Taking a Trip—Now and Forever!
The cultivation of plant medicine and its future in mental health
By Dani Csaszar, Online Editorial Assistant
Content warning: Moda Madison does not condone the use of psychedelic drugs for recreational purposes. Information provided in this article comes from scholarly sources, with respect to the roots of indigenous communities that have utilized these practices for thousands of years. This information is not to be dealt with lightly and one should look at this article from a medicinal perspective.
Psychedelic mushrooms. What comes to mind when you hear the phrase? You may think of magic mushrooms: bright visuals, hallucinations and either great emotion or terrifying dissolution. You may feel intimidated by these hallucinogenic compounds, inspired or oblivious to their existence at all. What you may be unaware of is how relevant these psychedelic properties are becoming in the medical field. Mushrooms, or more specifically psilocybin, have become an asset of mental health therapy through the form of a term called microdosing.
Microdosing is a sensitive topic, but is natural medicine fairly new to the Western world—who would have thought a way to combat illness could be found from plants on the earth? Microdosing in simplest terms refers to the practice of ingesting a very low dose of a psychedelic substance (Polito & Stevenson, 2019). This can come from a whole lieu of substances, with one being psilocybin, otherwise known as magic mushrooms.
Microdosing has become more common among all types of people. Countless celebrities have talked about their experiences, from Harry Styles to Megan Fox, and the media has become more open to the subject. Chelsea Handler has stated in interviews that she microdoses every day and it has been a game-changer for her (Harmon, 2021). Handler has said herself, “Psilocybin is good for everybody. It puts you in a good mood, keeps you upbeat, and makes you appreciate nature.”
When microdosing, an individual only experiences minimal effects that can be classified as a psychoactive drug response. You don’t feel “high” or as if you’re “tripping.” Microdosing allows the cellular responses of your brain to happen, but the dosage taken is never high enough to have whole-body effects or visual imagery. These newer forms of medicine can provide optimism for people who deal with mental health crises. The Food and Drug Administration has even recognized the use of psilocybin as a potential breakthrough therapy (Dorr, 2021).
One amazing thing about psilocybin is it classifies as a plant medicine. Mushrooms are naturally derived from the earth and can create potent effects on behavior, thought, spirituality and retrospection when taken. The majority of psilocybin’s emotional effects are experienced as positive or biased emotions toward constructive responses to social and environmental stimuli (ACS Publications, n.d.). Small doses of this plant medicine can bring about creativity, playfulness and forgiveness. Taking these substances in safe and healthy doses allows for new perspectives and positive shifts in brain function.
In order to use psilocybin properly, it is important to know what microdosing is and how to ingest it in a healthy way. The idea behind psychedelic therapy is that the receptive state will react to the drug. The drug then confers fresh ideas about how to think about the past and future (Tullis, 2021). Learning how to implement these substances on a regular schedule can have subtle, yet profound shifts. Taking low amounts results in a much lower risk of having challenging experiences (Jarlas, 2017).
When microdosing, it's important to cultivate a schedule and dosage that works best for you. There is no need to take more than you are comfortable with, nor should you experience any negative effects if taken correctly. People follow a variety of different schedules when microdosing, sometimes taking a dose each day but much more frequently interspersing dosing days with rest days. One common schedule is to microdose every three days (Polito & Stevenson, 2019).
There are countless psychological and emotional benefits to microdosing, including an increase in emotions in vitality, creativity, productivity and mindfulness. Studies show that microdosing also has an impact on gaining stronger focus and memory retention. Combining microdosing and holistic health creates a routine that can have profound impacts on all aspects of life. Holistic health is focusing on the multidimensional aspects of oneself, going beyond the physical. It emphasizes that all parts of our being are important, and encourages healing in a variety of ways (Polito & Stevenson, 2019).
Integrating holistic health and microdosing opens doorways for alternative forms of mind and body medicine, which can elongate positive mindsets and general well-being. Rises in these natural types of medicine have profound effects on the mind and body, especially when combining mentally holistic routines such as yoga, meditation and journaling. This can increase one’s spiritual, emotional, mental, physical and social health. Research has found that these holistic approaches can improve health outcomes by relieving psychological distress and pain and improving medication adherence and family relationships (Polito & Stevenson, 2019)
For decades now, the societal taboo of drugs and psychedelic substances has faced terrible negative connotations. The potential harms of psilocybin compared to other mind-altering drugs is relatively low and academic research along with anecdotal reports suggest that psychedelics have promising therapeutic potential (Kargbo, 2020). This stigma has been slowly breaking, with psychedelic research centers being implemented around the world. Madison, for example, is one step ahead of others when it comes to psychedelic research.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has created a new UW center to specifically study the emerging field of psychedelic compounds for medical treatments. These studies are happening in the Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Psychoactive Substances. Not only are these individuals researching the science behind the chemicals, their history and cultural impact, but also analyzing the potential for therapeutic uses. While exploring psilocybin and beyond (marijuana, LSD and ecstasy), UW’s center is conducting ongoing research in treating substance abuse and psychiatric disorders. Paul Hutson, the founding center director and UW School of Pharmacy professor, has claimed that from cannabis to psilocybin (magic mushrooms) to MDMA (ecstasy), psychoactive agents are the new frontier for potential new therapies and medications (New UW Center To Study Emerging Field Of Psychedelic Compounds For Medical Treatments, n.d).
