'Magic mushrooms' ingredient may ease end-of-life anxiety

[n2doc]

By Anne Harding, Health.com

(Health.com) -- Terminally ill cancer patients struggling with anxiety may get some relief from a guided "trip" on the hallucinogenic drug psilocybin, a new study suggests.

The study included 12 patients who took a small dose of psilocybin -- the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms" -- while under the supervision of trained therapists. In a separate session, the participants took a placebo pill, which had little effect on their symptoms.

By contrast, one to three months after taking psilocybin the patients reported feeling less anxious and their overall mood had improved. By the six-month mark, the group's average score on a common scale used to measure depression had declined by 30 percent, according to the study, which was published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

In follow-up interviews with the researchers, some patients said their experience with psilocybin gave them a new perspective on their illness and brought them closer to family and friends.


more

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/09/06/magic.mushrooms.ease.anxiety/index.html

[hedgehog]

1. Sounds a little too much like an excerpt from "Brave New World" for me...

[enough]

3. I think it's a matter of choice. Nobody should be forced to take it, but if they want it,

it should not be illegal.

[old mark]

2. I took some of those many years ago, then drove a car.

Gave me a whole new perspective on that, too...

Anyone dying from cancer-or any other chronic disease- should have access to anything they want that will help them feel better without anyone interfering in their choices.


mark

[Lint Head]

4. This is an example of the benefits of natural drugs and flies in the

face of the anti drug crowd's bigoted and relentless fight against legalization.

Marijuana, mushrooms and peyote are just two natural occurring 'drug plants' that are beneficial. The propaganda has stereotyped
these durgs to the point of obscuring their actual benefits.

The real secret is that the people that are against legalization realize that these drugs can free the mind to the point
of making most humans peaceful and free thinking. There are exceptions when it comes to folks with addictive personalities.
You never here that abnormal addiction to anything is detrimental not just drugs.

The right wing is afraid that legalization will lead to a more open and progressive society that would accent art and peace over war. There is money in war and death.

[wuvuj]

5. A warning for mods and forum members.....

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/more-media-and-culture/2010/9/8/wikipedias-anti-natural-health-slant.html

Wikipedia’s Anti-Natural Health Slant

Wikipedia is the largest and most popular reference site on the Internet. Yet the articles that are pro-health freedom or integrative medicine perspectives are consistently gutted, removed, or vandalized.

Wikipedia’s 16 million articles (over 3.3 million in English) have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world, and almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site. But it is also an open platform, one prone to sabotage or editing by people with a particular bias, and natural health entries are often the ones bashed the most. Consequently, millions of people who search for alternative medicine cannot find information that isn’t heavily biased toward conventional medicine and the pharmaceutical industry.

more....

.............

Same problems here????? I found some good health links and info on this forum at one time...but due to the the FDA bots I'm going to be looking elsewhere....