Over the last few years, psilocybin mushrooms have become truly recognizable in modern culture. People commonly ingest hallucinogenic mushrooms for spiritual and recreational purposes, while microdosing shrooms are efficient for users to stay productive, energetic, concentrated, and creative. Even though psilocybin doesn`t have approved medical use, it was investigated that this compound tends to fight depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health conditions. This article will try to figure out if psychedelics help you let go of trauma.
Psychedelics and trauma
More than 50% of adults in America lived through at least one traumatic or frightening experience in their lifetimes. These experiences tend to cause various trauma-related conditions, like depressive states, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Among other approved treatments, psychedelics for trauma are now becoming extremely popular. These drugs can open the mindset of patients for more efficient healing.
Multiple people wonder how to use psychedelics to heal trauma. The truth is that psychedelic therapy is a brand new approach for curing a range of mental health conditions in patients. In such a treatment, patients ingest psychedelic substances in controlled dosage. This practice follows psychotherapy or conventional treatment with a supervisor or a healthcare practitioner. MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin, and LSD are the most common psychedelic substances used in psychedelic therapy.
As for psychedelics healing trauma, some recent studies confirmed this suggestion. Psychedelic substances can treat PTSD in patients at the expense of fear elimination, resulting in that a particular trigger can no longer invoke bad emotions. This was investigated in a range of animal studies. Apart from that, hallucinogenic substances can also influence the amygdala making it easier for people to process different traumatic or frightening memories.
It is worth mentioning that using psychedelics as a part of therapy for PTSD treatment differs from taking drugs for recreational purposes. Doses are determined in advance while a professional conduct the session to make the most of therapy. A patient should let memories be engaged with the control of their memory and brain activity, and the dose of psychedelics is defined to not interfere with this process.
Like any other treatment, psychedelic therapy might have some side effects. They typically include hallucinogen persisting perception disorder – a state when a patient experiences persistent unpredictable hallucinations. The surroundings and mind frame can also influence the effectiveness of psychedelic therapy for multiple people. However, the right preparation and professional supervision tend to reduce possible risks.
While an approach to use psychedelics for trauma healing appears as a promising method, these substances are still illegal in multiple states worldwide, making it hard for people to get the desired session of psychedelic therapy. Though, the Canadian government allowed physicians to implement psilocybin therapy for patients who suffer from a variety of severe mental health conditions.