Scientists Are Searching For The Alcoholism Cure In Strange Places

Scientists Are Searching For The Alcoholism Magic Bullet In Strange Places

Magic mushrooms, a type of psychedelic drug with psychoactive properties, may help people with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) reduce their drinking and addictive behaviors.

A study published in the journal Scientific Reports has found that psilocybin – the primary active ingredient in magic mushrooms – can reduce cravings for alcohol and lead to reductions in alcohol consumption among heavy drinkers who participated in the trial.

The study included 59 individuals who reported drinking heavily over the past three months. Participants either received two doses of a placebo or two doses of psilocybin, given seven days apart, with two experienced therapists present during both sessions.

Can Mushrooms Cure Alcoholism?

The results showed that participants who received psilocybin reported reduced cravings for alcohol as well as decreased levels of anxiety and depression at one month follow-up after treatment. More importantly, those treated with psilocybin were more likely to report substantial reductions in their drinking than those who did not receive the drug therapy.

The findings suggest that psilocybin may be an effective treatment for AUD, but further research is needed before it can be officially approved by regulators.

Additionally, researchers need to investigate how long these effects last and what other treatments might be necessary to achieve long-term abstinence from alcohol.

Psychedelics like psilocybin have been used throughout history as tools to induce altered states of consciousness. But only recently have these substances been studied as potential treatments for various psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety.

The Solution In Never External

The current study adds strong evidence to the growing body of research suggesting that psychedelics could also be useful in treating AUDs by reducing cravings for alcohol and improving mood symptoms associated with addiction.

So far there is limited research on psychedelic drugs as treatments for addiction due to regulations restricting access to certain substances or scheduling them as Schedule I drugs which carries numerous restrictions around how they can be used in research settings. In spite of this regulatory hurdle, recent studies are beginning to shed light onto how psychedelics like psilocybin could provide relief from substance use disorders if properly administered under controlled conditions by trained professionals.

It is important to note that magic mushrooms should not be taken without consulting a healthcare professional first since they can produce powerful psychological effects and may worsen existing mental health conditions if used incorrectly or outside of a carefully monitored setting like those employed by researchers conducting clinical trials on psychedelic therapies for addiction treatment.

More Research Required

Overall, while this study provides compelling evidence that magic mushroom compounds like psilocybin can reduce cravings associated with AUDs, further research is needed before any conclusions about its efficacy can be drawn definitively.

Psychedelic therapies are still considered experimental and should never be tried without proper supervision from a medical professional — particularly since some forms of psychedelics are still classified as illegal under federal law in the United States despite recent efforts to relax regulations surrounding their use for medical purposes in certain states such as Colorado or California.

Meanwhile In The North West

North West researchers are set to trial the use of ketamine as a potential treatment for severe alcoholism in a groundbreaking new study.

Ketamine is an anaesthetic drug usually used in medical settings, but it has recently come to light that it could also be helpful in reducing cravings for alcohol and preventing relapse. The North West study will help to explore this further by investigating its clinical efficacy and safety when administered to patients with severe alcoholism.

Can Ketamine Offer An Alcoholism Cure?

The research team is made up of experts from the University of Manchester, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, and North Manchester General Hospital and they have been awarded a £1.3 million grant from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to carry out the three-year project.

It is hoped that the results will be a significant step forward in treating severe alcohol addiction and improving patient outcomes.

Professor David Nutt, Chair of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, believe that ketamine could potentially revolutionise the way alcohol problems are treated: "This kind of research could open up entirely new avenues for tackling severe alcohol addiction," he said in an interview with a UK TV station

Alcohol Deaths Spike

With alcohol-related deaths at their highest rate since records began and rising each year, this trial could lead to more effective treatments for those affected by alcoholism than currently available interventions such as medication or behavioural therapies.

The research team were chosen based on their expertise in the area of alcohol dependency and its associated mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Their previous work has included looking into neural pathways involved in regulating drinking behaviour as well as developing innovative treatments for alcohol dependence.

The project will involve recruiting around 120 participants from across Greater Manchester who meet specific criteria relating to severity of their alcoholism. Half of them will receive ketamine treatment while the other half will receive placebo or no treatment depending on which group they have been randomly assigned to at baseline assessment.

Trails Underway

Treatment sessions will be carried out weekly over a 6 month period with follow-up assessments taking place after 3 months and 6 months post-treatment.

The primary outcome measure being studied is whether ketamine can reduce cravings among those people receiving treatment compared with those not receiving any intervention over a 6 month period following baseline assessment.

Secondary outcome measures include assessing changes in mood, quality of life, functioning/disability due to alcohol consumption after 3 months and 6 months post-treatment compared with baseline assessments as well as examining any potential sustained improvements beyond 12 months post-treatment if they occur.

Hope But No Miracle Cure

This North West study could be a huge step forward in helping those affected by severe alcoholism if successful; however further research would need to be done before ketamine can be prescribed widely for this purpose due to its potential harms which include distressful or dysphoric feelings following administration among others when misused recreationally or outside clinical settings.

Nevertheless this research offers hope that there may one day be better treatments available for those struggling with alcoholism than what is currently offered now – hopefully within our lifetimes!

The Best Way To Quit Drinking

Alcoholism is a serious condition that affects millions of people around the world. It not only has devastating physical and psychological consequences, but it can also lead to financial hardship, social isolation, and even legal problems.

Alcohol addiction can be difficult to overcome, but with help and support from family members and friends, it is possible to find sobriety.

The first step to overcoming an alcohol addiction is recognizing that there is a problem so that you can seek help. Some of the signs and symptoms of alcoholism include drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time (binge drinking), needing more alcohol to achieve the desired effect (tolerance), continuing to drink despite negative consequences (loss of control), and experiencing withdrawal symptoms if drinking is stopped.

If any of these behaviors sound familiar, it may be time to get professional assistance.

Professional treatment for alcoholism typically involves counseling, as well as medications such as disulfiram or naltrexone that reduce cravings for alcohol. However, many people choose to begin their recovery journey by turning to a proven online solution by The Stop Drinking Expert.

To find out more, booking your place on today's free quit drinking webinar.