According to a 2018 study at Johns Hopkins University, just once dose of these mushrooms can significantly alleviate resistant forms of depression (Arnold). This substance has been said to "aid emotional insight by lowering psychological defenses (Carhard-Harris). A study done at Cambridge University recruited 10 patients and used intravenous doses of psilocybin and measured neural activation (via fMRI) to autobiographical memory cues. The study concluded that the psilocybin (compared to a control group) led to increased activation in striatal and limbic system pathways as well as the medial prefrontal cortex. This indicates access to important memories. Furthermore, participants reported high levels of memory vividness and subjective well-being. The researchers concluded that they had found evidence that psilocybin would be a useful tool in psychotherapy to facilitate recall of salient memories. Further research has indicated that psilocybin can aid in smoking cessation and alcoholism, which current studies are looking at.
Despite all the good things that can come from magic mushrooms, a major side effect that even common stoners can attest to: the "bad trip" (Arnold). Sometimes, consumers of psilocybin find themselves experiencing extreme paranoia or anxiety. These symptoms are easier to control in a clinical setting, but difficult to manage outside of a research setting.
This has caused some controversy in that it might not be entirely ethical to legalize this substance for medical use when it can cause such detrimental experiences.
There are a number of medications on the market with negative side effects. Countless commercials for medications have a laundry list of possible side effects ranging from unpleasant to actually fatal. Furthermore, these manmade substances cost money to make, giving pharmaceutical companies incentive to pressure doctors to prescribe them to patients who may not need them. Psilocybin, despite having possible negative side effects, is naturally-occurring. It is not free, but a more holistic alternative to substances made in a factory.
Though the ethics may be questionable, simply based on the severity of the potential anxiety attacks, magic mushrooms pose no threat that the medical industry has not seen before. As long as the principles of beneficence, justice, and autonomy are observed, this can be an ethical practice. Patients seeking to use this substance must be well-informed and aware and any companies or people who stand to make money from the legalization of psilocybin-containing mushrooms must operate without deception or extortion.
Arnold, A. (2019). Will Magic Mushrooms Soon Be Decriminalized? Retrieved from https://www.thecut.com/2019/05/the-fight-to-decriminalize-magic-mushrooms-what-to-know.html.
Carhart-Harris, R., Leech, R., Williams, T., Erritzoe, D., Abbasi, N., Bargiotas, T., . . . Nutt, D. (2012). Implications for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: Functional magnetic resonance imaging study with psilocybin. British Journal of Psychiatry, 200(3), 238-244. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.111.103309
Wow lauren this is great. The topic of using psychoactive substances as alternative methods of treatment for a number of mental health disorders has fascinated me for years, especially the research analyzing the benefits of MDMA on PTSD. I am excited for what the future holds in regard to changing public opinion about using these substances in clinical settings, especially after the big "anti drug craze" following Richard Nixon's term. I personally believe that these substances have medicinal benefits but ive had my reservations due to the risk of a bad trip, but I really enjoyed your argument that most medications also have a risk for side effects yet still provide an overall medical benefit. On that note, what is your opinion regarding the potential harms in recreational use of these substances without proper research, especially the risks associated with recreational use when there is a risk of developing mental health disorders?
ReplyDeleteI found this post interesting because I know people who have experienced both good and bad trips when using “Magical mushrooms”. When the news came out that Colorado was decriminalizing shrooms I was also surprised as well because I did not think there were any possible benefits to using the natural drug. However, this post informed me that it can help with depression, but the major risk factor is a “bad trip”. From doing further research on this topic, it is known that the natural drug is the third safest drug to use (Magic Mushroom Side Effects 2019). There was another study that found how shrooms had the lowest rate of emergency room visits in comparison to other drugs (Magic Mushroom Side Effects 2019). This reference also went further in on how to prevent a bad trip for people who are possibly using the natural drug. However, though this drug may be somewhat safe with the only risk factor of a “bad trip” there was further discussion on the risk of HPPD or small visual distortions. In 2000-2001, SAMHSA did a study of individuals who consumed hallucinogens in the 60s, and found that a large amount of people reported to have HPPD (Magic Mushroom Side Effects 2019). So, would that be considered another risk factor?
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Magic Mushroom Side Effects. (2019, March 29). Retrieved from
https://tripsafe.org/shrooms-side-effects/.
I love that you wrote about this! I am actually writing a review paper on the topic of psychedelic enhanced psychotherapy, focusing specifically on the effectiveness of MDMA in treating treatment-resistant PTSD. I do agree with what you have pointed out about the potential negative side effects that come with a "bad trip" but most of the literature that I have read focuses on how we can reintroduce these substances into the medical community in a way that will be not lead to abuse. Due to what happened when psychedelics were initially researched in the 1950's (they essentially started handing these drugs out like candy when they saw how positive the effects were), current researchers and practicing clinicians are beyond careful in their control of the substances and in the methodology with which they are used clinically.
ReplyDeleteResearchers and physicians alike that have witnessed what a difference these stigmatized drugs can make for people who have really complex mental issues and they are all determined to apply whatever rules necessary to make sure that these patients do not have to be deprived of the right medicine for any longer. I think the way these substances have been portrayed in the media (especially with reference to their non clinical use) is what makes people say "the ethics may be questionable", but really the main ethical question here is justice. It is just for a growing fraction of the population who suffer from mental illnesses to continue to go without effective treatment just because it was a drug that people used at parties over 60 years ago?