How Magic Mushrooms Could Improve Your Mental Health: Psychedelic Therapy

Anxiety and depression may be improved with magic mushrooms and psychedelic therapy.

Take two minutes to read, explore, and reflect. By Wendy Rose Gould & Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Top of Mind Magic Mushrooms & Psychedelic Therapy   For years researchers have long believed that psilocybin—AKA "magic mushrooms"—could provide powerful benefits for mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Now, Oregon has officially become the first state to lay groundwork for a therapy program that utilizes and studies the effects of these psychedelic edibles.   The goal is to better understand the mushroom's effects and, ideally, to create a template for similar programs across the country. Ultimately, this new program could prove monumental for our understanding of psychedelic therapy and be a boon to our ability to address mental health, in general.   Program details are still being hammered out, including the best way to administer the mushrooms and how to create the most conducive environment. More information will become available throughout the next year, and the program itself will likely get underway no later than 2023.     Although we have many effective treatments for mental health conditions, including medications and psychotherapies, there are still many patients who do not respond to the existing treatments." —  KEITH HEINZERLING, MD  What This Means For You Though this new magic mushroom program is specific to Oregon, it could create a domino effect across the country and perhaps even the globe. Whatever the trajectory, the study will provide us with greater understanding into psychedelic therapy and perhaps pave the way for new treatment modalities.    On the Bright Side Ways to Stay Positive This Week What's Inspiring Us Curious about the ins and outs of psychedelic therapy? Thumb through Dr. Richard Louis Miller's book, Psychedelic Medicine: The Healing Powers of LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca. It explores the history of psychedelic research, including non-technical summaries of studies that have already been done. Products to Help You Feel Your Best Sam Harris is a well-known philosopher, neuroscientist, and meditation expert who's openly discussed psychedelics, including his own experiences. In this fascinating, two-hour long interview with Tim Ferriss, he discusses psychedelics, meditation, and "the bigger picture." In lieu of the magic variety, consider growing your own non-hallucinogenic mushrooms with Back to the Roots' Organic Mushroom Growing Kit. It comes with everything you need in order to grow oyster mushrooms, a process that takes about two weeks. Read These Next How Psychedelics Might Heal Your Emotional Pain READ NOW 4 Different Types of Psychedelic Therapy READ NOW What Is Microdosing? READ NOW Spread the Light Share the newsletter with someone you know to make their day a little brighter. SHARE We're open to suggestions! If you have any feedback about this newsletter, let us know at feedback@verywell.com.     You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Healthy Mind newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 Verywellmind.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy