30. Can Magic Mushrooms Treat ADHD?
What makes them magic?
Why would anyone go through the trouble to potentially pick mushrooms out of cow shit? What's so "magic" about certain mushrooms? As I mentioned before, these mushrooms are magic because they contain the active ingredient psilocybin. Without psilocybin, they would be a fungus that a woodland creature probably peed on, which tastes terrible.
But add psilocybin to those mushrooms, and now this fungus has the magical ability to trigger a hallucinogenic voyage (lasting typically between four to six hours.) Individuals embarking on a journey with magic mushrooms commonly depict it as a profound and transformative encounter marked by kaleidoscopic visions, vivid colors, heightened appreciation for music, and increased sensitivity to touch.
Have you ever listened to Radiohead at the Hoover Dam at 9 am? I have, and it's great, but hold your horses. That's not the type of thing you need to worry about. Medical use of mushrooms is a lot less extravagant.
Microdosing Psychedelics Could Help People With ADHD
Exploring minimal doses of LSD or magic mushrooms has been found to potentially assist individuals dealing with ADHD by fostering mindfulness, according to a recent research investigation.
No converging with your higher consciousness or experiencing ego-death- Turn off the Bob Marley guys, and take off the Grateful Dead T-shirt. That's not what the medicinal use of any drug looks like.
People are calling magic mushrooms "Promising news for those struggling with the ADHD medication shortage. Shrooms might help."
The utilization of psychedelics has been increasingly recognized for its potential in addressing mental health issues. Notably, the NHS in the UK has begun establishing psychedelic-based therapy clinics, demonstrating effectiveness in treating conditions such as depression, anxiety, and OCD. Recent findings published in Frontiers in Psychiatry indicate that micro-dosing psychedelics, such as LSD or magic mushrooms, could enhance mindfulness in adults grappling with ADHD.
Here's what the article said:
Mindfulness is defined as an ability to be present and allocate attention to what you're currently experiencing, like being able to focus on the sensation of water when taking a shower. (If you have ADHD, you may be able to relate to the sinking feeling of realizing you've zoned out completely under the showerhead and can't recall if you've shampooed your hair or not.)
People with ADHD generally score lower in this mindfulness trait, but the impact of micro-dosing on those with the condition has until now not been studied in depth.
The researchers looked at 233 adults with ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms who already intended to start micro-dosing and collected data two weeks and four weeks after they started. "We found improvements in all facets of mindfulness after four weeks of micro-dosing," said study author Eline C. H. M. Haijen. "Their average mindfulness score at the four-week time point was comparable to mean mindfulness scores of general population samples."
How do mushrooms work on a chemical level?
Upon ingestion, psilocybin undergoes conversion into psilocin within the body. Psilocin can bind to serotonin receptors in the brain, thereby impacting our thought patterns, perception, and mood.
That's interesting. Serotonin is one of the neurochemicals involved in ADHD. I was looking to see something about dopamine increases, but I didn't find anything still; it makes sense how something like this could be helpful for ADHD so far, but why mushrooms?
The Adderall Shortage strikes again.
Approved medications for ADHD – such as Adderall and Ritalin – are proven to be highly effective at treating symptoms. The ongoing shortage in supply, as well as the ongoing under-diagnosis in women and the social stigma surrounding medication, creates barriers for those struggling to access this effective treatment. It's not surprising that many are turning to psychedelics to cope.
The caution
If people can't find their focus meds, it's only natural to seek alternatives. But I do have concerns about information like this getting out without disclaimers.
A while ago, I did a two-part episode about the Adderall shortage. One of the things anticipated to happen in the midst of a drug shortage was that people would seek out other drugs to replace their medication. People self-medicating can start treading into a gray area. Especially for a group of people with a higher chance of addictive behaviors and drug dependency, this could trigger an uptick in fentanyl overdoses, criminal drug offenses, and more.
All of that aside, it's said that micro-dosing is the most effective way to use mushrooms if you're trying to receive cognitive benefits from them.
Micro-dosing definitely has benefits. I've microdosed mushrooms before, myself. I can absolutely say that I have felt the benefits of psilocybin in small amounts. You feel a sense of peace, calm, a little euphoria, and, oddly enough, very clear thoughts.
The article continues:
Still, it's a promising result for those struggling with ADHD symptoms and just another to add to the growing list of conditions that psychedelics can potentially help with.
If you're considering trying magic mushrooms to combat your ADHD symptoms, do some research on your own or talk to your doctor, of course. Please don't overdo it and blast yourself off to Mars.
If you are going to try, here's a few tips on how to effectively microdose:
Mushrooms taste awful for most people. A good way to consume them and get around the taste is to eat them with peanut butter.
Crush them into powder and add hot water to make tea. Then I added lemon juice and honey. I didn't mind the taste much at all.
It's important to know the difference between a micro-dose and a macro-dose. You only need about half a gram or less to micro-dose.
Have you used drugs like mushrooms to help your ADHD symptoms? I'd like to know. That's it for today's episode; tune in next week! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share the show, and remember to buy me a coffee if you like what I do and want more! For every ten coffees I get, that equals one additional episode.