Psilocybin, 61% mystical experience
Roland Griffiths of John Hopkins University led a recent study on psilocybin, the chemical in hallucinogenic magic mushrooms that mimics the effects of serotonin on the brain. There were 36 American test subjects, 14 men and 22 women, ages 24-64, none of whom had tripped (used hallucinogenics) before. They were mostly college graduates with successful careers and some spiritual practice. There were two sessions, in one the subjects were given psilocybin, the other Ritalin. Without knowing which is which, the results would not be clouded by participants’ preconceptions of what’s supposed to happen when you shroom. Of the 36 subjects, 22 (61%) described psilocybin as a mystical experience, listing feelings of unity with all things, abiding joy and transcendence of time and space. In a follow-up two months later, 67% rated the psilocybin trip as one of the most meaningful of their lives, comparable to the birth of a child or death of a parent, 79% said it increased their overall well being and satisfaction with life. Meanwhile, interviews with family members, friends and co-workers revealed positive changes in the subject’s behavior. Further follow-ups will determine effects after a year and more.
Neuroscientists Probe Psychedelic Psilocybin, SciAm.com