‘Magic Mushrooms’ And Mental Health: Can Microdosing Psilocybin Help?

There is a new wave of drug decriminalization and legalization on the horizon including psilocybin, a psychedelic more commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms.” Hailee says she began microdosing after COVID lockdowns and claims it has helped immensely with her anxiety and depression. “I just felt like it was the right thing for me,” she says. Dr. Norman Fried, a clinical psychologist and professor at Columbia University, says microdosing psilocybin can create both a calming effect and a distorting effect. “We don’t know yet if that’s a hallucination – which is the mind imposing order on a disordered experience – or if it really is the ego dissolution where you actually experience something that is there that our brains haven’t yet been able to see.” Dr. Fried says that once a person is done with the experience of microdosing itself, it’s important to discuss the experience with a qualified mental health professional. Some advocates say research is pointing to the hallucinogenic as being a powerful tool in treating certain mental illnesses, but others say the jury is still out and worry legalization could do more harm than good. Hear more from this discussion on Friday’s episode of Dr. Phil, ‘“My Husband Needs to Smoke Weed.’” Check your local listing to find out where to watch. WATCH: ‘I’m Not Having Fun,’ Says Man Who Claims He Needs Marijuana To Function TELL DR. PHIL YOUR STORY: Need Dr. Phil to get real with someone?