Magical medical mushrooms? Psychedelics have surprising health benefits, may be next big thing in treating addiction, depression

( Natural News ) Psilocybin is an alkaloid found in what many people call “magic mushrooms.” Because of its psychedelic effects, the U.S. federal government labeled it a Schedule I drug in the 1970s, which means it has no medical value and a high potential for abuse. Today, a growing body of research shows that psilocybin mushrooms do have medicinal value — particularly in the treatment of mental illness and addiction. Cannabis also remains a Schedule I drug, even in spite of the overwhelming evidence supporting the plant’s multiple medicinal uses. Initiatives to decriminalize magic mushrooms in Colorado and Oregon are also taking shape. Advocates want to remove criminal penalties for psilocybin possession and make it accessible to patients within the confines of a therapist’s office. We could be seeing the first legal psilocybin jurisdictions as soon as 2020. Research shows magic mushrooms are medicinal Due to the restrictions on Schedule I drugs, the body of research on psilocybin is small. Regardless, the medicinal value of magic mushrooms remains clear. A recent study led by the Beckley/Imperial Research Programmes found that psilocybin could dramatically reduce the symptoms of depression, specifically in cases where pharmaceuticals had failed. The team posited that one possible reason is that psilocybin helps to “reset” brain activity in neurological circuits associated with depression. Researchers from Johns Hopkins have also demonstrated that psilocybin is an effective treatment for depression and anxiety in cancer patients. In their summary, the scientists state that magic mushrooms produced “substantial and sustained” decreases in patient depression and anxiety levels. The study authors wrote: At 6-month follow-up, these changes were sustained, with about 80% of participants continuing to show clinically significant decreases in depressed mood and anxiety. Study participants attributed improvements in attitudes about life/self, mood, relationships, and spirituality to the high-dose […]

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