A Dose of Psilocybin May Ease Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

Types of Depression

• Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia): is a depressed mood that lasts for at least two years. A person diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder may have episodes of major Depression along with periods of less severe symptoms, but symptoms must last for two years to be considered a persistent depressive disorder.
• Psychotic Depression: occurs when a person has severe depression plus some form of psychosis, such as having disturbing false fixed beliefs (delusions) or hearing or seeing upsetting things that others cannot hear or see (hallucinations). The psychotic symptoms typically have a depressive “theme,” such as delusions of guilt, poverty, or illness.
• Bipolar disorder: is different from Depression, but it is included in this list because someone with bipolar disorder experiences episodes of extremely low moods that meet the criteria for major Depression (called “Bipolar Depression”). But a person with bipolar disorder also experiences extreme high – euphoric or irritable – moods called “mania” or a less severe form called “hypomania.”
• Postpartum Depression: is much more serious than the “baby blues” (relatively mild depressive and anxiety symptoms that typically clear within two weeks after delivery) that many women experience after giving birth. Women with postpartum Depression experience full-blown major Depression during pregnancy or after delivery (postpartum depression). The feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that accompany postpartum depression may make it difficult for these new mothers to complete daily care activities for themselves and/or their babies.
• Seasonal affective disorder: is characterized by the onset of Depression during the winter months, when there is less natural sunlight. This Depression generally lifts during spring and summer. Winter Depression, typically accompanied by social withdrawal, increased sleep, and weight gain, predictably returns every year in seasonal affective disorder.
• SAD Seasonal Depression (Depressed SAD): A form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is triggered by the changing of the seasons; it starts and ends about at the same periods each year. If you have SAD like the majority of people do, your symptoms begin in the fall and last through the winter, draining your energy and making you cranky. Typically, these symptoms go away in the spring and summer. SAD less frequently results in depression in the spring or early summer and clears up in the fall or winter. SAD treatment options include medications, psychotherapy, and light therapy (phototherapy).

Depression & Anxiety Statistics

It’s critical to understand the distinction between anxiety and depression. Anxiety, in its most basic form, is an excessive feeling of worry, whereas depression, in its most basic form, is an excessive feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness. It is conceivable for someone to experience depression and anxiety simultaneously.

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Micro Dose Psilocybin & Doses Of Psilocybin: Benefits

Psilocybin dose 1 gram: When it comes to psychedelics, microdosing is taking drugs in doses that are insufficient to have an adverse effect on daily life. Depending on the dosage, it could be taken three to five times each week.

According to the 2021 Global Drug Survey (GDS), 1 in 4 psychedelic users reported microdosing on LSD or psilocybin mushrooms within the previous year. The poll also discovered that around one-third of those who used psychedelics microdose another psychedelic substance, despite the fact that these two chemicals are the most frequently used for microdosing.

A challenge for this kind of research, according to Dustin Hines, Ph.D., assistant professor of neuroscience in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is precisely defining the size of that dose. Despite the fact that most people perceive a microdose as being extremely small.

How often to microdose mushrooms? He said that the right microdose may vary from person to person and situation to situation. “When determining a microdose, people are trying to have normal cognitive functioning — they can still carry out their work obligations or other responsibilities without feeling a detrimental influence,” he said.

Participants performed many moods and mental health assessments as part of the new study, reporting their recent use of microdosing psychedelic mushrooms and noting a variety of changes.

Psilocybin Depression Dose (Psilocybin Mushroom Dose)

Psilocybin dose for depression: When it comes to psychedelics, microdosing is taking drugs in doses that are insufficient to have an adverse effect on daily life. Depending on the dosage, it could be taken three to five times each week.

Psilocybin Dose Chart: Possible Psychomotor Benefits

Psilocybin micro dose: Researchers used a smartphone finger-tapping test to measure psychomotor symptoms of neurodegenerative illnesses like Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis in addition to examining mental health effects.

This tapping test was used to assess improvements in psychomotor performance in individuals 55 years of age or older who microdose mushrooms. The effects of “stacking,” or mixing psilocybin and a non-psychedelic substance, were also examined by researchers.

The researchers discovered that combining psilocybin with lion’s mane, a non-psychedelic fungus, and niacin, a B vitamin, had no impact on the changes in mood or mental health. However, the psychomotor performance of older people who microdose mushrooms and coupled psilocybin with both of these drugs were more likely to be enhanced.

Psilocybin Doses: Positive Results, But Research is Observational

Microdosing psilocybin dose: A portion of participants from a bigger, earlier study by the same researchers, which was published in November 2021 in Nature-Scientific ReportsTrusted Source, were utilized in the new study.

In a previous study, it was discovered that those who microdose either psilocybin (microdose mushrooms) or LSD experienced reduced levels of anxiety, depression, and stress than those who did not.

In addition, a smaller 2019 study discovered that those who used modest amounts of psychedelics experienced fewer depressive and stressful symptoms as well as less distractibility. Non-microdosers were not used in this study as a control group, nevertheless.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that, although being the largest study of its sort to date, the new one is still observational rather than a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Because of this, it was difficult for researchers to adequately control for variables including age, gender, baseline mental health, and type of treatment that might have an impact on the results.

These kinds of variables might also have an impact on how each person reacts differently to psilocybin.

“Who enters these trials is one factor that varies greatly. Some people can handle depression well but struggle greatly with anxiety, and vice versa, according to Hines. Therefore, a microdose may have a completely different impact on someone with high levels of anxiety compared to someone with high levels of depression.

The most frequent side effects of consuming magic mushrooms were anxiety and panic (68%), paranoia and suspicion (68%), and seeing and hearing things (42%), all of which are signs of a terrible trip or the typical psychedelic effects of psilocybin. No one who visited the emergency room died or suffered a long-term injury, and all but one patient healed in a day.

It is highly unlikely to overdose on psilocybin due to its low toxicity and low concentration in mushrooms (about 10–12 mg per 1g of psilocybin Cubensis dose). Additionally, psychedelic-induced suicide is extremely rare, despite urban tales and a few sensationalized examples.

However, those who consume psilocybin mushrooms with other drugs or who have underlying medical issues may be more vulnerable to negative consequences.

We Level Up Dual Diagnosis Treatment

The exact definition of dual diagnosis (also referred to as co-occurring disorders) can differ between institutions.  However, it is generally described as the specific treatment of someone who has been diagnosed with a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder at the same time. Treating dual-diagnosis clients is a critical aspect of our inpatient treatment experience because co-occurring disorders are strongly correlated with instances of substance abuse.

Creating a treatment plan that addresses the physical aspects of withdrawal, the psychological connection with drug use, and managing underlying mental health disorders is part of setting clients up for success.  A thorough mental health analysis identifies possibilities for treatment.  Meeting with mental health counselors and medical care providers means access to behavioral therapy and medication treatment. At our dual diagnosis treatment center, We Level Up can implement the highest quality of care. 

We recognize the fragile complexities of how mental and substance abuse disorders can influence others and sometimes result in a vicious cycle of addiction.  That’s why we offer specialized treatment in dual-diagnosis cases to provide the most excellent chance of true healing and long-lasting recovery.

It can be challenging to accept that you may be living with a mental illness, but once it is properly diagnosed and treated, treating the presenting case of substance abuse can be magnitudes easier. Only a properly trained medical professional can diagnose these underlying conditions.  If you believe you are suffering from a disorder alongside addiction, we urge you to seek a qualified treatment center to begin your journey to recovery. Call We Level Up today.