A new study has shown that if cancer patients take a single dose of Psilocybin found in magic mushrooms, it can decrease the levels of anxiety and depression. Experts have found that cancer patients who have been given Psilocybin, have been more hopeful, motivated and less fearful of dying. As per the study, Psilocybin can provide long-term relief from anxiety and depression. When it is combined with psychotherapy sessions, it can bring significant relief to the patients in five years. The study has been put together by a team of experts from the New York University Grossman School of Medicine. Researchers believe that magic mushrooms can be a crucial treatment for mental health issues among cancer patients. They have asserted that the findings of the study should be considered for the legalization of the drug.
Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic compound, which is formed by more than 200 species of mushrooms. It induces a feeling of euphoria and sensory distortion in cancer patients. It acts quite similar to drugs like Lysergic acid diethyl or LSD. Drug Enforcement Agency has classified Psilocybin as a schedule-I controlled substance, which means it has no medicinal properties. This research is a follow up of a team’s 2016 study, where 29 cancer patients were given one time dose of Psilocybin. They were also given psychotherapy sessions along with Psilocybin. After six months, 80 percent of patients claimed that they felt a reduction in the feeling of depression and anxiety. The findings of the 2016 study have shed light on how Psilocybin can be beneficial for the mental health of cancer patients.
The new study has been published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. The team of experts has included 15 original participants in the study. They have been followed for 3.2 to 4.5 years after taking the first dose of Psilocybin. Around 70 percent of them have said that they have felt positive life changes. They have claimed that they have experienced improvements in cancer-related anxiety and depression. Participants have revealed that this drug has transformed them on anecdotal terms as well. According to experts, 40 percent of people across the globe are reportedly diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Nearly one-third of them develop anxiety and depression related to the disease. This leads to an increase in suicide rates, lower survival rates, and poor quality of life. Psilocybin provides a deep and meaningful experience for cancer patients.
