Hallucinogenic substances such as LSD, peyote, and Psilocybin mushrooms are drawing the attention of neurologists and psychiatrists wanting to test their possibility in treating many mental disorders. There have been numerous anecdotal reports that psychedelic drugs can help some people with mental illness, although until very recently the idea has never been scientifically tested. Hallucinogens are serotonin agonists, a compound that activates serotonin receptors, mimicking the effect of the neurotransmitter serotonin. They are very similar to the body’s natural serotonin, and when taken in large doses push the serotonin system into overdrive making many brain systems more sensitive. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the world’s first class of psychotropic drugs to be rationally designed are commonly prescribed for individuals suffering from anxiety. While additional research needs to be done before this could become a standard treatment for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with the prevalence of OCD and discouraging statistics on treatment outcomes, I propose that individuals suffering from unsuccessfully treated OCD consider taking Psilocybin mushrooms under the guidance of someone they trust Obsessive-compulsive disorder is defined as obsessive thoughts, images, or impulses directly associated with a sharp increase in anxiety or distress, resulting in compulsive rituals used to provide relief from this distress.
Obsessions are characterized as upsetting thoughts, images, or urges that intrude, unbidden, into the person’s stream of consciousness. Common examples include unwanted thoughts or images of harming love ones; persistent, unwarranted doubts that one has locked the door; intrusive thoughts about being contaminated; and morally or sexually repugnant thoughts. Compulsions are repetitive, intentional behaviors or mental acts that the person feels compelled to perform, usually coupled paradoxically with a desire to resist. Compulsions are usually directed toward averting some feared event or intended to reduce distress. (Antony, Purdone, Summerfeldt, 2007) Compulsions are excessive or not realistically connected to what they are intended to prevent. In severe cases they can waste away a patient’s day, spending hours ordering a desk or washing their hands.
Obsessions and compulsions of insufficient frequency or duration to meet diagnostic criteria for OCD are common in the general population, but compared with clinical obsessions, those found in the general population tend to be less frequent, shorter in duration, and associated with less distress. (Antony et al., 2006) Obsessive compulsive disorder is a chronic and debilitating condition with a life time prevalence of 2 to 3% worldwide. Some researchers estimate that OCD represents up to 10% of the population in outpatients psychiatric clinics, making it the fourth most common mental illness diagnosis after phobias, substance abuse, and major depression. Furthermore, OCD is commonly complicated by the presence of morbid delusions, suicidal panic, substance abuse, depression, and interpersonal difficulties. Many patients with OCD delay or altogether avoid pursuing care, and of those who seek help, most remain unrecognized and untreated.(Moreno, 2) Before much was understand about the brain and mental illness, thousands of lobotomies were performed on patients with severe OCD, this barbaric practice has thankfully been replaced by a more modern approach of cognitive-based therapy.