This center is focusing on the potential therapeutic use of these substances in order to improve patient health and change lives in a positive aspect. Huton has stated that the center will seek opportunities to improve the representation of minorities, elderly and marginalized groups in the forthcoming research on psychedelics New UW Center To Study Emerging Field Of Psychedelic Compounds For Medical Treatments, n.d). Inclusion is a huge factor found in this center, making it a priority to focus on the underserved. UW has also created a new master's program specifically studying the therapeutic use of psychoactive drugs. This is the only master's program of its kind currently in the United States.
John Hopkins Medicine has also previous studies providing evidence that psychedelic treatment has relieved major psychiatric treatment. They have received some of the most medical advancements for research in psychedelic medicine starting in 2000 by gaining regulatory approval in the United States to resume research with psychedelics in healthy volunteers (Martinez, 2022). In 2006, John Hopkins Medicine reached a milestone in launching psychedelic research, enduring multiple studies that helped smokers quit nicotine and reduced existential anxiety in terminal cancer patients. Since then, JH Medicine has taken steps to recategorize psilocybin as a Schedule I drug, launched a research center for psychedelic research and was the first to receive a federal grant to study psychedelics in over 50 years.
Using psychedelics as a form of mental health treatment has become more popularized through wellness centers, retreats and distribution companies. Silo Wellness is a legal psychedelic and functional mushroom company focused on your mind, body and spirit (Silo Wellness, n.d.). Douglas Gordon, CEO of Silo Wellness, created Silo because he saw the amazing possibilities of this plant medicine, and recognized that many people wanted to incorporate more of this medicine into their wellness routine. What Silo has access to are medicines that have been used, tried and tested for thousands of years, all through Indigenous communities.
While these new medicinal treatments can be extremely beneficial for individuals, it is not for everyone. When undergoing this type of treatment, professional expertise is needed. They may have negative reactions to these substances if there is a history of mental illness within the family. Everyone has different reactions to certain medicines, but when taken through an educational approach, one is going about it in a much healthier way. Dr. Parag Bhatt, Silos Chief Science Advisor, stated that “In behavioral modification therapy, adding psychedelics to a therapeutic regimen is said to help lower cognitive barriers that individuals dealing with things like anxiety and depression maintain throughout treatment (Silo Wellness, n.d.).
The current state of our medical system in the US makes it increasingly hard for people to have access and afford the medication they need. Investors in the psychedelic medicine field, such as ATAI, support the idea of integrating these treatment approaches in the healthcare system. ATAI’s Chairman Christian Angermayer stated that these are not drugs you can take alone and not everyone can afford to go to the Amazon and see a shaman. It must be brought into the medical system (Rosenbaum, 2021). Approval for a full treatment of these substances has a long way to go, in terms of both combining with the current healthcare system, and fully respecting and honoring the indigenous communities in which these materials come from.
Psilocybin is western medicine, and there are individuals of indigenous communities who have spoken up for the realities of this new form of medical treatment in the modern world. The story of María Sabina serves as a cautionary tale for the emerging psychedelic pharma industry—and a reminder of the long and complicated history of these medicines (Gregoire, 2020).
María Sabina was a traditional Mexican healer known for using these psychedelic properties in her healing rituals to cure illnesses and connect with the divine. Her work caught worldwide attention and she was recognized as a leading woman to introduce psilocybin to the Western World. Unfortunately, Sabina faced backlash from her community as she was blamed for commercializing their traditions. Dying of poverty in 1985, Sabin's legacy lives on and serves as a reminder that these communities deserve respect and recognition. A rising movement within the psychedelic community is voicing concern that the emerging industry is poised to repeat colonial patterns that have appropriated Indigenous knowledge. This past behavior has led to the destruction of the habitats and communities from which these sacred plant medicines originate (Gregoire, 2020).
Exploiting the rights of these indigenous communities remains a civil rights issue. Knowledge continues to be extracted and commodified- this must change for the future of psychedelic medicine. Researchers, advocates and members of the psychedelic community are calling for innovative and “decolonized” new business models to support the creation of a new kind of healthcare industry (Gregoire, 2020).
Although there is much growth to go, psychedelic medicine has never been more advanced in today's medical system. As a way to combat mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression and PTSD, psychedelics offer a lot of hope for those who need a more natural, affordable and expansive solution. With microdosing practices, individuals can heal in a way that is respectful to the communities in which these substances derive from, and can respect themselves on their healing journey.
Sources:
New UW Center To Study Emerging Field Of Psychedelic Compounds For Medical Treatments. (2021). Pharmacy School of UW.
Silo Wellness (n.d.). Toronto, Canada.
Brown, E. (2022). Inside the Growing Wellness Trend of Psilocybin Mushroom Microdosing. Hollywood Reporter.
Martinez, M. (2022). Psilocybin Treatment for Major Depression Effective for Up to a Year for Most Patients, Study Shows. Hopkins Medicine.
Rosenbaum, E. (2021). A psychedelic drug boom in mental health treatment comes closer to reality. CNBC.
Kargbo, R. (2020). Psilocybin Therapeutic Research: The Present and Future Paradigm. ACS Publications.
Gregoire, C. (2020). INSIDE THE MOVEMENT TO DECOLONIZE PSYCHEDELIC PHARMA. NeoLife.
Polito, V. Stevenson, R. (2019) A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics. National Library of Medicine.
Dorr, A. (2021). Everything You Need to Know About Microdosing Psilocybin. Mushroom Revival.
Harmon, M. (2021). Chelsea Handler Calls Microdosing Mushrooms A ‘Game-Changer’. The Things.