How Psilocybin Can Rewire Our Brain, Its Therapeutic Benefits & Its Risks | Huberman Lab Podcast

In this episode, I discuss what psilocybin is (chemically) and how it works at the cellular and neural circuit level to trigger neuroplasticity, which is our brain’s ability to rewire itself in ways that lead to long-lasting shifts in our emotional, cognitive and behavioral patterns and abilities. I discuss the emerging clinical trial evidence for the use of psilocybin in the treatment of depression, addictions and other psychiatric challenges. I explain the typical duration and phases of a psilocybin journey, the different categories of dosages often used and I explain the importance of set, setting and support when using psychedelics. I explain which groups of people place themselves at great risk by taking psilocybin as well as groups that could benefit, and I highlight the rapidly changing legal and medical landscape around psilocybin. This episode is a thorough exploration of psilocybin from the scientific and clinical literature perspective and ought to be of interest to anyone curious about psilocybin, mental health, neuroplasticity and/or psychedelics more generally.

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Psilocybin, Legal Considerations
00:08:32 Sponsors: Eight Sleep, ROKA, HVMN
00:12:00 Psilocybin Becomes Psilocin in the Gut, Serotonin
00:17:00 The Serotonin 2A Receptor, Therapeutic Outcomes SSRIs vs. Psilocybin
00:21:40 Serotonin Receptor Expression; Visual Hallucinations & Eyes Closed
00:27:21 Safety & Cautions for Specific Patient Populations
00:29:13 Sponsor: AG1 (Athletic Greens)
00:30:28 Psilocybin, “Magic Mushrooms” Dosing, Micro-Dosing, “Heroic Doses”
00:36:21 Psychedelic Journey: Set, Setting & Support
00:43:43 Music & the Psilocybin Journey; Duration of Effects
00:48:58 Psilocybin & the Brain: Subjective Experiences, Perception
00:58:36 Sponsor: LMNT
00:59:48 Brain Networks & Therapeutic Outcomes
01:05:23 Creativity; Music, Emotionality & Psychedelic Journeys
01:12:39 Depression & Psychedelics as Neuroplasticity “Wedge”
01:16:53 Positive Psychedelic Journeys, Unity, “Oceanic Boundlessness”
01:25:23 “Bad Trips”, Anxiety & Physiological Sighs
01:32:57 Therapeutic Use of Psilocybin
01:36:11 Neuroplasticity, Structural Brain Changes & Psilocybin
01:48:08 Psychedelics: Therapeutic Breakthroughs & Depression
01:56:37 Combining Psilocybin Therapy & Talk Therapy, Antidepressant Effects
02:03:11 Psilocybin Experience & Mental Health
02:06:42 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media

[jopo]

Andrew's delivery of psilocybin information doesn't leave mushroom for improvement.

[AkilPalanisamy]

As a medical doctor practicing 20+ years I can say that psilocybin is the single biggest breakthrough in mental health transformation for many of my patients

[sednasix]

I dabbled with microdosing (1g max) about 3 times in 2021 - last Sunday I finally pulled the trigger on 3.5g of p. envy... most profound, deeply emotional and introspective experience of my entire life. The lessons I took away from it are forever embedded in my psyche. What I've taken from it made more of a shift in my consciousness in a single session than a year of talk therapy. Although I think therapy was a huge element in exposing me to a lot of valuable information, but it was always difficult to implement. Old patterns die hard. With my trip - I cried for 3 hours about various things my mind was bringing up. It came in waves. It was so intense but as soon as I let out all the emotion and tears about whatever I was processing I would then calm down and then the next wave would hit. The cycle would repeat until I went through everything I needed to. Above all, the lesson I took away from my trip is any difficult emotion or challenge - I can handle. And I learned to truly ACCEPT. Accept that if I am the way that I am, to accept others as they are. And that is LOVE.

[wellfedlove]

I was a participant in the John Hopkins study. All i can say is that even years after, I am profoundly changed and I want desperately to shout to the world to allow this research and use! I received decades of healing in one session. The most profound experience of my life. Thank you for talking about this! Man, I want to go back to that mind space. Everything fell into place and was so clear to me. Death doesn't scare me at all! Life is joyful even on the hard days. I went back to school. And I'm now pursuing a masters degree in chaplaincy. I was over 50 years old during the study And i recommend it to anyone, as long as they don't have contraindications. It is shameful this is withheld and illegal. Keep talking about this!

[ericarice]

After my first time using shrooms, the very next day I was sick of my procrastinations. I put myself in school for massage therapy the very next day and have been an LMT for years, with my own business. It literally has shaped my life.

[FinancialAdviceNetwork]

It’s been 4 months since I stated microdosing psilocybin (can never spell it right 😂😂) and it had cured my depression. Gone, poof 💨 like the wind. Imagine 7 years of trauma and depression and shackles around your and then in 10 minutes it’s gone. What a time to be alive. Thank you God ❤❤❤❤

[ingridsara]

I have been depressed for a long time, but after taking shrooms few months ago, l feel much happier and highly motivated and my ADHD gone, lost a ton of anxiousness and had a few epiphanies about how I should live my life. I decided to buy an ounce for backup, but haven’t yet felt the need to take any more since then.;;

[SusanHoskins-dfkk]

Psychedelic mushrooms really healed me years back. Totally got rid of depression, anxiety and illicit pill addiction.

