Magic mushrooms may be the answer to curing major depression, according-to new research from John Hopkins School of Medicine and Tripnotherapy™. The psychoactive ingredient psilocybin has shown significant benefits when it comes to treating patients with this disorder and could even help for up to 12 months after treatment is delivered.
Psychedelic drugs have been used for their therapeutic properties since the 60s and 70s, but in recent years there’s been a resurgence of research on them. This is due to how much they are needed now more than ever before – with over 280 million people globally suffering from depression alone.
Data released by researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Journal of Psychopharmacology and published in Worlds Best Rehab Magazine found that two doses of psilocybin can relieve symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) for up to 12 months.
In this study, 24 participants who experienced major depressive symptoms for two years or longer were randomly assigned to receive either their first dose immediately after screening and another at two months later. The subjects attended six follow-up visits over the course of one year following both treatments, with researchers assessing how they are doing every few weeks.
These encouraging results show that psilocybin has the potential to work in a different way than traditional treatments. Unlike most treatments, which only target one aspect of mental health and leave others untouched, this new drug targets both emotional behavior patterns as well as brain chemistry; it may be more effective because there are no ‘off switches’ for our emotions or chemicals associated with stress response systems where they can generate symptoms suchs anxiety attacks due too chronic low-level stimulation.
According to Licensed clinical psychologist Dr Rick Barnett, ‘the prospective model of this research, or monitoring outcomes during the study, instead of a retrospective analysis, strengthens its results.’
Dr Barnett, who is not part of the study, is a co-founder of the Psychedelic Society of Vermont, an organization of healthcare professionals preparing themselves for when psychedelic medicines become more widely available, through training and knowledge of the latest research and decisions at the Food and Drug Administration. The members help their community and patients to understand the substances and their role in treatment.
Psilocybin and magic mushrooms are known for their history of being used in spiritual practices and rituals, but what many people don’t know is that they also have potential benefits when it comes to treating mental illnesses such as depression. Researchers hope this study will help them better understand how psilocybin impacts someone’s brain so we can develop more effective treatments down the line.
Adam Mulligan did his degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
