It’s perfectly natural if you start thinking about hallucinations, mystical and trippy experiences when someone mentions psychedelic mushrooms.
However, while it is true that magic mushrooms do cause all of these, if you’re not into them, these effects can be easily avoided.
In fact, a large number of medicinal users today enjoy the psychiatric and physical benefits of magic mushrooms without any of the infamous trippy and mystical experiences.
How?
It’s simple really – microdosing!
In fact, microdosing is so effective and popular nowadays that many researchers and psychiatrists are asking whether it can improve your mental health.
Let’s take a look.
What is microdosing anyway?
As the name suggests, microdosing involves taking a small enough dose of hallucinogens to avail their many mental and physical benefits without experiencing any hallucinations or trippy side effects.
And it works too.
Numerous studies have shown that psilocybin, the psychedelic chemical found in magic mushrooms, binds itself to the receptors which are irresponsible for neurotransmitting serotonin. The receptors are involved in several key brain functions, such as controlling reflection, imagination, and the ability to evaluate ideas and feelings.
But are there any mental health benefits of microdosing?
Well, anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that there are. Let’s take a deeper look at them.
The many mental health benefits of microdosing magic mushrooms
1. It can help with depression and anxiety
Magic mushrooms are quite commonly used by people suffering from symptoms of depression and anxiety, especially in those situations where normal antidepressants and therapies fail to deliver results.
But don’t just take our word for it.
In a 2017 experimental study, 20 patients suffering from treatment resistant depression were given microdoses of psilocybin. After this, they reported significant improvements in their stress levels, moods and general feelings.
MRI analysis of their brains even showed physical changes in blood flow activity, especially in areas responsible for handling emotional responses like fear and stress.
The study further concluded that psilocybin helps patients go through a cathartic emotional release, a process in which people come to terms with the cause of their depression.
This is different from the effects antidepressants have on people, which only numb the minds.
2. Microdosing leads to relaxation and better moods
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, low dosages of magic, psychedelic mushrooms can have a positive impact on the brain’s neural circuits through a chemical called serotonin.
In particular, they affect the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which plays a key role in mood and perception among other things.
This is also why users of magic mushrooms experience enjoyable and pleasing mental stimulations, which can also produce a sense of heightened understanding.
Similarly, another study on almost 300 magic mushroom users concluded that microdosing helped them improve many aspects of their lives including moods, diet plans, sleeping habits, and the ability to focus and concentrate.
3. It improves creativity
Yup, you read that right.
According to a 2018 survey of college students in Canada, people who frequently microdosed on LSD and magic mushrooms were far more creative and open minded than those who did not, especially in terms of finding new uses for household products and learning from mistakes
At the end of the day…
These are just some of the reasons why microdosing has become so popular so fast, and can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, though it is mostly practiced by college students and young professionals.
If you or a loved one are suffering from mental health issues, it’s probably time to take a break and enjoy some high quality shrooms!