[mirabelwatson]

Psilocybin saved my life. I was addicted to heroin for 15 years and after Psilocybin treatment I will be 3 years clean in September. I have zero cravings.
This is something that truly needs to be more broadly used in addiction treatment.

[manonthemoon]

Psilocybin helped me quit every addiction namely nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis. I am 19 and this substance helped me quit all my drug addictions before i even reached my 20s.

[boahnlangeres]

Been micro dosing/macrodosing for a few months now and it’s completely changed the way my mind absorbs information, I feel as if I’m learning so much more everyday and it’s truly a blessing, I have been fighting ADHD/Depression for years and I’m just glad I found something that works with me.

[Caroljoyce-mpsk]

I could remember several years ago, I was diagnosed with cptsd. Also suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my son recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. This is something that really need to be use globally to help people with related health challenges.

[mr.lebeau]

I was in the pit of despair and was offered Adderall or antidepressants to "fix" me after a 5 minute conversation with a Dr. I went the mushroom route and I actually was able to learn how to sit in my emotions and face past trauma. I can't wait to watch this.

[EankiEtAl]

I’ve recently started micro dosing and it has been a very interesting experience. It awakened my sex drive that I had completely given up on. I didn’t realize how important having one is, it literally is the thing that drives us to build, accomplish and do. I’m so soooo happy to have it back. It also made me stop snacking and over eating. Junk food looks repulsive to me now and if I try to eat it I get nauseous. I can only eat real food now and it no longer takes much to satiate me. Bcuz of stopping that my skin is clear and I’ve dropped back down to a normal healthy weight. And last but certainly not least, I feel calm. Everything doesn’t seem so scary and require me to overthink it into the ground. I’m so so happy to have found this.

[codydagg]

I'm a veteran with a pretty severe PTSD/bipolar and if other people want to know if it works, I'll answer questions as much as anyone else here. I think it has so much value for treating PTSD.

[richardward]

I did some, and it changed my life for the better .i did 15 years in prison and had horrible mental health problems, this fixed me and my brain from years of hell and drug abuse and then prison . This is Gods medicine .

[Scrapzula]

Hello and thank you for this. I am a clinical psychologist and a plant medicine practitioner and I have seen first hand the reduction of depressive symptoms in my patients. But I also have witnessed an associated phenomenon that I haven't heard discussed. Patients report a decrease in symptoms but they also report feeling unconditional love, feeling cared for's and about and feeling like they are part of something bigger themselves. Feelings of awe, while in a psychedelic state. They come out of the experience with an increased desire to cultivate these feeling in their waking life. I don't think its just less depression but I think it's a result of the ability to feel more and the mystical experience many participants have. It has been a very interesting, although anecdotal, observation. Thank for all you do!

[sarahhammond]

I did a therapeutic journey like the one you describe just a few months ago. All the boxes were checked -- laying down in a safe space, eye mask, facilitated journey with a very experienced Guide, curated music. I let the facilitator decide the dose and she gave me 4.5 gms.... I am grateful she believed I could handle such a dose, as I don't think I would have had the courage to take that much on my own. I experienced All THE THINGS -- My hearing became extremely sensitive, senses merging, I couldn't really speak or communicate during the peak hours, extreme fear/sense of anxiety that seemed to be induced by the music but lasted even after the music changed; intense grief - I cried a river of tears; complex geometric images that were indescribable; the sense of dissolving out of my body over and over again (almost like an elevator
My point in giving this detail is that a good portion of my journey could be called a "bad" trip, though after the first few hours I felt sensation of incredible pleasure in my body, and even the fear/grief I was able to view from a witness place. It allowed me to see various ways in which I give my power away and create stories in my life that aren't serving me and that are really just fabricated by my mind. This truly was one of the most profound healing experiences I've ever had. Of course, I am still doing the work of integrating the insights. It takes courage to do this kind of work, but done properly, even when it's difficult, it can be healing and life-changing.

[chrissimon]

I noticed the greatest effects of psychedelics like Lsd when my eyes were closed. I was seeing visuals that looked like patterns until it eventually started clearing up and I saw what looked to be DNA repairing itself. I then remembered that I had a knee injury from a couple weeks back and It was healing faster than normally. I think because of the anti inflammatory properties of the drug and the fact that it kinda takes sensation away physically you can easily point out problems like injuries more pinpoint accurately. It was honestly huge to realize that visualization of my knee healing because of the fact that your thoughts can curate your reality to a degree and I knew that visualizing being healthy and healed would allow me to heal faster. It puts your ability to recognize your problems as not being so much as a real problem but a perception of what you believe these things to be. They can be good or bad and you always have the ability to choose how you feel especially the healthier you are physically. It's why diet and exercise is vital for optimal health as well as sleeping well.

[nieczerwony]

The fact that psylo is illegal but SSRIs and other drugs are prescribed like jelly beans says a lot.