The Psychedelic Hype... What You Should Know
Written by: Kavita Golia, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You may or may not have heard about the research on psychedelics and the hugely positive outcomes. From ketamine therapy for alcoholism to MDMA assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, and Psilocybin for depression. I researched psilocybin microdosing for my MSc research dissertation and the rate of growth in this field is phenomenal, but what are the outcomes of research and how could it potentially help us?
What is Psilocybin?
Psilocybin is the active component of magic mushrooms. Magic mushrooms are naturally occurring and have psychedelic properties which trigger changes in perception, mood, and thought when consumed in their dried state. They are currently illegal in the UK and the United States but it looks like this status is changing slowly but surely. This is due to the rather exciting results from the vast amount of research that has been carried out over the last few years. The use of psychedelics in this way originally comes from shamanic practices. It is believed that the earth provides us with these plants to help us to go deeper into ourselves in order to see what we would not see in this realm, to heal and observe from a ‘higher state of consciousness’.
What is the research showing?
One of the largest areas of research with psilocybin focuses on depression, in particular treatment-resistant depression. Results are continually indicating that the administration of psilocybin is helping individuals reduce depressive symptoms, with some being in remission after twelve months (Gukasyan et al., 2022). My own research involved in-depth interviews with people who had micro-dosed psilocybin. Some stories were tear-jerking with tales of people in deep depressions, saved by the use of psilocybin. The alleviation of depressive symptoms is not the only possible benefit of psilocybin. Increased focus, connection with self and others, creativity, and support in end-of-life therapy are all supported by research and micro-dosing has become increasingly accepted and popular in western culture.
What is microdosing?
Microdosing is the practice of consuming a very small amount of psilocybin every few days. The amount varies considerably from person to person. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach. A larger dose is usually around 2-3 grams hence a microdose will be 0.2-0.3 grams, again this is not the same for everyone.
How does psilocybin work on the brain?
Psilocybin works on a particular area of the brain called the Default Mode Network (DMN). This area of the brain is crucial in everyday consciousness and self-awareness. In depression, the DMN is overactive, causing self-reflection to go into overdrive and rumination. Psilocybin has been shown to reduce DMN hyperactivity hence reducing depressive symptoms (Carhart-Harris et al., 2012). Increases in neuronal connection in the brain is attributed to creativity and connection with others and self.
Is the use of psilocybin a guaranteed way for me to improve my mental health?
The use of psilocybin is not a silver bullet. In fact, when it comes to trauma and depression a person can experience a worsening of symptoms before improvement. An improvement is also not a guarantee. The jury is out there in regards to the legalities of psilocybin. Some states in the US such as Colorado have decriminalised magic mushrooms for therapeutic use and California is looking this way also. Microdosing is becoming more and more popular and psychedelic coaches are emerging onto the personal-development scene. It is vital that the journey is properly integrated via journaling, breathwork, somatic pratices and in some cases with therapy.
I also offer psychedelic integration coaching which is rather exciting in this fast-growing area.
I have also just launched the first series of my podcast Tune in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google podcasts.
Kavita Golia, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kavita is an embodiment and transformation coach on a mission to help people to get out of
their heads, connect with their bodies and move forward in their lives through embodied
decisions.
She has a passion for her work because she knows what it is like to be stuck. After
completing her Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Kavita worked in the events industry, partied hard, travelled and although this was a lot of fun she never felt connected to her purpose.
She decided she wanted to build her own business and launched a wedding planning company that took her to Ibiza. As she sat looking over the ocean, in the place she thought was her dream job, she knew deep down that she felt unfulfilled. Kavita followed her intuition and travelled to Thailand to begin her initial 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training. This process blew her mind, her addictions and patterns became clearer and she knew there was a whole deeper version of herself to discover. She was so inspired by her training that upon her return back to the UK, she immediately embarked on an MSc in Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology, further yoga training, accredited coaching training, and breathwork training. One of the most powerful aspects of these six years was her own transformational journey.
Kavita has taught at Soul Circus festival, hosted talks on tantra, psychedelics as therapy and meditation at Selfridges, Lulu Lemon, and Killing Kittens book club. She has hosted her own, regular events at the Ministry and has worked with the successful house music label Anjunadeep which will be continued further.
Kavita now feels truly passionate about what she offers. She uses traditional and embodiment coaching methods intertwined with breathwork, movement and music to help individuals to connect with the deep knowledge of their bodies.
Kavita’s aim is to support others in connecting with their inner voice. She can be seen on the decks, dancing with passion on dance floors, and connecting with others as much as possible. This is what makes her feel truly alive and her mission is to help others feel the same.
References:
Gukasyan, N., Davis, A., Barrett, F., Cosimano, M., Sepeda, N., Johnson, M. and Griffiths, R., 2022. Efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted treatment for major depressive disorder: Prospective 12-month follow-up. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 36(2), pp.151-158.
Carhart-Harris, R., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T., Stone, J., Reed, L., Colasanti, A., Tyacke, R., Leech, R., Malizia, A., Murphy, K., Hobden, P., Evans, J., Feilding, A., Wise, R. and Nutt, D., 2012. Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(6), pp.2138-2143.
