Since the dawn of history, traditional cultures have understood the benefits of psilocybin. Hunter-gatherer societies the world over discovered – and soon after, realized the potential – of certain mushrooms they came across. Psilocybin has been used as the key element in countless spiritual practices and also as a potent medicine with the power to treat a variety of conditions, including depression (yes, ancient peoples got depressed too, from time to time).
Fast forward to today.
Nowadays, most of us are not living a traditional hunter-gatherer life in line with the natural world. Instead, we have (most of us) completely lost touch with nature and its bounty. And despite having all the technology and convenience the modern world offers, we are more depressed than our ancestors ever were.
Here’s What We Know About Shrooms & Depression
We know that psilocybin alters perception. Depending on dose and other factors, its effects can run from mildly euphoric to intensely hallucinatory.
Our sense of time and place can become distorted. As psilocybin makes connections across the intricate systems of the brain, we may feel “outside” ourselves. Conversely, we may experience the exact opposite – a deeply introspective journey to the self.
It is these capabilities that have intrigued researchers looking for ways to combat (and perhaps, someday cure) clinical depression.
Where the psylocibin research stands today…
While formal scientific research into the potential benefits of psilocybin in treating depression is in its infancy, initial findings appear to confirm what our ancestors have long known.
A recent study from Johns Hopkins Medicine showed a clear reduction in symptoms of depression in only two doses. Almost two-thirds of this study’s participants experienced a fifty-percent drop in their symptoms. Even more promising, the effect seemed to endure long after the initial doses. Four weeks later, over half of the participants claimed they were still not feeling depressed after using the psilocybin.
An earlier study similarly showed dramatic relief in anxiety and depression in participants who were suffering from cancer.
Looking forward to the future with Shrooms
Psilocybin’s ability to “interconnect” the various systems and networks of the brain may be the key to discovering how it is able to combat depression.
Unlike conventional antidepressants, which temporarily dull the senses in order to alleviate the harder edges of depression, psilocybin goes to the root of the problem and “resets” neural pathways, potentially healing the depression for good.
It’s a new area of study, but it’s also nothing new. In the future, perhaps we will see that modern scientific research has merely corroborated the ancient, trial-and-error research conducted by our forebears.
Not sure how to use Psilocybin?
We created a “how to microdose” guide here.
Microdosing is a great way to try out different strains of shrooms ( some are more potent than others) and find a working dose for you! Small doses can sometimes give you the boost you need, without having to melt your face and see god ( fun too, but not for everyday).
Our Unicorn Poops chocolate almond microdose, and Cloud 9 chocolate marshmallow nuggets are the perfect micro-dose already dolled out for you.
Here’s why it’s great to take mushrooms with chocolate.
We also offer natural grown strains of mushrooms in our Mix and Match so you can test and try at your own pace.