Originally published at: Psilocybin is an effective treatment against depression in largest-ever randomized trial | Boing Boing
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Now cue the companies separating out specific molecules and patenting them, and those becoming the only means approved for treatment, because capitalism.
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I’m not liking your post because I like it… I’m liking it because, damnit, you’re right
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Yeah, as much as I enjoy being right, I’d be happy not to be in this particular case.
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Is 25 mg enough to cause noticeable ‘tripping’?
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25mg of psilocybin (not mushrooms) falls in the range of a “strong” dose, per Erowid.
https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/psilocybin/psilocybin_dose.shtml
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At that dose, we refer to it as “tripping balls.” Definitely do NOT operate heavy machinery.
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I’d call it go outside and stare at trees dosage.
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Taken first in 1976, it was very un-like acid [window pane], this lightened my self destructive side & opened up some of my first feelings of self love/self respect, sort’a let that inner child heal itself.
It worked for me and continues to help me keep my monsters friendly in co-existence.
Thanks for listening to my Shrooms Talk.
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Window pane is LSD usually, just a dose in a mini gel format, and it’s much less “acid like” because its often didn’t get adulterated as paper doses sometimes did (at least that’s what I was led to believe) and it was the adulterants which could cause nasty side effects.
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The analogy that commonly was used in my day was “roller coaster”, liquid window pane/LSD you’re in for the whole ride, shrooms you get to stop the ride and then get back on at will.
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Yeah, I liked shrooms (back when I had time to do them) more, as it wasn’t “strap in, you’re not doing anything useful for the next 12 hours” like it was with tabs… 5 or 6 hours was a much more approachable adventure.
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Oh, it’s much worse than that. Like ketamine, the FDA will probably heavily regulate how it is administered in ways that make it demonstrably less effective because, you know, drugs (in ketamine’s case, nasally, at specially clinics that will invariably be unpleasant and difficult to access). And those specific patentable molecules will probably be the wrong ones, or ignore the ways different ones interact (again, like ketamine, which for depressions is given as a single stereoisomer, and possibly the wrong one).
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I mean, I’m about as anti-IP as they come, but it seems to me if they can isolate specific molecules that have an antidepressant effect without a hallucinogenic effect, they’d deserve a patent. Shrooms are fun and all, but not so great for functioning at work or in society with people who aren’t tripping.
From what I understand the goal is not to isolate a part of psilocybin for people to take long term - rather to have guided trips that help a person sort through issues. So they’ll not always be on mushrooms, but have a treatment that gives them long term relief without having to be medicated.
Let Michael Pollan explain!
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You could be right, but I am more optimistic than that. Recreational use has already been decriminalized in a few cities and therapeutic use is legal in Oregon. I think psilocybin (and maybe other psychedelics?) will be on ballots in lots of places soon, and, like with legalized pot, once people vote to decriminalize or legalize it, you have to admit, it’s hard to see them going back on that.
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No, the trip is the point. This is partly why the war on drugs and indeed the war on pleasure, or at least novelty, has set back research into psychedelics for years. It’s the people who think sex is bad because it might lead to dancing who have decided what we can research. If it involves a novel experience, or even worse, generates a novel perspective, especially if that perspective doesn’t value the ego very much, it’s inherently bad
This. My experiences with shrooms are similar to @Papasan’s. They’re a gentle but firm teacher that holds a supportive mirror up to who you are. You can see your flaws with clarity, but you’re not overwhelmed by them.
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To be fair, though, I do think such experiences can be destructive, even with shrooms. I think that’s where the guided experiences can be helpful for people seeking to deal with their depression and the like.
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That’s fair, and I’d never suggest anyone try shrooms for the first time without some sort of guide, or at very least a sitter. I guess I’m as much contrasting psilocybin with acid, which can be a much more brutal psychological experience.
I’ve had some limited training in psychedelic experience support and volunteered at local festivals in the medical tent. It’s not in any way intended to be therapeutic, but more to help folks having a bad experience, but it does give you a real sense of how powerful psychedelics can be and that they are not trifles.
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Roger That. The feeling of that safe / comforting place makes a world of difference, that’s where you want to be, you’ll get the best results from your experience. Healing, you bet, and some funsky too!
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