The popular psychedelic drug psilocybin, better known on the street as “shrooms”, may just be the key to understanding social anxiety as well as having a great time. The slightly more controversial LSD also seems to have some psychological benefits according to scientists. Perhaps a new psychedelic revolution is upon us.
SCIENCE FINALLY BACKS UP THE BENEFITS OF SHROOMS
A small study has recently come out from the University of Zurich that shows psilocybin, the psychedelic chemical found in shrooms, helps ease the feeling of social anxiety. On top of that, it causes laughter and make the walls breath. The Live Science report states that 21 lucky testers were given shrooms while others were given a placebo. Upon taking the drug, scientists told them to play a video game that involved being socially excluded. For anyone who’s taken shrooms, this seems like a cruel trick but remember, it was all for science. Conclusive evidence reports that those who took the drug experienced less social pain that those who took the placebo.
INSIDE PSILOCYBIN
So why were these shroom-infected subjects immune to the feeling of social anxiety in the game? To put it briefly, drugs make you happy. To go a bit more in-depth, psilocybin binds to a variety of receptors for the brain chemical serotonin. When these receptors are engaged, psilocybin increases the amount serotonin hanging out in the spaces between brain cells. The result is an antidepressant effect that is actually quite predictable. This new research on the drug is just one of several studies out there studying the effects of psychedelic drugs. Let’s check in on LSD.
LSD A RISKY STUDY BUT BENEFICIAL
LSD is a bit more controversial for a number of reasons. Like shrooms, it has its proven benefits for mental disorders. One Johns Hopkins team found that psychedelics dramatically reduces anxiety among those with terminal cancer. It’s also known to aid in brain illness with a rigid thought pattern. LSD makes for a more relaxed form consciousness, which can help with this illness. That being said, LSD is still surrounded in controversy. The drug can have major long-term implications for those with a history of mental illness. It can even be responsible for setting off certain mental health problems that have gone unnoticed. Research is still being conducted on both drugs, so for now, tread lightly everyone.
