April 22, 2014

"I felt an incredible anxiety—the same anxiety I had felt every day since my diagnosis. Then, like a switch went on..."

"... I went from being anxious to analyzing my anxiety from the outside. I realized that nothing was actually happening to me objectively. It was real because I let it become real. And, right when I had that thought, I saw a cloud of black smoke come out of my body and float away."

A quote from "Prescribing Mushrooms for Anxiety/A New York University research team is using hallucinogenic experiences to help patients come to terms with their mortality."

So what do you think?
  
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23 comments:

Fandor said...

Wasn't there an old adage that said, "How I learned to stop worrying and love the mushroom"?

Or, it was a catchy phrase in an advertisement campaign for a film about a doctor.

Roughcoat said...

I used to do the occasional magic mushroom. I'm tea-total now (no booze, weed, etc.)and have been for a long time but the mushrooms were the last thing I gave up. Speaking only for myself: they were great. Very gentle pyschedelic high. No drama, no cosmic insights, just happy happy happy and lots of colors. A bit problematic in the first 30 minutes after ingesting, you get strychnine cramps but after that you just float along for a few hours. No after-effects, no alcohol hangovers, no smoke damage to the lungs. The hard part is, you have to be sure you get a real mushroom and not a store-bought mushroom that the local biker gang has laced with PCP and horse tranquilizer. Which means you have to know and trust your supplier. Very risky proposition.

I thinking if I make it to 90 I'm going back to eating 'shrooms.

madAsHell said...

I never used psilocybin, but I did see some really sorry trips.

Xmas said...

I dunno, they are a bit of a diuretic. So much peeing isn't good for some people.

Fandor said...

I'm all for selling Laudanum over the counter.
Why use halfway measures to overcome anxiety?

Ann, is anyone else paying attention tonight?

I'm doing my best to entertain, but I'm getting tired.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

We picked our own Liberty Caps in the pastures around Arcata when I was in college. Yes, a gentle euphoric high and listening to dense, layered Motown on headphones was a sheer delight. No black smoke, though.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

I only did mushrooms a couple of times, and I can't report any epiphanies. I can say that, at least with acid, if you were anxious going in the drug would amplify it, sometimes unbearably. If I learned I was terminal, the very last thing that would cross my mind as a productive pursuit would be doing hallucinogens.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Medical mushrooms are the next step. How cold hearted and creul it would be to deny anyone help who are suffering! Then medical cocaine for those depressed. Then medical heroin for those on pain. Rinse and repeat.

It will be a great sociological experiment.

Fernandinande said...

distribution of psilocybin without a DEA license is a federal crime carrying penalties of up to 20 years in prison for a first offense.

The DEA is an truly evil organization, modern witch-burners, psychopaths and sadists.

MKULTRA's "1980 LSD Follow up Study" papers, three volumes are available at archive.org, search for "lsd mkultra". Basically no negative physical or mental conditions resulted from having taken LSD, and, IIRC, a slight improvement in mental health.

Jeff with one 'f' said...

Tyrone, my experience exactly. That said, mushrooms always facilitated a delightful experience for me, so who knows?

Fernandinande said...

If I learned I was terminal, the very last thing...

"According to a letter written by his wife Laura, Huxley requested and received two intramuscular injections of 100 micrograms of LSD as he lay dying."
Wikipedia

Bob R said...

Don't even have to think about it any more. I'm now an automatic vote against the drug war. Hypothetical consequences against huge ongoing injustices. I admit, it's an easy position to take. It's never going to happen, so I'll never have to face the consequences of my position. But the pro drug war guys never face the consequences of their position - locked in cages right now. So I guess I have lots of company.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

I'm fairly sure that this has been blogged before.

Anonymous said...

"Medical heroin for those on pain"

Pretty much everyone dies on a morphine drip, so it's already done.

It's quite sad that your whole life you are told drugs are bad, bad, bad!!!! then at the last moments, "Just Kidding! Here, have the strongest, baddest drug of ill-repute legally available and no we don't see any inconsistencies!"

Robert Cook said...

"The DEA is an truly evil organization, modern witch-burners, psychopaths and sadists."

Yes. And I say this as one with a family member who was a DEA agent for 20 years. This family member is not personally a witch-burner, psychopath or sadist, but is possessed of a typical "cop's" mind.

The agency and it's raison d'etre are evil--if not overtly in intent, certainly in policy, practice, and consequences--as are most federal police agencies.

Ann Althouse said...

"I'm fairly sure that this has been blogged before."

That particular piece is new, so not previously blogged, but I have blogged this medical mushrooms for death issue before.

Tank said...

Definitely one of the best drugs in the psychedelic area. Fun. Also the logo (along with the Peach Truck) of my favorite band. In fact, I have several mushroom t-shirts. I would do that drug again. Especially out in the country on a beautiful day. Play some music. Yeah. Shoot that gauge my way Ace.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"Yes. And I say this as one with a family member who was a DEA agent for 20 years. This family member is not personally a witch-burner, psychopath or sadist"

Well, not with their own family. Other folk's families, they might not show the same restraint.

Paul said...

I always wonder how many of the anti drug commenters happily anesthetize themselves with alcohol, the drug that has far and away caused the most damage to humanity.

Anonymous said...

Free meth for everyone! Now!

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I concur and amplify the previous positive magic mushroom comments. Psilocybin provides a gentler version of LSD's good parts and none of the anxiety-producing ill effects. That and you can harvest it yourself if you know where to look. One must keep in mind that once you're on the train you don't get off until the ride's done, but again, it's a shorter trip than acid.

Nichevo said...

Perhaps if you could buy medical quality cocaine or amphetamine in safe doses and packaging, you wouldn't need to smoke drugs, adulterated with chili pepper, from a filthy bowl.

Crunchy Frog said...

 "Basically no negative physical or mental conditions resulted from having taken LSD, and, IIRC, a slight improvement in mental health."

Syd Barrett was unavailable for comment.