Psilocybin for Postpartum Depression Treatment
It is a sad reality of the modern era, but depression has become a persistent mental health issue for a growing number of people across the globe. In fact, in Canada alone, 1 in 10 Canadians will suffer from depression at least once during their lifetime, and depression is one of the leading causes of disability and unemployment[1]. Once, long ago, the effects of depression were misunderstood and miscategorized as simply being feelings of negativity, fatigue or laziness. Today, we comprehend that this neurological condition is not a matter of being lazy or negative – depression is a debilitating mental condition that can affect not just a person’s mental state but also their emotions, mood, appetite, nutrition, and physical fitness. A lot of research is being devoted to the origins of depression – Is it genetic? How does depression take hold of a person? What are the best ways to prevent & treat it? Researchers are uncovering more data about this much maligned mental health condition, and the more we begin to understand the causes of depression the quicker we can start to properly treat it.
Currently, there are several known types of depression that are all-too-common a problem for many Canadians: Major Depressive Disorder, Seasonal Depression, Bereavement and Postpartum Depression. This last depression condition solely afflicts women who have recently given birth, but it is one of the most serious and common mental ailments in women between the ages of 20 – 40. In general, women are more likely to suffer from depression than men[2]; statistics show that women in general are twice as likely to experience depressive episodes than their male counterparts.
[1] http://depressionhurts.ca/en/about/
[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/facts-statistics-infographic#1
Why is postpartum depression so prevalent in new mothers and women who have recently given birth? It is believed that a major cause for postpartum depression is the fluctuations of hormones in a woman’s body during pregnancy and following birth. Rapidly shifting hormone levels can account for much of the neurological stress and depressive episodes that some women experience once their child is born. Typically, a woman’s hormone levels significantly increase during pregnancy, but once they give birth to their baby they can experience intense postpartum depressive episodes, brought on by drastic, sudden decreases in hormone levels as their body undergoes complex changes post-birth. What can women rely on for postpartum depression remedies? How can they work to prevent these debilitating symptoms?
For some, combating depression is a matter of prevention, not treatment. Many people rely on medications, active lifestyles or health supplements to help stave off the onset of depressive episodes. These are excellent methods of preventing the frequency or severity of depression, and one new health supplement in particular has started to gain traction with many people who suffer from this neurological condition. Microdosing psychedelic substances like psilocybin has become a very popular method of treating conditions like depression, PTSD and general stress or anxiety. What is psilocybin? Is it safe? What does microdosing mean? Let’s consider some of the potential advantages of microdosing psilocybin for depression.
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WHAT IS PSILOCYBIN?
Psilocybin, [3-(2-Dimethylaminoethyl)-1H-indol-4-yl] dihydrogen phosphate (C12H17N2O4P), more commonly known as “magic mushrooms” is one of the primary psychoactive compounds found in a variety of fungi species. The most notable type of fungi that people harvest for psilocybin is commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms” (psilocybe cubensis). There are 180+ species of fungi that are known to contain psilocybin or psilocin (a derivative of psilocybin), many of which have been a part of human history for thousands of years. Psilocybin has been consumed over many generations as an important stepping stone in the human journey towards spiritual and mental awakening. Consciousness, mental health, emotional balance and fulfillment can all be positively impacted by consuming psychedelics like psilocybin.
Today, psilocybin has become one of the most popular and widely-used therapeutic psychedelics across the globe. Mushrooms containing psilocybin have become reliable, effective and consistent remedies for a host of neurological disorders, such as OCD, ADHD, PTSD, Depression and Anxiety. Microdosing has become a particularly widespread method of benefiting from psychedelics. Many people relying on small, measured doses of shrooms or LSD in order to maintain their mental health and day-to-day functionality. Similar to its millions of fungi cousins, psilocybin is just one example among an entire host of benefits that medicinal mushrooms can have on human health.
