When you read the term “magic mushrooms,” do you think of your teenage years when you maybe once or twice fell down the rabbit hole with friends?
Most teens experimented with psychedelics at one point. But did you know that these magic mushrooms are actually, well, magic in a sense? They are actually brimming with medical benefits that you may need to read to believe.
And with that, here are the five medical benefits of magic mushrooms you need to know about.
1. Magic Mushrooms Can Heal Your Addiction
Researchers have successfully used lion’s mane powder mushrooms (most commonly referred to by the medical community by their scientific name, psilocybin) to end addictions.
For instance, researchers gave subjects in nicotine-addiction trials psilocybin as a means to help them stop smoking cigarettes. And, it worked.
Over the course of a 12-month pilot study, researchers administered psilocybin to participants quitting smoking. Those who took the psilocybin were much more likely to abstain from cigarettes during the trial versus the placebo group.
Medical experts now wonder if psilocybin can also cure addictions to other dangerous substances, such as alcohol and cocaine.
2. Magic Mushrooms Can Treat Depression
More than any other medical benefits of magic mushrooms, its potential as a cure for depression is the most studied.
In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated psilocybin a breakthrough therapy option for depression treatment. This isn’t just something that happens with Schedule I drugs every day!
It means that the FDA will continue to monitor studies pertaining to psilocybin use and its efficacy in treating depression. Then, it will fast-track the means to make it a medical option for people with clinical depression.
3. Magic Mushrooms Can Treat Emotional Distress
Preliminary research shows that psilocybin may treat overwhelming emotional distress due to an end-of-life diagnosis, such as from advanced-stage cancer.
When a person receives life-shattering news, like they have a terminal illness, they can understandably become extremely depressed. But psilocybin may clear away that depression.
This is a huge medical benefit of magic mushrooms, as it shows that people with fatal illnesses may have a safe way to decrease their anxiety and increase their quality of life.
4. Magic Mushrooms Can End Anorexia Nervosa
Researchers have even successfully used psilocybin to treat anorexia nervosa. While more trials are still necessary to determine how exactly, scientists believe it can be part of psilocybin’s ability to heal anxiety and depression.
More often than not, people with anorexia also suffer from these types of mental disorders, which contribute to their fear, disgust, and refusal of food.
With psilocybin taming their anxiety and depression, participants with anorexia nervosa were able to change their behaviors and improve their quality of life.
5. Magic Mushrooms Can Increase Your Mindfulness
This is one that psilocybin may share with other psychedelics. However, it’s crucial to note that unlike a drug like LSD, psilocybin is 100 times less potent.
It can still be dangerous if abused since no one can predict how they may react when taking a psychedelic. And a bad trip can have fatal consequences in the most extreme cases.
However, since we’re talking about medical benefits, we need to highlight that this is what makes magic mushrooms stand out. Their psilocybin content makes them potential medical wonders for both your mental and physical health.
We’ve already talked about the mental health component, but we haven’t touched on the physical aspect so much. Until now.
Research shows that when you take a dose of psilocybin and combine it with physical and mental activity, namely meditation, the results are incredibly lifting.
Most people who meditate do so to better understand themselves, destress, and take a more thoughtful approach to the world.
And what’s really interesting about the research is that it seems to show that meditation actually makes the psilocybin effect more enjoyable and reduces the occurrences of bad trips.
For people who meditate to improve their breathing, check in with themselves, and develop more empathy with the wider world, adding psilocybin to the mix can be extremely rewarding.
Conclusion
Psilocybin magic mushrooms may not be for everyone. And we are certainly not saying they are a possible cure-all for whatever ails you.
However, the current research is extremely compelling and warrants further examination.
By now, you may find yourself curious about magic mushrooms, their medical benefits, and what they’re all about. If so, check out this resource to discover the many types of psilocybin magic mushrooms.
And keep in mind, magic mushrooms are only legal in Denver, Colorado, Oakland, California, and Portland, Oregon. Therefore, they are still an illegal drug in most parts of the United States.
Until more researchers publish more studies and psilocybin becomes legal everywhere, use them with extreme caution.