Magic Mushrooms might be good for you

[caseagainstfaith]

The psychedelic drug in magic mushrooms may have lasting medical and spiritual benefits, according to new research from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

The mushroom-derived hallucinogen, called psilocybin, is known to trigger transformative spiritual states, but at high doses it can also result in "bad trips" marked by terror and panic. The trick is to get the dose just right, which the Johns Hopkins researchers report having accomplished.

In their study, the Hopkins scientists were able to reliably induce transcendental experiences in volunteers, which offered long-lasting psychological growth and helped people find peace in their lives — without the negative effects.
"The important point here is that we found the sweet spot where we can optimize the positive persistent effects and avoid some of the fear and anxiety that can occur and can be quite disruptive," says lead author Roland Griffiths, professor of behavioral biology at Hopkins.

source - healthland.time.com/2011/06/16/magic-mushrooms-can-improve-psychological-health-long-term/

Well this is interesting. I guess not all drugs lead to crime and terrorism huh. Who would of thought that. /sarcasm Though I do wonder if this will lead to a legal version of Shrooms or maybe a pill form of the extracted psilocybin.

[katsuro]

Aren't some shrooms already legal in some countries under certain conditions? They used to be legal to sell in the UK as long as they were dired...or wet...I forget which way round it was. But I think they changed the law.

[Yla]

What the fuck is a 'spiritual benefit'? 'Is known to trigger transformative spiritual states'.

I don't doubt that some drugs are beneficial beyond the high, but these bits are sketchy.

[Art Vandelay]

Jun 23, 2011 16:44:56 GMT -5 Yla said:

What the fuck is a 'spiritual benefit'? 'Is known to trigger transformative spiritual states'.

I don't doubt that some drugs are beneficial beyond the high, but these bits are sketchy.

That's what I was thinking.

[Shane for Wax]

Jun 23, 2011 16:44:56 GMT -5 Yla said:

What the fuck is a 'spiritual benefit'? 'Is known to trigger transformative spiritual states'.

I don't doubt that some drugs are beneficial beyond the high, but these bits are sketchy.

Same.

[John E]

What unit of measurement do you use for "spiritual benefit?"

[Dragon Zachski]

They're probably using "spirituality" for its common meaning, "The ability of the human mind to think deeply"

AKA, navel gazing.

[DeadpanDoubter]

Jun 23, 2011 20:52:54 GMT -5 John E said:

What unit of measurement do you use for "spiritual benefit?"

Number of 'supernatural' elements that occur in a given hallucination?

[MaybeNever]

Jun 23, 2011 20:57:06 GMT -5 Dragon Zachski said:

They're probably using "spirituality" for its common meaning, "The ability of the human mind to think deeply"

AKA, navel gazing.

I've never actually encountered the word used that way. The closest I've seen is "transcendental," but ultimately all that kind of stuff is fairly dodgy to my mind. Humans can think deeply because we have an organ of rationality, not because magic.

[Dragon Zachski]

Jun 23, 2011 23:20:30 GMT -5 MaybeNever said:

Jun 23, 2011 20:57:06 GMT -5 Dragon Zachski said:

They're probably using "spirituality" for its common meaning, "The ability of the human mind to think deeply"

AKA, navel gazing.

I've never actually encountered the word used that way. The closest I've seen is "transcendental," but ultimately all that kind of stuff is fairly dodgy to my mind. Humans can think deeply because we have an organ of rationality, not because magic.

I'm sorry, who mentioned magic where? The only magic here is magic mushrooms, and they're called that because of trips, not because they're magic

I'm saying that spirituality is the MEASURE of how much that "organ of rationality" allows you to think deeply, not that a spirit is what lets you do that. Sorta like how we use some words that were once used to describe magical things are now used to describe similar but definitively scientific things. Fucked if I can't think of one of those words right now, though.

I dunno, I see all kinds of psychological health issues use "spirituality" in that context.

[MaybeNever]

I wasn't directly replying to you in the second half of what I wrote, although it was unclear. I'm also not saying that the word isn't used in that way, just that I've never encountered it and I'd probably have some concerns about it if I did. This is especially the case in an actual scientific context, as there's specific verbiage in psychology for most matters related to cognition.

[Oriet]

I find this part of the article fascinating:

Critically, however, the participants themselves were not the only ones who saw the benefit from the insights they gained: their friends, family member and colleagues also reported that the psilocybin experience had made the participants calmer, happier and kinder.

I actually wonder how long those effects last, and if continued use would maintain them. If so I think it has the potential to be made into a psychiatric drug, assuming it doesn't have bad side effects.

[Haseen]

Mushrooms are actually one of the safest drugs out there (right up there with pot, as far as being impossible to die of OD). The only real danger (other than the police in most countries) is if you pick them and misidentify them. Or if you're mentally unstable, have a bunch of stressful shit going on, or take a lot more than you bargained for, which could induce a bad trip.

Based on a few Eurotrips in years past, the best way I can possibly describe the benefits is that it allows you know yourself on a deeper level (and it's a lot of fun). It just so happens that the potential harm can also be in forcing you to know yourself on a deeper level(and put you into a personal hell). And when you get into really heavy territory (5+ grams, which I'd recommend to absolutely nobody, lol), you better like yourself a lot, because you'll be spending an eternity with yourself.

Therapy? Bad fucking idea on your own, because it could put you in a positive feedback loop of thoughts that could make things worse. But there's a lot of potential in it for a professional that knows what he's doing.

[katsuro]

Jun 24, 2011 6:19:13 GMT -5 Haseen said:

Mushrooms are actually one of the safest drugs out there (right up there with pot, as far as being impossible to die of OD). The only real danger (other than the police in most countries) is if you pick them and misidentify them. Or if you're mentally unstable, have a bunch of stressful shit going on, or take a lot more than you bargained for, which could induce a bad trip.

Based on a few Eurotrips in years past, the best way I can possibly describe the benefits is that it allows you know yourself on a deeper level (and it's a lot of fun). It just so happens that the potential harm can also be in forcing you to know yourself on a deeper level(and put you into a personal hell). And when you get into really heavy territory (5+ grams, which I'd recommend to absolutely nobody, lol), you better like yourself a lot, because you'll be spending an eternity with yourself.

Therapy? Bad fucking idea on your own, because it could put you in a positive feedback loop of thoughts that could make things worse. But there's a lot of potential in it for a professional that knows what he's doing.

Nothing you have said makes me think taking shrooms would be a good thing to do lol.

[Oriet]

Well yeah, I meant being part of a professional treatment plan. Self medication is generally not a good thing for anything more than the occasional headache and runny nose (though unfortunately it's sometimes the only way for a person to afford the treatment they need, but that's another topic entirely). I'd also want it to be in a form with a more controllable dose, like pills, a patch, or something.