Magic mushrooms aren’t just about hallucinations (though those can sometimes be pretty great). Here are five ways magic mushrooms might help your health.

1. Depression

In a 2022 study, researchers analyzed the effects of psilocybin — the psychedelic compound found in shrooms — in 27 folks with a long history of depression. Participants were given two doses of psilocybin every 2 weeks between August 2017 and April 2019.

Researchers found that the participants’ depression levels remained low 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-months after the treatment. While this is dope news, researchers noted that more research is needed to explore the link between psilocybin and depression. Specifically, we still need to know if treatments can last longer than 12 months.

PSA: It’s not a good idea to self-medicate with magic mushrooms. There are lots of other (and proven) methods to help you treat depression (i.e., online therapy or in-person therapy).

2. Might help stave off substance misuse

Researchers are currently trying to figure out if psilocybin can help peeps cease smoking, drinking, or misusing drugs.

In one small study, researchers analyzed the use of psilocybin as a way to treat alcohol dependence. They found that psilocybin helped decrease drinking and alcohol cravings.

In a small pilot study, researchers found that psilocybin significantly improved the odds of smokers abstaining after a 12-month period.

There’s also some anecdotal chatter that psilocybin can help treat other forms of substance misuse. But we still need a whole lotta research to show if it can actually help reduce cravings and drug use.

3. Headaches

According to 2017 research, psychoactive substances like psilocybin might help treat cluster headaches and migraine.

However, a small study indicates that psilocybin can actually cause headaches. Researchers noted that the severity of the headaches depended on the dosage, but that the symptoms weren’t disabling or severe.

So yeah, the jury’s still out on this one.

4. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In an animal study, researchers found that low doses of psilocybin helped condition the fear response in mice. This might mean that magic mushrooms can help treat PTSD and related conditions. But we def need more research on humans to explore this link.

Additionally, studies show that the psychological effects of psilocybin can be unpredictable. This also makes it tough to say if magic mushrooms are 10/10 effective way to treat PTSD.

5. Anxiety

While we need more research, there’s a possibility psilocybin can help relieve anxiety.

In a 2016 study, 51 cancer patients with life-threatening diagnoses were given either a very low dose or a high dose of psilocybin. The high-dose group had a bigger increase in life meaning, optimism, and quality of life. They also had a decrease in death anxiety compared to the low-dose group.

Here’s a breakdown of the common effects of magic mushrooms.

• Increased energy. Boundless good vibes.
• Feelings of euphoria. An overwhelming feeling of well-being and contentment.
• Distortion of reality. A new perception of the existing world. A peek behind the curtain.
• Altered perception of space and time. Time and space become distorted. Close distances can feel like miles away.
• Feelings of extreme excitement. Everything is new and wonderful. Time to explore that creepy cupboard under the sink!
• A sense of oneness or unity with the universe. This kind of spiritual experience is kind of the platonic ideal of tripping. You feel at one with every other living being.
• Visual and auditory hallucinations. Things become unnaturally small or large or they bend and ripple. Sounds become distorted and music becomes unbearably beautiful. This is still the only conceivable explanation of why people ever listened to “The Grateful Dead.”