News ‘Magic mushroom’ psychedelic may help heavy drinkers quit

[thegreenhand]

‘Magic mushroom’ psychedelic may help heavy drinkers quit​

Carla K. Johnson
AP
24 Aug 2022

Excerpt:

The compound in psychedelic mushrooms helped heavy drinkers cut back or quit entirely in the most rigorous test of psilocybin for alcoholism.

More research is needed to see if the effect lasts and whether it works in a larger study. Many who took a dummy drug instead of psilocybin also succeeded in drinking less, likely because all study participants were highly motivated and received talk therapy.

Psilocybin, found in several species of mushrooms, can cause hours of vivid hallucinations. Indigenous people have used it in healing rituals and scientists are exploring whether it can ease depression or help longtime smokers quit. It’s illegal in the U.S., though Oregon and several cities have decriminalized it. Starting next year, Oregon will allow its supervised use by licensed facilitators.

The new research, published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry, is “the first modern, rigorous, controlled trial” of whether it can also help people struggling with alcohol, said Fred Barrett, a Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist who wasn’t involved in the study.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I've always wondered under what context these studies are made.

I can only envision the benefit for alcoholics who have never used psychedelics before. I question their efficacy for polyaddicts or anyone who has tripped recreationally before.

Maybe I'm too cynical.

 

[thegreenhand]

Exclusion criteria included major psychiatric and drug use disorders, any hallucinogen use in the past year or more than 25 lifetime uses, medical conditions that contraindicated either of the study medications, use of exclusionary medications, and current treatment for AUD.

-From the study

So yeah they do sort of exclude people if they’ve used psychedelics too much

I agree that they probably aren’t as effective for people with polysubstance use or previous psychedelic use (even if less than 25 times)

Guess I’ll just stay fucked then ?

 

[Jabberwocky]

I'm very opinionated about this, as alcohol and psychedelic abuse became intertwined for me. I cannot use psychedelics anymore without having deep cravings for alcohol... and a lot of it.

I had also taken psychedelics probably 100 times before I ever considered or made a concerted effort to quit alcohol specifically.

I would be bad data in this study.

 

[thegreenhand]

My hunch would be that it’s actually the supposed neurogenesis working against you

The neurogenesis aspect of psychs are often touted as a good thing, but it can also lead to negative thought patterns becoming even more ingrained. It’s not necessarily beneficial neurogenesis that is happening, despite what some advocates would have you believe.

 

[Jabberwocky]

@thegreenhand I've always tried to tell people neurogenesis isn't necessarily a good thing in all situations, especially when repeated.

Like any growth hormone in humans it can have amazing immediate benefits... but using it outside of a very controlled environment or repeatedly it can produce severe side effects very quickly. Permanent side effects.

Someone like me who had abused psychedelics several dozen times before is likely to see no benefit or even detrimental effects.

 

[thegreenhand]

@thegreenhand I've always tried to tell people neurogenesis isn't necessarily a good thing in all situations, especially when repeated.

Like any growth hormone in humans it can have amazing immediate benefits... but using it outside of a very controlled environment or repeatedly it can produce severe side effects very quickly. Permanent side effects.

Someone like me who had abused psychedelics several dozen times before is likely to see no benefit or even detrimental effects.

Yep it seems to be a widely misunderstood phenomenon among the general public. More neurons must be better right ?

Of course, neurogenesis might not even be the mechanism. It’s still not even clear what role neurogenesis plays in learning, to my understanding.

Regardless of the mechanism, psychedelics do seem to make it easier for the user to embrace new things. The tricky part is just making sure what one embraces is a good thing.

 

[thegreenhand]

Also here’s a relevant meme that I’m obliged to dig out of the arsenal:

 

[arrall]

I've always wondered under what context these studies are made.

I can only envision the benefit for alcoholics who have never used psychedelics before. I question their efficacy for polyaddicts or anyone who has tripped recreationally before.

Maybe I'm too cynical.

Good point, but I feel like tripping is a bit different when you have a few sessions discussing your alcoholism with 2 good therapists, spend several hours tripping with said therapists pushing you to confront your alcoholism and its root causes, and then have a few integration sessions with said therapists.

Versus doing them alone in your bedroom/living room with probably far less thought put into it.

 

[thegreenhand]

Good point, but I feel like tripping is a bit different when you have a few sessions discussing your alcoholism with 2 good therapists, spend several hours tripping with said therapists pushing you to confront your alcoholism and its root causes, and then have a few integration sessions with said therapists.

Versus doing them alone in your bedroom/living room with probably far less thought put into it.

couldn't the same thing be said for trying to quit with therapists vs. alone, completely independent of any psychedelic ?

i.e. those sessions with good therapists would be more beneficial than trying to quit alone, regardless of whether you are under the influence during the therapy, no ?

 

[Nas47]

Yes..i think that they can help significantly to a person reduce or fully quitt alc.intake.same with cacti or ayahuasca.lsd even.Every weekend peyote meetings at North American church reduced significantly alcoholism amongs naitives.that is documented.