WHAT IS PSILOCYBIN AND HOW CAN IT HELP?

Psilocybin is a chemical naturally present in certain types of mushrooms that grow in multiple continents across the globe. When ingested it has an impact on a person’s neurochemistry and can lead to changes in perception including hallucinations. For millennia, these mushrooms have been used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes, the earliest recorded cave drawings and paintings dating back to 10,000 BC have images of mushrooms, suggesting their use in early civilizations. Mushroom images have been found across the globe, from Australia to Egypt, along south America and North America. It is believed that mushrooms were a significant part of ritual and shamanic healing in many early civilizations. Terence McKenna’s Stone Ape theory even suggests that the evolution of human consciousness was largely influenced by early human use of Psilocybe Cubensus (common magic mushrooms).

In the 1950s, Maria Sabina, a Mexican Shaman who worked with psychedelic mushrooms in healing ceremonies met an American Robert Gordon Wasson who was on a quest to learn about psychedelic medicines. After Maria guided Wasson in shamanic journeys, he shared his experience in a Time magazine article which ushered in new interest in the field of psychedelic medicinal plants. Researchers and therapists began to explore its medicinal power to address broad psychological and mental health concerns like alcoholism, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression. Despite the growing knowledge and evidence of its beneficial use, the classification of psychoactive substances including psilocybin mushrooms changed in the 1970s, making possession of them illegal. The War On Drugs policy added to the miseducation and brought a layer of fear, judgement and shame to anyone interested in their use. 

Then, in 2014 the editors at Scientific American published the article “End the Ban on Psychoactive Drug Research” and called for regulators to change the categorization on this group of drugs.  This was the beginning of what’s been called the Psychedelic Renaissance as institutions and organizations began to collaborate on projects exploring the medicinal value of these substances. We’ve since seen a massive growth in federally funded and supported research on the use of psychoactive substances and there’s growing evidence of its benefit for anxiety, depression, PTSD and substance abuse. Anecdotally, we see more reports of the benefits of psilocybin in enhancing overall mood and creativity.  

Since psychedelics are currently still classified as illegal except for research purposes, people must be accepted into a research project to get access. Outside of the USA, retreat centers have popped up, allowing greater access to a psychedelic experience and yet, with all the travel involved, this requires significant financial resources. The other alternatives include getting psilocybin underground or growing them on their own (also often illegal, depending on the jurisdiction) With the increase in decriminalization in many states and counties across the USA, more folks are exploring these powerful fungi.

In communities where psychedelics are ingrained in the culture, a psychedelic journey is supported in that the individual is often prepared either by a shaman or family member. The individual is aware of the experience and can explore the journey safely. After the journey, the person is able to share their experience with their community and elders; this familiarity with the process creates a psychologically safe environment, free from shame and doubt about the journey. For Westerners who are unfamiliar with psychedelics or non-ordinary states of consciousness, this is very unfamiliar terrain. It is best explored with a support system which can include being with a friend, a sitter, being connected with a community of like-minded people or with the guidance of an informed counselor or therapist..

As psilocybin becomes more accessible and the legal barrier becomes relaxed, individuals will continue to explore psilocybin in their pursuit of healing and personal growth. With a complex history and unknown future, we must explore safe and responsible routes to use and look back to the teachings of indigenous people’s extensive history as our guide.