Sunday, October 2, 2011

Magic Mushrooms

Just now, I stumbled on an article on the chemical found in "magic mushrooms" called psilocybin. Researchers from John Hopkins University conducted a study on adults to record any long term effects after using the drug. This article interested me because I know some people that have taken these so-called mushrooms; I never have and would be scared to if I was ever offered because I thought there would be negative after effects. This article says otherwise; more than half of the study participants had significant personality changes lasting more than a year after use of the drug, the change was in their openness. They said that the change in openness “encompasses aesthetic appreciation and sensitivity, imagination and fantasy, and broad-minded tolerance of others’ viewpoints and values.” The people that attained this change in personality reported that they went through mystical experiences; the ones who did not go through a similar experience did not have a change in their personality. In the study, people reported feelings of joy and happiness, so researchers are currently searching for alternate medical uses of the chemical. While psilocybin is not considered a drug with potential for abuse and has no medically accepted uses, I think continuing to study the drug may find some sort of medical use besides just being an illegal recreational drug. You can see the article here:
 http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112391707/lasting-happiness-found-with-hallucinogen-use/index.html

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