Psychiatrist Haraldur Erlendsson hopes that in the near future, hallucinogenic mushrooms will be allowed for medical use in Iceland, Vísir reports.
It is believed by some psychiatrists that a revolution in treatment is on its way thanks to new research which shows that Psilocybin, a drug that comes from mushrooms, can be used to treat those with mental conditions.
The drug is illegal in this country, but in many parts of the world there is pressure on the government to allow it or allow research on it. A group of experts is looking to the Icelandic Medicines Agency and the Minister of Health to be allowed to do research on the drug in this country.
Magic mushrooms
Psychologist Lilja Sif Þorsteinsdóttir also believes in the use of mushrooms to treat patients.
“I have been following research on these drugs for several years and it is extremely exciting. Research is showing very good results against all kinds of mental health problems. So hopefully it will not be long before it will be possible to use these drugs in this country,” says Lilja.
She goes on to say that the research shows that the drug is effective at treating anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction.
“They have also proven effective in those who fear death. The drugs have been used to treat people who are dying and anxious about death. They have proven to be very good in such cases, “says Lilja.
You got me trippin’
When asked about how the drug works, Lilja said: “These are mind-expanding drugs that increase the flexibility of the brain. It’s like the brain centers or the brain message talking more together than before, so it’s easier for the individual to work out the underlying problem.
“If I use probability, it is possible to compare the process to a ski slope where the same difficult trails are always followed, but when the medicine is used correctly, it is like snow and new and easier trails are created. In this way, the patient sees new solutions to the underlying problem,” says Lilja.
Woah dude…
An article published in the New England Journal of Medicine reports on a new study in which patients were divided into two groups, one group took the drug Psilocybin, which is made from hallucinogenic mushrooms, twice every six weeks, and an SSRI drug daily, which is used for depression.
The results of the study were that the drugs were at least as good as the evidence that Psilocybin was better for the patients than a larger study would need to prove.
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