The desire to understand the underlying reasons behind his alcohol addiction—and to end it—led Johnson to seek an experimental therapy treatment as one of 95 participants in a psilocybin study led by Dr. Michael Bogenschutz, director of the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine.
The results of the landmark study, which were published today, saw a significant reduction in alcohol consumption in the psilocybin group compared to the control group. Participants taking psilocybin reduced their heavy drinking days by 83%, while the control group saw a 50% reduction in alcohol use, still a pronounced change. During the follow-up period, the psilocybin group was drinking about 60% less than those taking the placebo medication.
The study, conducted in partnership with New York University and the University of New Mexico, compared the effects of two high doses of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy. Researchers observed patients between 25 and 65 who suffered from alcohol use disorder with at least four heavy drinking days in the 30 days prior to the start of the study. Researchers gave 49 participants the psilocybin, while 46 were given a placebo.
Psilocybin therapy is used to penetrate emotional obstacles and long-term issues within a patient. Under the care of a licensed therapist, patients ingest psilocybin and proceed to go on a psychedelic trip in a safe and controlled environment. While patients are tripping, therapists are able to tap into deep traumas that are often out of reach from traditional therapy methods.
“We’re very encouraged by these findings and hopeful about where they could lead,” Dr. Bogenschutz said of the results at a press conference introducing the study. “It's been very meaningful and rewarding for me to do this work, and inspiring to witness the remarkable recoveries that some of our participants have experienced.”
Why puke when you can trip through a field of butterflies and float off into space on a liger
In case anyone is wondering, they help you reflect and view your own behavior from a new, outside perspective.
Very high therapuetic potential! Some doctors have been approved to use along with MDMA but the governments have made it so very difficult for most people. However, people have been using for years despite the legality issues and will continue to do so with or w/o gov approval
Great news! But... Haven't we known this since the 1950s? The work of Humphry Osmond? Bill Wilson's psychedelic epiphany that preceded AA? Seems like the pre-WarOnDrugs knowledge has been 'memory holed...' Still good news, though.
PaulSorrentino3 They really help my depression and cluster headaches, I wonder if they would help my trigeminal neuralgia too. They are medicine, and whoever disagrees lives under a rock.
Great success for PTSD as well. How hard do you think the pharmaceutical companies will try to keep this from becoming a staple of treatment?
Definitely thought those were chicken bones
Any narcotic can help to enhance constitution in the human life.
🙄
And Madness treats depression.
Kind of hard to drink when you're tripping
Also heroin could help, I think.
Def thought these were chicken bones
I thought these were wings. 😅