In the USA, they came up with the idea of treating alcoholism with hallucinogenic mushrooms

Scientists from the USA conducted a study and determined the most effective way to treat alcohol addiction. It consists in a combination of traditional psychotherapy in this case with psychedelic therapy of natural origin. Yes, you got it right — these are hallucinogenic mushrooms containing psilocybin.

Clinical studies in recent years have shown that small doses of psychedelics show good results in the treatment of disorders of the nervous system. At the same time, the mechanism of action of these substances on humans has not been studied. Apparently, they increase the neuroplasticity of the brain and act directly on the structure of neural networks.

The most promising substance, from this point of view, can be called psilocybin. It is a narcotic compound of natural origin, contained in some types of mushrooms. These psychedelics do not have a strict picture of action — the effects of their use depend on the subjective experiences of the patient and the surrounding environment. In general, the effect of psilocybin is diverse and even unpredictable.

Psilocybin at the same time has a very useful property. The narcotic substance quickly restores the nerve connections lost under all kinds of stresses. Scientists have studied the properties of the substance and found out that it can be used not only for nervous disorders and depression. Taking this natural psychedelic, as well as using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), can relieve a person from alcoholism.

A blind randomized clinical trial helped to learn about the new beneficial property of the compound. Scientists gave 93 volunteers doses of psilocybin and pacifiers in random order. Neither the patient nor the doctor knew what was in the capsules — a drug or a placebo. Only the project managers had the information. Each of the participants received 12 sessions of psychotherapy and twice a drug or placebo.

The patients were monitored for eight months before making conclusions. As a result, the study participants who took psilocybin became 83 percent less likely to drink alcohol, compared with the period preceding the experiment. At the same time, those who received a placebo reduced alcohol intake by only 51 percent.

But that's not all. After completing the experiment, 48 percent of those who took the psychedelic drug completely gave up alcohol. In the control group that received the imitation medication, only 24 percent stopped drinking alcohol. Psychiatrist Michael Bogenschutz, who led the scientific work, summed it up like this:

But do not rush to replace whiskey and beer with mushrooms. Scientists said that before their discovery can be put into practice, a lot of work will have to be done. It is necessary to study and document all the effects and side effects of psilocybin. You will also need to decide on the dosage of the drug.