Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression • Hacker News Board

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#51

Post by Scalestein » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 7:24 PM UTC

heavenlyblue wrote: post #49

ttul wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You obviously have never done mushrooms. You can’t abuse mushrooms. They are non addictive and self limiting.

You can abuse mushrooms if you take them in lower dosages. This keeps the antidepressant effect, but doesn't allow you to trip. I had done this - nothing bad happened to me, but not suggesting to try this at home. The point still stands though: please don't misinform people around you since that just reinforces the negative agenda around theses substances.

Curious as someone who has considered micro dosing - what would you say the effects of taking the lower dosages repeatedly were that would put it in the 'abuse' category?

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#52

Post by notadoc » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 7:30 PM UTC

Nothing like a good mental colonic with a brutal dissolution of ego to increase that amygdala response, right?

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#53

Post by tzakrajs » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 7:31 PM UTC

heavenlyblue wrote: post #49

ttul wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You obviously have never done mushrooms. You can’t abuse mushrooms. They are non addictive and self limiting.

You can abuse mushrooms if you take them in lower dosages. This keeps the antidepressant effect, but doesn't allow you to trip. I had done this - nothing bad happened to me, but not suggesting to try this at home. The point still stands though: please don't misinform people around you since that just reinforces the negative agenda around theses substances.

I noticed no effect from microdosing mushrooms (0.5g per day for a few days) but I don't suffer from depression. How long did microdosing take to make a meaningful effect?

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#54

Post by mabbo » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 7:38 PM UTC

blurbleblurble wrote: post #50

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if the trip was necessary for effective treatment?

To some degree, it absolutely is. At the very least, your reality needs to shift. That's the whole idea of healing depression... there are things in your reality that need shifting. I'm also sure that psilocybin isn't the only molecule involved. And I'm also sure that if someone isn't ready to take active ownership of their mental health into taking psilocybin could be just as moot as any other substance. Healing is…

> To some degree, it absolutely is. At the very least, your reality needs to shift. That's the whole idea of healing depression

Hold on now, you're deciding what the mechanism of action is without merit. Consider some of the studies being done for depression with Ketamine. In those studies, they're finding that the psychoactive component isn't the one causing the improvement- just a byproduct of it created during metabolism[0]. Patients can get the same effects by just consuming that metabolite instead without any high or trip.

What this study is finding is that there are specific mental changes after taking psilocybin. It isn't saying anything yet about the mechanism. I'm not saying that your interpretation is wrong, just that it's without any proof beyond your beliefs.

[0]https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2016/ketamine-lif...

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#55

Post by airza » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 7:44 PM UTC

heavenlyblue wrote: post #49

ttul wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You obviously have never done mushrooms. You can’t abuse mushrooms. They are non addictive and self limiting.

You can abuse mushrooms if you take them in lower dosages. This keeps the antidepressant effect, but doesn't allow you to trip. I had done this - nothing bad happened to me, but not suggesting to try this at home. The point still stands though: please don't misinform people around you since that just reinforces the negative agenda around theses substances.

What is the abusive component of the regimen you're describing?

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#56

Post by failrate » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 7:45 PM UTC

If you would like to see psilocybin available for research and therapy and you live in California, you should be aware of an attempt to legalize it in this state: https://ballotpedia.org/California_Psilocybin_Mushroom_Decri...

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#57

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 7:59 PM UTC

make3 wrote: post #44

insickness wrote: post #13

On a related topic, a friend of mine with treatment-resistant depression has been undergoing ketamine treatments from a doctor. He says there isn't a dramatic improvement but it helps alleviate catastrophic thinking. The hour-long treatments themselves are relaxing, he says, almost like a trip to a spa. The sessions are expensive, even when partially covered by insurance.

does he do cbt? does he do regular light cardiovascular exercise? does he do mindfulness mediation? all of this has proven effectiveness. sure, try ketamin, but also try the stuff that's known to work

[deleted]

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#58

Post by WalterSear » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 8:01 PM UTC

make3 wrote: post #44

insickness wrote: post #13

On a related topic, a friend of mine with treatment-resistant depression has been undergoing ketamine treatments from a doctor. He says there isn't a dramatic improvement but it helps alleviate catastrophic thinking. The hour-long treatments themselves are relaxing, he says, almost like a trip to a spa. The sessions are expensive, even when partially covered by insurance.

does he do cbt? does he do regular light cardiovascular exercise? does he do mindfulness mediation? all of this has proven effectiveness. sure, try ketamin, but also try the stuff that's known to work

Not for treatment resistant depression.

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#59

Post by WalterSear » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 8:02 PM UTC

bertil wrote: post #17

This is all the more important that there are few medical options for depression: SSRIs are the commonly used ones.

SSRIs are used to treat a different class of depression.

Re: Increased amygdala responses after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

#60

Post by TipVFL » Sat, Jan 06, 2018, 8:04 PM UTC

I can vouch for the antidepressant properties of psilocybin, as well as it's nearly miraculous efficacy at stopping cluster headaches.

If any of you are unaware of cluster headaches, they are also called suicide headaches, because the pain is so great that many people just kill themselves. The pain level has few peers, it's been compared to amputation without anaesthetic. For me, the bulk of the sensation is of one of my eyes being crushed while a hot poker is run through it. The cluster part comes from the fact that they occur in clusters that can last weeks, months, or years.

It is debilitating to know that at any moment you could suddenly, and with very little warning, start experiencing the worst pain of your life. I had panic attacks at the first hint of symptoms.

During my last cluster I took mushrooms, and it completely eradicated them. The literature I read said it could stop them for a year, but it's been almost 4 years now and I'm still clear of them. I'd prefer to dose again for peace of mind, but mushrooms are illegal and hard to find.

It was also very nice for my depression, I had an elevated mood for several months.

I wish it was legal, it scares me a lot less than the actual antidepressant medications, and it's the only effective treatment for preventing cluster headaches.