PSYCHEDELIC MUSHROOMS Tadiana Richter WHAT ARE PSYCHEDELIC MUSHROOMS

PSYCHEDELIC MUSHROOMS Tadiana Richter

WHAT ARE PSYCHEDELIC MUSHROOMS? • Psychedelic mushrooms are wild or cultivated mushrooms that contain one or both of the psychoactive hallucinogenic compounds psilocybin and psilocin.

Psilocybin

COMMON STREET NAMES • Magic Mushrooms • Shrooms • Boomers • Caps • Buttons • Mushies • God's flesh • Simple simon

EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN • How mushrooms work in the brain, the compound psilocybin binds to the same receptors as the neurotransmitter serotonin. This allows the drug to alter mood, which causes the hallucinations and the extreme feelings of happiness. Research also shows that while under the effect of psilocybin, the lobes of the brain connect with each other, causing people to be more open and creative. Also helps them have a more positive perspective on life.

NEUROTRANSMITTERS INVOLVED serotonin

SHORT TERM EFFECTS • Dilated pupils • Anxiety • Chills • Rapid breathing • Confusion • Dizziness • Nausea • Loss of muscle control

LONG TERM EFFECTS • • • Psychosis Prolonged depression Flashbacks Impaired memory Paranoia Panic attacks Decreased motivation Mood swings Mental illness Impaired concentration Bad trips

POSITIVE ASPECTS • Makes people more open minded • Enhances creativity • More positive outlook • Expands consciousness • Helps with mental illness

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES • "They then gave me a message from my creator. The message was a vision of my whole life, my decisions, and even my future. I’ve never experienced such clarity and perspective about my own life. My questions were answered. I was reassured. Then the angels took me back. When I came to, I was gasping for air. I had been gone for a lifetime. I could not remember anything — not even my own name. "

CONNECTING LOBES IN THE BRAIN • When using psychedelic mushrooms, studies show that parts of the brain that usually don’t communicate with each other sober, connect with other lobes. This causes people to touch on their more creative side, and helps them get a different outlook on life.

WHY IT'S CONTROVERSIAL • Some people say mushrooms don't effect your mental health, as others beg to differ. The reason for this is because psychedelic mushrooms are drugs, and like most all drugs they are abused. An argument in the mushrooms favor, claims that psychedelic mushrooms are not addicting like alcohol and other drugs. And they don’t cause brain damage. There has also been various studies about how the drug helps with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Psychedelics are often used in spiritual practices, so another argument is banning them takes away our human rights. • On the other side, people argue that they do cause mental problems such as psychosis, flashbacks, memory loss, and bad trips. They also make it hard for people to distinguish fantasy from reality. It also can be hard coming off this drug because of the intense positive emotional aspect of the drug

THE HISTORY • People been using psychedelic mushrooms as far back as 9000 b. c • Paintings on rocks of mushrooms in the North African Indigenous cultures • Mushrooms were found in Mayan and Aztec ruins in Central America • Aztecs used a substance called "teonanacatl" which means "flesh of the gods" and is believed to be psychedelic mushrooms

GORDON WASSON • Gordon Wasson is considered the Founder of Psychedelic Mushrooms. • Launched the psychedelic movement • Father of ethnomycology • May 1957, he published an article in Life Magazine called "Seeking the Magic Mushroom" which brought the attention of psychoactive mushrooms to a wide audience for the first time

LEGALITY • These drugs are not legal in the U. S. but they are in some areas of South America. They are listed as a schedule 1 drug. They do not have any recognized medical uses, even though there a lot of proven studies for the medical usage of mushrooms

MEDICAL USES • Can help treat alcoholism • Can help reduce depression in terminally ill cancer patients • Change adults personality • Helps with other mental illnesses

TREATMENT • Since this drug isn't addictive, there isn't really any specific treatment programs besides counseling

WORK CITED • "How Magic Mushrooms Change Your Brain. " IFLScience. 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. of Publisher, Year. Type of Medium (e. g. , Print). • "What Are Magic Mushrooms? " About. com Health. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. • "Psilocybin Mushroom. " Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. • "Psilocybin Mushrooms. " Psilocybin Mushrooms. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. • "Mushrooms Addiction Treatment. " – Dangers of Mushroom Use – Mushroom Abuse. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. • "This Is The Brain On Magic Mushrooms. " Medical Daily. 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2016. • "My Extremely Spiritual Experience With Psilocybin Mushrooms - Reset. me. "Resetme. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.