Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

theguardian.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 173 posts

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#11

Post by Ftuuky »

fourstar wrote: post #8
humbleMouse wrote: post #7

When I am finishing a mushroom experience I usually have overwhelming feelings of love and am excited to start the next day. My brain is racing with all the possibilities of life and ways I can make things better for myself. People should be coached in how to have a good mushroom experience and what to expect. Nature + fresh fruit + good music + comfy place to sleep has always been a winning combination for me.

Fresh fruit? How are you hungry let alone craving fruit on shrooms?

Eating oranges while tripping on shrooms was a very intense experience to me. I agree with OP's statement, a comfy place with calm music and fresh fruit is all you need.

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#12

Post by nxzero »

Says more about how poorly the brain is understood than anything else.

Also, very possible that the measures that were take to keep people "safe" were a factor. Anyone know if there was a control group given the same treatment (double blind) - but with a placebo? __________

EDIT:

Direct link to the related research paper:

Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: a feasibility study

http://www.thelancet.com/pb/assets/raw/Lancet/pdfs/S22150366...

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#13

Post by arca_vorago »

theseatoms wrote: post #5
Torgo wrote: post #3

It worked for me in my 20's, but I think if I tried it again in my late 30's, it might make things worse. Mushrooms don't let you hide problems from yourself.

Then how exactly did it work for you in your 20s? Did it help you realize that you didn't have problems?

They were probably easier problems at a younger age...

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#14

Post by hippich »

nxzero wrote: post #12

Says more about how poorly the brain is understood than anything else. Also, very possible that the measures that were take to keep people "safe" were a factor. Anyone know if there was a control group given the same treatment (double blind) - but with a placebo? __________ EDIT: Direct link to the related research paper: Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: a feasibility study http://www.thelancet.com/pb/a…

I wonder what could be given as placebo tho. It is not like you do not notice you are tripping.

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#15

Post by TheOneTrueKyle »

Torgo wrote: post #3

It worked for me in my 20's, but I think if I tried it again in my late 30's, it might make things worse. Mushrooms don't let you hide problems from yourself.

Sounds like you are hiding more things in your life from yourself in the present than you did when you were younger

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#16

Post by sageabilly »

It's great to see the advances in research that are being done around Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine as the results that are coming out look incredibly promising.

That being said, godDAMN how in the hell is anyone ever going to take studies like this seriously when they're being reported as "Magic Mushrooms" in Scientific American of all places? This isn't raver kiddies eating dried who-knows-what out of ziplock bags at raves, this is a controlled dosing of psilocybin in a medical setting for treatment of a serious illness. The stigma around researching these drugs is never going to go away unless the language itself changes.

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#17

Post by zimbu668 »

exelius wrote: post #2

From personal experience in my youth, I can definitely say that psychedelics (mushrooms in particular) can help you think in different ways that make your problems seem trivial and imminently solvable. Those changed patterns of thought seem like a revelation at the time -- like the clouds opened and an answer came down from the sky. So I'm not at all surprised with this. That said, this study had only 12 participants…

Roland Griffiths at John's Hopkins is trying to do proper research on psilocybin, i.e. with control groups. Although it's kind of hard since the effects of psilocybin are rather noticeable.

http://www.tedmed.com/speakers/show?id=526372

Just in case anyone here hasn't already seen this: https://xkcd.com/1462/

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#18

Post by matthewvincent »

humbleMouse wrote: post #7

When I am finishing a mushroom experience I usually have overwhelming feelings of love and am excited to start the next day. My brain is racing with all the possibilities of life and ways I can make things better for myself. People should be coached in how to have a good mushroom experience and what to expect. Nature + fresh fruit + good music + comfy place to sleep has always been a winning combination for me.

This is great advice, all I would add is a close friend or two to share the experience with.

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#19

Post by lawpoop »

hippich wrote: post #14
nxzero wrote: post #12

Says more about how poorly the brain is understood than anything else. Also, very possible that the measures that were take to keep people "safe" were a factor. Anyone know if there was a control group given the same treatment (double blind) - but with a placebo? __________ EDIT: Direct link to the related research paper: Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: a feasibility study http://www.thelancet.com/pb/a…

I wonder what could be given as placebo tho. It is not like you do not notice you are tripping.

I think in Johns Hopkins studies they were using amphetamines, and also they recruited people who were hallucinogenic-naive.

Re: Magic mushrooms found to lift severe depression in clinical trial

#20

Post by exelius »

zimbu668 wrote: post #17
exelius wrote: post #2

From personal experience in my youth, I can definitely say that psychedelics (mushrooms in particular) can help you think in different ways that make your problems seem trivial and imminently solvable. Those changed patterns of thought seem like a revelation at the time -- like the clouds opened and an answer came down from the sky. So I'm not at all surprised with this. That said, this study had only 12 participants…

Roland Griffiths at John's Hopkins is trying to do proper research on psilocybin, i.e. with control groups. Although it's kind of hard since the effects of psilocybin are rather noticeable. http://www.tedmed.com/speakers/show?id=526372 Just in case anyone here hasn't already seen this: https://xkcd.com/1462/

Yeah, it looks like the study linked in the original article didn't do the measurement on the subjects while they were under the influence, but rather some time after the fact. In my experience, psilocybin can have a lasting psychological effect long after the physiological effects wear off.
Post reply on HN