Magic Mushrooms- Whats so magic about them anyway?

If you were offered a food gifted by the gods, would you take it?

Humans throughout history have guessed at the existence of such a substance, comforted by the idea that a piece of the gods could be found here on earth. Ambrosia, the food of the Olympians in Greek mythology, was thought to bring long life and immortality to humans that consumed it. Alexander the Great’s career is said to have been inspired by the hope of discovering a river that would reverse aging. Even J.K. Rowling included the sorcerer’s stone in her fictional world, a magical stone that grants immortality.

Indigenous Central Americans thought they had found the food of the gods. Magic mushrooms, naturally growing fungi that contain the psychedelic ingredient psilocybin, were important in Mayan and Aztec society. Several religious rituals and pieces of art indicate that they thought these mushrooms were a means of communicating with the gods. Their nomenclature affirms this—magic mushrooms are called Teonanácatl, which translates to “flesh of the gods.”

Tribal societies were not alone in discovering magic mushrooms. These mushrooms grow all across the world, and evidence indicated that ancient civilizations such as the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians enjoyed their transcendental effects.

At relatively high doses, psilocybin induces feelings of euphoria and sensory distortions that differ from person to person. After eating mushrooms, or taking just the chemical, people experience a “trip” that lasts around twelve hours. Many people report feelings of existential enlightenment during- and sometimes long after- the effects of the drug have worn off.

Roland Griffiths of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine recently conducted a clinical study in which healthy volunteers underwent a psilocybin “trip” under careful supervision and guidance. Griffiths analyzed their personality changes after the “trip”, and found that most participants regarded their trip “as the most, or one of the most, meaningful and spiritually significant of their lives.” Some compared it to the birth of a child or the death of a parent.

Johns Hopkins has been at the forefront of research into psylocibin since the late 1950s. Studies investigating the clinical and recreational benefits of the drug in the 1950s and 60s were stopped in their tracks by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. This act criminalized psilocybin, LSD, and a number of other drugs based on the assumption that they had a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.

Evidence that psilocybin has clinical use in the treatment of depression and PTSD coupled with positive media coverage allowed Hopkins to resume its research after a thirty-year hiatus. Since 2000, dozens of studies have linked psilocybin use with increased quality of life and lessening of symptoms for a variety of disorders including addiction, PTSD, and treatment resistant depression.

Another of Dr. Griffith’s studies, which recruited clinically depressed patients, consisted of two guided sessions with psilocybin. Over half of the participants were in remission four weeks later. One patient who participated in the study explained that other anti-depressants “will only work until they are out of your system,” whereas psilocybin provides a “soft reset” to the brain. He relates the brain to clay; once the clay has hardened, it is no longer flexible to change. Psilocybin moistens the clay, allowing your brain to develop new habits that break the cycle of depression.

Joana Cabral and Louis-Davis Lord, neuroscientists at the University of Oxford, shed light on exactly how psilocybin is altering the rigidity of the brain. They found that the chemical changed the functional connectivity of various brain regions, so that the activity in one became synced with that in another. Specifically, the activity in the rational, logical regions of the brain melded with activity in the emotional regions, producing heightened consciousness.

Musician Rich Barry channels his changing consciousness into his music. Barry says, “The pieces that came out really well were created when I was really high.” Even the music engineer at a major record label noticed and encouraged him to come to the studio under the influence of psilocybin. “If you’re familiar with it, it can give you breath and understanding and style,” he says.

And he isn’t the only one. Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys, A$AP Rocky, and even Harry Styles have used psychedelics to enhance their creativity.

Trip-inducing doses of psilocybin are regarded as life-changing, but what about very small doses?

Microdosing is the act of taking a sub-threshold dose of psilocybin, or any psychedelic. This small dose, usually about 1/10 of a trip inducing quantity, does not trigger any hallucinatory effects. Instead, a microdose can be used as morning coffee. Rich Barry says that he “usually microdoses at the beginning of the week, Monday and Tuesday,” when he has a lot going on.

As a student at a competitive university, the concept of micro dosing to enhance academic abilities is not new to me. Many of my peers swear by its effectiveness. With drugs like Adderall and cocaine, the tiny doses taken daily seems to be more of a placebo than a stimulant. Psylocybin, however, clearly enhances a person’s clarity.

Others say that microdoses soothe their anxiety related to daily tasks. Many microdosers post on Reddit to share their experience and look for tips. Reading the posted descriptions, it sounds more like the users are discussing a workout routine than a schedule 1 substance.

States like Oregon have begun to recognize that psilocybin may not belong in the same classification as crack cocaine and heroin. While a state cannot alter the federal classification of a drug, they can decriminalize the substance, like Oregon has done. Oregon also legalized psilocybin for medical use, acknowledging the vast evidence that psilocybin has medicinal properties for a variety of disorders.

While this new classification does not legalize recreational use, it’s a first step in that direction. As more research validates the positive effects of psilocybin, in full and micro-doses, we can imagine a world where we reach for our morning mushroom instead of morning coffee.

However, recreational users still appreciate the danger of magic mushrooms. Since psilocybin isn’t an addictive substance, the most prominent danger is experiencing a “bad trip,” and the possible aftereffects.

A “bad trip” is an unpleasant experience that can happen during or after taking psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin or LSD. They can be caused by too high a dosage, impure chemicals, or a negative mind state going into the trip. Experienced user Rich Berry, when asked about his advice for a first-time user, said to “have your shit together… If you’re in debt, or have a legal case pending, you won’t be in the right emotional place to enjoy the trip.”

The unpleasantness of a “bad trip” can be accompanied by unnerving aftereffects, some that may last a lifetime. Brian Wilson, the mastermind of The Beach Boys, blamed a bad experience with LSD on his eventual spiral into schizophrenia. While he did write the hit song “California Girls” under the influence, the fame and royalties did not make up for his newfound mental health problems.

If magic mushrooms really are sent from the Gods, then they must have a sense of humor. A substance that can be so healing, but also so detrimental, should not be approached lightly. Even experienced users warn that there must be some type of regulation on psilocybin to prevent its overuse. According to Rich Barry, “there should 100% be a psychological evaluation” before someone undertakes recreational psilocybin.