What does psilocybin do to your mind & body? Although its effects can vary greatly from person to person, psilocybin is known for having profound effects on emotional state, introspective thoughts, creativity and energy. Many people choose to take psilocybin for its psychedelic effects, but a growing trend is to microdose. Microdosing involves taking very small, consistent doses overtime to benefit from the medicinal properties of psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin. If your intention is to explore consciousness, expand your perspectives of your spirituality or experience some kind of transformative emotional journey, then tripping on psilocybin might be for you. On the other hand, if you’re not keen on losing control or exploring the inner depths of your mind, body & soul then microdosing can still be an effective way to benefit from this unique plant compound without succumbing to its psychoactive influences.
Psilocybin is the active compound found in various species of fungi, and similar to the effects of THC from cannabis, it can vary greatly from individual to individual. The average dose that elicits a psychoactive response is around 0.25-0.5g, whereas a moderate dose of 1-3g can have noticeable psychedelic effects for several hours. When psilocybin is metabolized by the body, it is absorbed in its derivative form of psilocin. Both psilocybin and psilocin interact with serotonin receptors in our brains, particularly the 5HT-2A receptor sub-types. These sub-type receptors are largely responsible for learning, memory, neuronal excitation, mood and hormones.
A very important consideration is that psilocybin can naturally interact with our bodies with very minimal health risks. Psilocybin is non-toxic to humans, showing no signs of damaging or negatively influencing hormone levels, the liver, or blood sugar levels. All of the negative impacts of magic mushrooms can be attributed to consuming too much psilocybin and injuring oneself or others during a psychedelic trip – a risk that does not exist when one microdoses psilocybin.
What are the potential benefits of psilocybin? Many of the benefits of consuming psilocybin can be attributed to its effects on our brains, but there are a host of other positives when you consume or microdose magic mushrooms. The major benefits of taking psilocybin are:
- Emotional regulation, enhancement or balancing
- Improved mood, general feeling of well-being
- Mindful, introspective appreciation
- Relaxation, calmness and sense of fulfillment
- Alleviation from stress, anxiety, nervousness
- Reduction in negative states (depression, PTSD, ADHD, OCD)
- Increased motivation, focus, energy
- Improved cognition, memory
- Surge in creativity
- Improved physical endurance, determination and alertness
These are just a few of the many reasons people rely on psilocybin microdosing. Psychedelics are proving to be a new and exciting frontier in the realms of health and science, and these studies into the medical efficacy of substances like magic mushrooms are challenging the criticisms of many other demonized “controlled substances”. There’s still a lot of research and policy making that needs to occur before psilocybin becomes a legalized, household name in modern society, but the first steps have been taken on the path to acceptance, understanding and realization of the benefits of microdosing psychedelics.
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HOW TO MICRODOSE & TREAT YOUR DEPRESSION
Although microdosing psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin are in their infancies as viable medical treatments, there are some promising studies showing how psilocybin has a direct link to improving one’s mental condition through microdosing. A growing number of people are microdosing psilocybin for a variety of potential benefits, including:
- Improved mood, memory, energy
- Reduced instances/impact of Depression, PTSD
- Increased productivity, cognition, physical coordination
- Lessened anxiety, stress
- Decreased impacts of ADHD
- Enhanced focus, mental sharpness
- Improved motivation, increased desire/drive/alacrity
At the core of this approach to supporting your mental health, taking microdoses of magic mushrooms reduces undesirable states (depression, anxiety, mental disorders) while at the same time enhances desirable states (positive moods, creativity, motivation). This might seem counter intuitive, but microdosing psilocybin like psilocybin is not meant to be noticeable at first – you aim to take doses of this psychedelic substance without altering your perceptions or experiencing any psychoactive effects. You shouldn’t notice psilocybin, but you will feel the difference it can have on your mental health, mood and cognitive abilities.
What does microdosing psilocybin entail? The core concept of microdosing is to obtain the long-term benefits of a substance like psilocybin, without experiencing any of its associated psychedelic effects. For some people, this is counter to their intentions with psychedelics. Many people are looking to psychotropic experiences with substances like psilocybin, LSD and DMT in order to explore their spirituality, alter their consciousness or enhance their positivity or sense of well-being. For the purposes of this article, we will focus more on those individuals who have a direct need for psychedelics in a supplementary role, such as microdosing psilocybin to treat depression.
