LSD/Magic Mushrooms (Psilocyb in) Treatment For Depression - Anyone tried it out? (2 Viewers)

[Repelies]

Read this excellent New Yorker article and was wondering if any fellow Thumpers gave the 'trip treatment' a try?

From the article:

"Thirty-six volunteers, none of whom had ever taken a hallucinogen, received a pill containing either psilocybin or an active placebo (methylphenidate, or Ritalin); in a subsequent session the pills were reversed. “When administered under supportive conditions,” the paper concluded, “psilocybin occasioned experiences similar to spontaneously occurring mystical experiences.” Participants ranked these experiences as among the most meaningful in their lives, comparable to the birth of a child or the death of a parent. Two-thirds of the participants rated the psilocybin session among the top five most spiritually significant experiences of their lives; a third ranked it at the top. Fourteen months later, these ratings had slipped only slightly."

That is pretty impressive no matter which way you cut it (no pun intended). I did some research but can't seem to find an Irish practice that offers this treatment. Is there any and if so - where? (here or abroad) and is it expensive? Any information would be appreciated.

 

[Cornu Ammonis]

It's purely at the experimental/research stage. A few groups in the UK are doing it as part of a large study, the idea being that the psychedelics can open the person up to the therapy, not that they directly treat the cause of the depression (like Prozac or the like is touted to do). I am not aware of any trials in Ireland and I know that the UK groups spent maybe 5 years going through paperwork alone to get permission from the Home Office to allow them to use these agents in human participants. Unfortunately, I feel it will be at least a decade before anything like these (or ketamine, the other drug currently being investigated as an antidepressant treatment) will make it further than a university research setting.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

LSD in combination with counselling sorted out my life so that it's improved since then and continues to do so.

It lifted me out of the fog and helped me gain a perspective on my life that had been completely absent. I'm far from perfect but I'm pretty fucking happy.

When you've finished sorting your shit out you'll probably have 6 euphoric hours of whatever mind-bendingly fun shit you fancy into the bargain.

 

[Cornu Ammonis]

LSD in combination with counselling sorted out my life so that it's improved since then and continues to do so.

It lifted me out of the fog and helped me gain a perspective on my life that had been completely absent. I'm far from perfect but I'm pretty fucking happy.

When you've finished sorting your shit out you'll probably have 6 euphoric hours of whatever mind-bendingly fun shit you fancy into the bargain.

Was the counselling at the same time as being on LSD? And were they aware you were on it? Just curious because I know it was used in the 60s as part of therapy by some psychiatrists before being made illegal so it's fairly common knowledge amongst psychology types to be potentially useful. Equally, I've heard of people taking LSD or mushrooms and achieving some kind of breakthrough on their own because it allowed them to think around their problems in a way that wasn't obvious in their sober state.

 

[Repelies]

I remember seeing a great documentary on Bill Hicks and he was well into this stuff. I'd say it helped him a lot to deal with his cancer diagnosis before he eventually succumbed to that dreadful disease.

Delighted for you Cinnamon Boy and thanks for that information Cormu. I'm off to the Wickla' mountains to get me some mushrooms now!

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

Give it a few months yet Grapey.

 

[egg_]

I always intended to give the oul LSD a blast, but never got around to it, and now my brothers tell me I'm too old. Any thoughts? Did you have a counselor present while you were tripping @CinnamonBoy ?

 

[David Kronenbourg]

I always intended to give the oul LSD a blast, but never got around to it, and now my brothers tell me I'm too old. Any thoughts? Did you have a counselor present while you were tripping @CinnamonBoy ?

I've never taken LSD, but I did mushrooms a bunch of times in my 20s. Wouldn't take either at 34. Don't think i could cope with it.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

I've never taken LSD, but I did mushrooms a bunch of times in my 20s. Wouldn't take either at 34. Don't think i could cope with it.

You'd cope with it far better now than when you were 24, believe me. You'd also get far more out of it. I was scared to try it, my head full of the myths and propaganda....and I laughed like I'd won the lotto once I'd come up and was feeling so good, every sense awakened to real euphoria and I was a world away from the anxious "will I won't I" person I'd been up to then.

