Magic Mushrooms

I went to a showing of the documentary “Dosed: The Trip of a Lifetime” last night. The movie chronicled the journey of a woman with Stage IV cancer who was suffering from the emotional aspects of living with a terminal disease. In an effort to ameliorate her symptoms, she elected to try magic mushrooms (psylocibin). The result was a psychedelic “trip” she described as equal parts frightening and freeing.

Full disclosure, I have never tried psychedelics. That said, I did vote for their legalization. I am grateful Colorado has been at the forefront of many controversial laws and regs that empower those living with serious illness. In 2000, the legalization of medical marijuana for those living with chronic pain and other debilitating maladies was historic. A few years ago, Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) was voted on and approved. I’ve had the honor of working with patients who chose MAID. The appreciation and relief they expressed for finally having control over their incurable disease was palpable. And now, there is psylocibin to consider as a therapeutic intervention for emotional and psychological distress.

My interest in learning more about magic mushrooms was two-fold. First, I know absolutely nothing about psychedelics and second, I wanted to understand the psychological benefits. The documentary was educational and informative; the history of plants as medicine was enlightening. It was also assuring to know clinical trials and research studies at esteemed medical institutions like Johns Hopkins University are being conducted to learn more about the efficacy of the plant.

The woman in the movie reported significant benefits from her use of magic mushrooms. She felt her anxiety and fear diminished exponentially. She also experienced a “spiritual” awakening that brought a renewed appreciation for living in the present moment. Most importantly, she was “no longer afraid to die.” That impressed me. Having spent years working with patients who were approaching death, the angst and anxiety of how and when and what’s next can be a killer (pun intended).

I left the movie hopeful. Anything that can improve the lives of those who are dying, or those living with debilitating anxiety, depression, or PTSD, is “magical” to me.

P.S. If you are interested in learning about psylocibin, Dosed is available to watch online. Another resource is the 60 Minutes special entitled, “Cancer patient overcomes anxiety about death with psychedelics.” That program can be viewed on YouTube.