were facing. 

Again, this is by no means showing support for the idea that therapy isn’t necessary (it is) and that chemical depression in the brain can be solved by mushrooms (it can’t) – we’re just saying that the emotional and spiritual journey that psilocybin gave us helped set us on the right path.

Of course, the journey will differ between people, and if you’re suffering from treatment-resistant depression, there’s no guarantee that psilocybin and magic mushrooms are the way to go.  

However, the evidence that researchers have been gathering to support this notion seems to support psychedelics’ efficacy in a professional therapeutic setting.

Magic Mushrooms and You – Worth a Try?

Speaking personally, the journey and emotional benefits that psilocybin magic mushrooms gave us were definitely worth the intense emotions and introspection that followed suit. 

While by no means a replacement for therapy or professional medical advice and help, mushrooms and depression are a good match – at least, according to science.

If you’re interested in seeing what magic mushrooms can do for you, we highly recommend starting with a microdose.

The intensity of a full dose might prove to be too much for first-time users and might actually exacerbate the symptoms of depression if dosed incorrectly.  

Patients should aim to start low and slow and work their way up to a larger dose. Feelings of anxiety might also induce a panic attack and prove a detriment to your health if high doses are consumed at once.

The taste of magic mushrooms can prove intense, to put it euphemistically. To give yourself a more accurate (and tasty) dose, we recommend browsing our selection of mushroom edibles.

Instead of eating your shrooms raw, you can make a hallucinogenic cup of mushroom tea or opt for some delicious infused chocolates.

The choice is yours when it comes to dosing, but we do recommend starting low and keeping it slow until you’re ready to move on to higher doses.

Best of luck and happy trails!