Also, unless you take a fuck-off dose, there's very little to cope with once your set and setting is right, you're in a decent frame of mind and some people like a "trip-sitter". But you only need one of them if you were going to be doing something like.....
a Thumbprint.

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

The acid isn't so bad, its generally a mild enough trip. Avoid micro dots though.

 

[egg_]

Where would one find a trip-sitter?

I'm 44, FWIW, and in fairness am probably unlikely to actually got for it until my kids grow up. Just being curious

 

[Unicron]

Where would one find a trip-sitter?

Mrs Egg

 

[CinnamonBoy]

I always intended to give the oul LSD a blast, but never got around to it, and now my brothers tell me I'm too old. Any thoughts? Did you have a counselor present while you were tripping @CinnamonBoy ?

Fuck no. It was purchased for pleasure. And you're NEVER too old. And as many here will tell you I'm far from perfect but it can set you on a path. And it probably saved my life, to be honest.
What I learned in counseling tied in nicely with the whole thing.

 

[egg_]

haha - her eye-rolling at all the shite I talk is bad enough when I'm drinking

 

[CinnamonBoy]

Was the counselling at the same time as being on LSD? And were they aware you were on it?.

Number one rule of doing LSD is telling a select few people at most. Everyone thinks you're a nutcase and I'm sure my counselor would have too. Maybe not but I wasn't taking chances.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

haha - her eye-rolling at all the shite I talk is bad enough when I'm drinking

Well, sex on acid is probably about the greatest pleasure I've experienced. And I've yet to try out some other stuff which is even better according to most.

There's always that angle.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

I liked the acid in my day but I'm wary of it again now. In the right circumstances with the right people I'd probably go for it but those circumstances never really happen these days. Goodbye youth! I wouldn't be too complacent about it being a generally mild trip, it can be nasty enough when it goes wrong.

 

[pete]

I always intended to give the oul LSD a blast, but never got around to it, and now my brothers tell me I'm too old.

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[CinnamonBoy]

I liked the acid in my day but I'm wary of it again now. In the right circumstances with the right people I'd probably go for it but those circumstances never really happen these days. Goodbye youth! I wouldn't be too complacent about it being a generally mild trip, it can be nasty enough when it goes wrong.

I would estimate I've taken it three times for therapeutic reasons, four or five times for sheer pleasure, usually candyflipping and I've now not taken it since January. I feel no need and I'd rather have fun with other stuff. LSD really is that important to me....others don't need it. I may never take it again. But I'm sure there'll come a time.

And as I said I'm far from perfect now but compared to what I was. I won't even begin to list how I was, how I lived. In a total fog.

If you're depressed or know someone who is I'd recommend investigating this form of therapy rather than the fake daily happiness of the Citalopram which I threw in the bin after six weeks.

If anyone wants to know anything more PM me. There must be so many people who've tried other things and this experience could (thoroughly prepared) most likely change their lives and give them the start of a new one.

 

[Prixter]

Can I add to this?

I've been to the acute ward twice in my early years, roughly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. They were quick to blame marijuana as the culprit as well as any hedgeshop shit I've smoked at the time. Now any stress is bad whether its self inflicted or otherwise to mental health but I would say this, the first time I was taking magic mushrooms in my later years, initially I had a deathwish deciding to take them at 5 in the morning on a session where one of my band members was riding a lady I liked or sometime juvenile, some dispute or something....well an hour or two in I was having a ball and came to a certain enlightenment; I didn't go as in Syd Barrett or Brian Wilson, I laughed my ass off knowing that time goes on and we live another day. My confidence shot up and found to have a lot more responses on Plenty of Fish (that's a dating site that gets you a ride every now and again, avoid the crazies by the way)

Haven't taken real acid but for the love of god avoid the synthetic shit like 2cb or worse still 2ci, had some bad buzz on those. Act with common sense is my advise, if you are hoping for a cure to mental illness, there is no permanent cure, just live your life the way you want it and embrace failure as much as success.

Life will always suck at times, just live it anyway