If you have been diagnosed with severe Depression, Anxiety Disorders or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) you likely have an heightened need for relief. Depression and mental health conditions can be some of the most debilitating diseases we face today, not to mention the fact that many conventional treatments involve taking very high doses of potentially harmful medications. Many people who suffer from depression have suffered from side effects of their medications, or long-term costs and use of these heavy doses of antidepressant drugs can become a burden on their own.
Microdosed psilocybin is becoming a well-known remedy for depression in all its forms, especially for those patients who struggle with treatment-resistant depression. According to a study published in 2017, a clinical trial of psilocybin microdosing resulted in “Decreased depressive symptoms, observed in all 19 patients at 1-week post-treatment and 47% met criteria for response at 5 weeks”[1]. The data from this study showed very promising results for reduced brain activity in the amygdala, resulting in a reduction of depressive states among patients. The researchers also noted that: “These data fill an important knowledge gap regarding the post-treatment brain effects of psilocybin, and are the first in depressed patients. The post-treatment brain changes are different to previously observed acute effects of psilocybin and other ‘psychedelics’ yet were related to clinical outcomes. A ‘reset’ therapeutic mechanism is proposed”[2]. This idea of psilocybin acting as a “rest mechanism” has proliferated throughout many studies that have looked at the potential benefits of psilocybin.
Another way in which psilocybin can benefit people suffering from depression is its inate ability to interact with our brain’s serotonin receptors. Serotonin is an essential neuro-chemical that affects almost everything we do, including emotional responses, social behavior and mood, cognitive function, memory and even motivations. Imbalances in serotonin have been linked to numerous mental illnesses and behavioral disorders, including depression in all its forms.
[1] Carhart-Harris, R.L., Roseman, L., Bolstridge, M. et al. Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measured brain mechanisms. Sci Rep 7, 13187 (2017) doi:10.1038/s41598-017-13282-7
[2] Carhart-Harris, R.L., Roseman, L., Bolstridge, M. et al. Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measured brain mechanisms. Sci Rep 7, 13187 (2017) doi:10.1038/s41598-017-13282-7
Psychedelic substances like psilocybin have been shown to have a similar molecular structure to serotonin, therefore it can interact with the brain similarly to the neuro-chemical itself. In general terms, psilocybin mimics the structure of serotonin and can therefore travel the same pathways, interact with the same receptors, and in effect act as a replacement wherever a deficiency might exist. Microdosing psilocybin essentially boosts the brain’s ability to transmit neurons across its neural network, while also connecting parts of the brain that might not typically communicate with one another. Think of psilocybin as a signal booster, but one that can not only enhance the current signals you’re receiving but actually open up you up to new channels of communication within your own brain.
Where can you learn more, or try psilocybin? Psilocybin research is currently underway across the globe, particularly in the United States where several cities have legalized clinical trials of magic mushrooms for treating serious mental disorders. Many researchers are finding that the “magic” of psilocybin mushrooms may be due to its abilities to “reset” the brain. A neural system known as the Default Mode Network (DMN) is being studied as one of the controllers of depression and mood swings. Psilocybin effectively reduces the activity of the DMN and helps the brain to ease itself out of a state of depression or anxiety. Combined with many species of fungi’s abilities to promote neurogenesis (the re-mapping and creation of new pathways in the brain) and it is clear that psilocybin’s influences on mental health are only in their infancy. The mind is one of the final frontiers in science, and so it might fall to psychedelics to lead us into a new era of understanding consciousness and the realms of the mind.
If you’d like to try microdosing psilocybin for yourself, there are several ways to order psilocybin online in Canada. Limitless Rx is an experienced team of cGMP drug researchers that have combined the brain-boosting benefits of Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane and CBD (Cannabidiol) with the finest grades of psilocybin. When you buy psilocybin mushrooms online from Limitless, you’re getting the best quality, the most consistent and the safest dose of magic mushrooms you need to start your microdosing regime. Buy psilocybin capsules from Limitless-Rx.com and experience the difference of clarity of mind, creativity and a life lived limitless.
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