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Study: Psilocybin relieves OCD symptoms

Wed Dec 20, 7:41 PM ET

TUCSON, Ariz. - A preliminary study of the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms has found it is effective in relieving the symptoms of people suffering from severe obsessive compulsive disorder, a University of Arizona psychiatrist reports.

Dr. Francisco A. Moreno led the first FDA-approved clinical study of psilocybin since it was outlawed in 1970. The results of the small-scale study are published in the latest edition of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Moreno said the study's intent was only to test the safety of administering psilocybin to patients, and its effectiveness is still in doubt until a larger controlled study can be conducted.

But in each of the nine patients in the study, psilocybin completely removed symptoms of the disorder for a period of about four to 24 hours, with some remaining symptom-free for days, Moreno said.

"What we saw acutely was a drastic decrease in symptoms," Moreno said. "The obsessions would really dissolve or reduce drastically for a period of time."

Best known among the drug culture as magic mushrooms, the hallucinogenic fungus remains a popular illicit drug. Although banned by Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, research into medical uses is allowed.

The new research does not reflect any change in government policy, said Rogene Waite, a spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Currently, there is no treatment that eases symptoms of the disorder as fast as psilocybin appears to, Moreno said. Other drugs take several weeks to show an effect, but the psilocybin was almost immediate.

The drug is not one that could be taken daily, Moreno said, and many questions remain about its use, including if it would be addictive or if patients would develop a tolerance to the drug.

Moreno hopes to conduct an expanded study that could offer more convincing evidence of its effectiveness.

"We're very cautious about making too much of the early results," Moreno said. "I don't want to characterize it as psychedelics are the way to go. Although it seemed to be safe, this was done in the context of supervision by trained professionals in a medical setting. This is not ready to be used by the public just because nine people tolerated it."

Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder typically develop in the teen years and can make it difficult hard for patients to lead normal, day-to-day lives.

The nine patients in the study had a range of compulsions, including fear of being contaminated, elaborate cleaning rituals, tapping or touching rituals and mental rituals. One patient wouldn't touch the floor with anything but the soles of his shoes. Others would shower for hours or put on pants over and over again until they felt right.

"They know it's senseless. They know it doesn't do anything for them, but if they don't do it they become very distraught and very uncomfortable and have a very difficult time functioning," Moreno said.

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Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.azstarnet.com

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LOL, man, i havn't eaten Shrooms since the 12th grade. Hehehehe. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

"US Army Snipers...providing surgical strikes since 1776."

Not surprising, a friend of mine who works vice in Seattle mentioned he could always tell when the druggies under his watch were back on the meth because they were calm and focused rather than fidgity and distracted. He got curious about this, looked up the chemical structure of crystal meth, and discovered its only difference from Ritilin was a side chain on the molecule. Basically, they were just self-medicating.

Crushed under his own mental block...

Every drug has a use, its the "Abuse of the Drug" which makes it bad.
I was waiting for the MS medical marijuana studies to start up for pain relief before they ruled against it.
I can say without any Guilt "I NEVER HAVE DID ANY DRUGS or SMOKED WEED"
But when it comes to marijuana they might as well make it legal since its America's largest cash crop next to "Corp CEO's Bonus Checks"

I figured "What the Hell, I could smoke ,get my teeth brightened,loose weight,eat chips, relieve the pain and get "Mello" all at the same time. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/tard.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle>

But they rather stuff us full of narcotics instead.But they are doing testing with Meth on Depression patients and I think I also read Parkinson's and ALS too.

I 've seen around here what the "METH HEADS" are capable of doing I cant see why people do it,but I carry just encase because they've been hitting people in board daylight .

Goose

LIVE FREE OR DIE!

_________________
\"Live Free Or Die\"

I live pretty much in the meth capitol of the state and perhaps the world. We have a ( hopefully ) former meth head living/working with us. I have two SOB holsters and have a shoulder rig on order, need I say more. It's the <b>abusers</b> that ruin things for a lot of other people wheather it's drugs or anything else.

"Fitz" is the tits!
Brownells calls me Aaron Burr cause the
way I'm droppin Hamilton$

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.