As someone with depression, personally I wouldn't recommend mushrooms to others in a similar situation. I've tried them once and it was a rather uncomfortable experience. In fact, a quote from the acticle describes my experience fairly well - "When suffering depression, people get stuck in a spiral of negative thoughts and cannot get out of it". This does tend to describe my thought process in general, but this was exacerbated on mushrooms. I had little control over my thought process, which made me anxious, which made the experience harder to deal with. Although, when considering certain personal issues at the time which would normally cause me anxiety, they did feel much less significant.
That said, I've heard many stories of people experiencing life changing epiphanies from mushroom trips as described in the article, and I am intrigued by articles like this and the science behind it. Perhaps my environment, or the specific mushrooms I tried made it worse. Also, having tried them once and come out the other end fine may make future experiences less uncomfortable - a large part of what made it difficult was a concern that my mental state would be permanently affected by the experience, and this was not the case. Still, it makes me less inclined to try them again until I'm in a better mental state.
For what it's worth, these were the variety of "magic truffles" which are legal and readily obtainable from high street stores in Amsterdam, but as far as I'm aware the active ingredient is the same psilocybin as other forms of magic mushrooms. I wasn't on any medication at the time, though I have heard of certain anti-depressants and other medication either having a negative effect, or negating the effects of mushrooms entirely.
For serious treatment, the drug should be taken as part of a psychological therapy - in the right setting, with the right preparation and assistance. As a matter of fact, the author is advocating to make medical research easier, not that people take it at random and hope for a miracle ;)
Similar experience. I have taken mushrooms on a handful of occasions during a prolonged period of sadness and disappointment where I was not coping too well with life. Not a pleasant experience at all. Wasn't using any other drugs or medication. I wouldn't recommend it. I don't think the experiences helped at all. Genuinely disturbing and uncomfortable and seemed to drag on for way too long.
Other times, when the circumstances of my life have felt more secure and stable and my mental state is more robust mushrooms have been amazing experiences.
Perhaps mushrooms have potential benefit for some conditions under some circumstances. I support the idea of more medical research, for sure.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but I like seeing this anecdote because I've seen a tonne of "this stuff (probably) works" and not enough of the other side. Psilocybin needs to be tested and studied, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend that people with depression jump on the bandwagon.
Psilocybin has been a huge help for me. Now, the first time I decided to take it I was indeed uncomfortable. However I soon realized that I was facing my own fears and anxiety. After a while I found that my depression was considerably less and less.
Marijuana has helped tremendously, also, with anxiety.
As with all medicine. Therefore it needs to be done with carefully measured dosages under controlled circumstances so that any harmful side effects can be nipped in the bud.
> was a concern that my mental state would be permanently affected by the experience,
Yup, that's the beginner's curse. Every single person I know who ever tried potent psychoactive substances had this experience at least once. My worst was when I didn't know that the drug I took lasts for several days. Waking up the next day after the trip and realizing I am still not my regular self was a lot more terrifying then the violent hallucinations I had the day before.
Aprophene (Taren), a soviet drug seemingly unknown outside of ex-USSR. It was included in the standard civil defense medkit as an antidote against some specific group of chemicals. The most famous substance in the same pharmacological group is Datura the effects of which also last for several days, or so I heard.
Psychedelics have a tendency to amplify whatever is already going on in your mind. If you're already feeling depressed or anxious you can be in for a bad time. Sometimes they can help you work through things like this. But I've had more than a few friends with predispositions to depression or mental illness take a bad turn after experimenting with mind-altering drugs.
I strongly advise caution to anyone trying to self-medicate like this.
I think the amplification and come-down cycle is probably the most reliable lesson of psychedelics. Once you've experienced the caricature of yourself, you begin to look differently on the composition of thoughts and feelings that is your ordinary mental life.
That said, I've heard many stories of people experiencing life changing epiphanies from mushroom trips as described in the article, and I am intrigued by articles like this and the science behind it. Perhaps my environment, or the specific mushrooms I tried made it worse. Also, having tried them once and come out the other end fine may make future experiences less uncomfortable - a large part of what made it difficult was a concern that my mental state would be permanently affected by the experience, and this was not the case. Still, it makes me less inclined to try them again until I'm in a better mental state.
For what it's worth, these were the variety of "magic truffles" which are legal and readily obtainable from high street stores in Amsterdam, but as far as I'm aware the active ingredient is the same psilocybin as other forms of magic mushrooms. I wasn't on any medication at the time, though I have heard of certain anti-depressants and other medication either having a negative effect, or negating the effects of mushrooms entirely.