When you think about magic mushrooms, the first image that comes to your mind is probably not about research and scientists. Psychedelic drugs tend to be associated with hippies and counterculture in the 1960s rather than with scientists in white robes, conducting clinical trials.
But this is expected to change, as more and more researchers are studying how these mind-altering substances could have the potential to heal.
Several studies using cultivated superior psilocybe spores have found that psychedelic substances such as psilocybin in magic mushrooms can be helpful in treating mental illness, such as depression, addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder, in cases where other treatments have failed.
According to researchers, psilocybin affects two parts of the brain: the amygdala, which is heavily involved in the way we process emotions, such as fear and anxiety, and the implicit neural network, which is a set of brain regions that work together and have to do with much of the activity while the mind is at rest.
Although it is not yet known exactly how psilocybin affects the brain, researchers believe that it “activates” the mind and pushes it out of rigidity, allowing people to break out of the deep-rooted and self-destructive thought patterns associated with PTSD and depression.
With the help of a therapist, those who have the treatment may recalibrate themselves in a healthier way, so that they can make positive changes in their beliefs.