$RVV $RVVTF - Psilocybin ($$$$$)Good Sunday Morning ! 
Why statistically legal psilocybin can decrease the suicide rate
Over the course of the past several decades since the war on drugs was 1st mobilized, with the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, psilocybin has received a bad rap. Particularly, after it was lumped into the same category as heroin (Schedule I) by the U.S. Federal Government.
Thanks to this drug war, what was once considered to be a promising treatment for a wide range of psychiatric disorders – has now become public enemy No. 1 with all forms of research and treatment tied to it halted until the late 1990s. Since then, especially within the past couple of years, multiple studies on psilocybin mushrooms as well as other psychedelics have taken place once again with very promising results, particularly for psychiatric conditions such as depression and suicide.
Statistics from various studies show that psilocybin is an effective treatment for PTSD, which has wreaked havoc among not only hundreds of thousands of U.S. military veterans, but many people in the general population as well. The biggest worry with respect to PTSD is of course suicide, which is a strong indicator of poor mental health. In a 2015 study led by Peter Hendricks, Ph.D. of the University of Alabama, researchers discovered that:
… having ever used any classic psychedelic substance—namely, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ayahuasca, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, peyote or San Pedro, or psilocybin—was associated with a significantly reduced likelihood of past month psychological distress, past year suicidal thinking, past year suicidal planning, and past year suicide attempt in the United States adult population.
In short, thinking of, planning for, and attempting suicide significantly decreased after using psychedelics in general. The study itself didn’t really go into depth on the potential risk profile or therapeutic applications of psilocybin specifically, though more data in this regard can be expected very soon as psilocybin is “the most commonly examined classic psychedelic in contemporary clinical research”. Hardly a week goes by without some mention of future approval for medical use in the United States, the U.K., and other places abroad. Additionally, several cities throughout the U.S. (Denver, Oakland, Portland, Chicago) are seriously debating plant medicine decriminalization measures with more localities expected to do so soon, as well.
Dr. Hendricks’ studies claim that classic use of psychedelic substances is associated with a reduction in mental distress and suicidality among American adults. Perhaps this is a bold claim to make, however considering the fact that psilocybin is non-addictive and has an extremely low toxicity rate, it shouldn’t be all that surprising. Just ask any Hippie or Deadhead. However, despite the most recent positive study results and findings; psychiatric distress, and illnesses such as PTSD are still prevalent, and depression is on the rise worldwide. Perhaps psilocybin still being illegal in most parts of the world has something to do with people’s inability to effectively treat their mental illness, though there could also be monetary reasons for this predicament. The global anti-depressant market is a multi-billion-dollar industry and is expected to grow to nearly $30 billion in 2020, mostly as result of the coronavirus pandemic and its associated effects on the global economy. So, what is stopping people from ditching pharmaceuticals for magic mushrooms? The biggest obstacle for most mental health patients right now is the legality of psilocybin.
Most people would prefer to be law-abiding citizens and avoid any run-ins with law enforcement, if possible. Unfortunately, the stigma associated with magic mushrooms and psychedelic substances in general can also be a major obstacle for individuals looking to find treatment in plant medicines. By legalizing or at the very least decriminalizing such substances, the stigma surrounding them would quickly fade and fewer people would be reluctant to give them a try. With less stigma and shame, psychedelic awareness and education can increase resulting in an even greater demand for treatment, particularly for those most affected.
What makes psilocybin such a good anti-depressant? Statistically speaking, psilocybin poses less of a risk than opiates/opioids currently available on the market. The biggest driver of deaths resulting from drug overdose happen to be opioids, which constituted nearly 70% of all drug overdose deaths in 2018 and two thirds of opioid-related overdose deaths were synthetic opioids. By contrast, overdose deaths related to psilocybin are virtually non-existent, though extreme caution should be taken if hunting for mushrooms individually as mushroom poisoning is a very real threat.
Psilocybin can treat alcohol-induced depression as well, reducing risk of suicide even further, albeit in a more indirect and preventative way. Alcohol is a known depressant and on top of being able to treat depression itself, psilocybin has also been shown to treat alcoholism as well as other forms of addiction. Talk about killing two birds with one stone. It is becoming clearer and clearer with every study that psilocybin, as well as similar psychedelic compounds, not only improve one’s mental health but can also save lives by preventing suicidal behavior. Decriminalization and legalization, along with diminishing stigma, is the only path forward if we want to be serious about treating mental illness.
The numbers overwhelmingly side with psilocybin; the laws should too.