I noticed they began feeling numb to their emotions. Completely numb. It was not a difficult tendency to hide. Although, not accounting for the fact that emotional blunting was a common side effect of monoaminergic antidepressants, I assumed that what they were feeling was relatively normal (1). It wasn't.
In times when they should have felt excited, they felt indifferent. In moments where they should have felt disappointed, they felt unmoved. Addtitionally, unless they actively took the medication, the depressive symptoms would unapologetically prevail (4). I couldn’t help but constantly ask myself “Was there any alternative to alleviating those symptoms?”
There was.
There is!*
Having come across content accounting for the ways in which psilocybin was being studied to potentially treat depressive-like symptoms, I chose to delve more into the topic. To preface, it's important to understand the ways in which both antidepressants and psilocybin work, when attempting to alleviate symptoms of depression.
The most widely used antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), and maintain high serotonin levels in the brain. In other words, they keep the brain 'happy'.
We love ‘happy’.
Unless the happiness is synthetic, which in this case, it is.
We don’t like synthetic ‘happy’, because what happens once we stop taking them? Where does the happiness go?
Well, it goes.
It simply and utterly goes.
It simply and utterly goes, while the symptoms of depression simply, utterly, and rudely return (6).
Like an annoying mosquito. A super annoying mosquito.
Psilocybin, however, has proven to maintain ‘happy’ even after discontinued use and if that does not SCREAM promising, well, my fellow readers, I am not sure what does. A study found that when pairing psilocybin with therapy, not only do depressive symptoms lessen, but they remain lower up to twelve months post-treatment (2).
Psilocibin is a molecule that activates serotonin receptors in the brain. This attributes to a nonsynthetic form of ‘happy’.
We love nonsynthetic forms of ‘happy’
It is important to note that I say ‘nonsynthetic’ because..
- Psilocybin is found in mushrooms, which are found in nature
so
- it, therefore, alludes to that fact that this compound is not, in fact, created in a lab.
Hence, "nonsynthetic".
Nonetheless, lets examine what happens when under the influence of psilocybin.
A study chose to model the inner workings of the brain while on the influence of psilocybin. They found that as the brain creates a positive feedback loop of [serotonin] release and neuronal activity, it actively works to reshape the cells, presenting the promising potential for treating depression (3).
Similar to the previous study aforementioned, a different clinical trial found that serotonergic psychedelics, like psilocybin, cause changes in both the structural and functional working of cortical neurons which can directly improve mood and brain function (5).
Promising, right?
The unfortunate reality is that this approach has been stigmatized by the opinionated structures and social critique that both the government and society have unequivocally built. I believe it was a product of the government’s fear and intimidation by those retaliating against the formalities of constructed 1960s ideals. Scott also agrees with me. Scott Houghton, of course.
We go way back.
No, we don’t.
But, I find his words to be seemingly powerful. In an attempt to paraphrase the wonderful words of good ol’ Scott, I could not. Not without diminishing the conviction behind them. So I post it here instead:
“..[as a product of psilocybin use, people] rejected materialism, traditional fashions, and the classical understandings of “the family.” They did not support the war in Vietnam, supported civil rights, and advocated for the overthrow of society, all while harnessing the power of magic mushrooms and other psychedelics to make it happen. In a nutshell, they were convinced if they could get the president to trip, he’d agree with them. However, not all young people thought this way. In fact, a majority didn’t. But to the American government, this new hippie mindset seemed scarily popular. Enough to warrant retaliation and a clamp-down.”
I quote this to showcase the unwarranted regulation on a plant that holds insurmountable power on its ability to shift our mental modes of expression and introspectiveness.
I quote this to attempt to absolve stigma and present advocacy for the notion that psilocybin can truly work to potentially rewire and further treat many addictive and depressive tendencies that live rent-free within the bounds of our minds.
Although anti-depressants have been an avenue that has helped the lives of many, I wholeheartedly believe that psilocybin holds a potential far greater. Imagine a world where depressive symptoms were not only mediated but possibly absolved. Where we were no longer enslaved by a magic pill that, in all reality, isn’t all that magical.
Where ambition, joy, and motivation were fostered through the inner workings of our newly wired minds and not by something
well,
‘inhibiting'.
I truly hope that more research is conducted and more literature is presented regarding the anti-depressant efficacies of psilocybin-assisted therapy. It may not help save the entire world (despite wholeheartedly believing it could), but it may help change many individual worlds, and for that, it should definitely be a topic worth discussing. With that being said, I think we live in very exciting times. We live in very accepting and very innovative times, but very exciting times.
Unfortunately, 'time' is an unpredictable phenomenon so I guess only 'time' will tell how we choose to navigate said 'times'.
That was a mouthful.
Not entirely sure it made much sense in your head, but it did in mine, so I ask ever so politely:
Just roll with it.
Anyway,
To conclude all that was aforementioned, I proudly say:
May the scientific odds be EVER in our scientific favor,
and may science continue to be EVER-evolving.
(795 words).
1. Goodwin, G. M., Price, J., De Bodinat, C., & Laredo, J. (2017). Emotional blunting with
antidepressant treatments: A survey among depressed patients. Journal of Affective
Disorders, 221, 31–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.05.048
2. Gukasyan, N., Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., Cosimano, M. P., Sepeda, N. D., Johnson, M. W., & Griffiths, R. R. (2022). Efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted treatment for major depressive disorder: Prospective 12-month follow-up. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 36(2), 151–158. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811211073759
3. Kringelbach, Morten L., et al. Dynamic Coupling of Whole-Brain Neuronal and Neurotransmitter Systems.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 117, no. 17, 2020, pp. 9566–9576., https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1921475117.
4. Liu, X., Momen, N. C., Molenaar, N., Rommel, A. S., Bergink, V., & Munk-Olsen, T. (2021).
Discontinuation of antidepressants: Is there a minimum time on treatment that will reduce
relapse risk?. Journal of Affective Disorders, 290, 254–260.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.045
5. Ly, C., Greb, A. C., Cameron, L. P., Wong, J. M., Barragan, E. V., Wilson, P. C., Burbach, K.
F., Soltanzadeh Zarandi, S., Sood, A., Paddy, M. R., Duim, W. C., Dennis, M. Y., McAllister, A.
K., Ori-McKenney, K. M., Gray, J. A., & Olson, D. E. (2018). Psychedelics promote
structural and functional neural plasticity. Cell Reports, 23(11), 3170–3182.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2018.05.022
6. Quitkin, F. M., McGrath, P. J., Stewart, J. W., Deliyannides, D., Taylor, B. P., Davies, C. A., &
Klein, D. F. (2005). Remission rates with 3 consecutive antidepressant trials:
Effectiveness for depressed outpatients. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66(6), 670–
676. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v66n0601