"The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken."
Samuel Johnson
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Breaking the Cycle: Can Psilocybin Help With Addiction and Reset Your Brain?
Before we dive into the question "Can psilocybin help with addiction?"...
First...
A bit of creative storytelling to set the stage...
The butterfly effect wears a beautiful mask, doesn't it?
We are told by Indigenous Peoples that butterfly spirit signifies transformation.
But change is not always a good thing.
Addiction is the chaos theory in flesh and bone.
If you believe you are immune, standing safe on the shore, you are wrong.
Even if your home is sober,
Even if you are blessed to know no darkness in those you love,
You are still standing in the path of the storm.
Consider this single beat of a wing:
A nurse, who is in an addict relationship, wakes to a house filled with tension.
She drives to work on the fumes of sleep...
Her mind a fog of cortisol and fear,
A silent casualty of a war fought in her own living room.
Blinded by the instinct of "fight or flight,"
She is a ghost behind the wheel.
She cuts off three drivers.
She blows through two stop signs.
She is oblivious to the metal and glass she nearly shatters.
She arrives at the clinic, her hands trembling just enough to miss the mark, her mind elsewhere but the present moment.
A pediatric patient, small and trusting, receives the wrong dose.
A vaccine error born not of malice, but of exhaustion and dissociation.
The ripples widen.
The parents are called back, forced to leave work, losing wages they cannot spare.
The child must return to the white room.
The needle stings twice.
Fear takes root where trust should be.
The next day, the child carries that fear to the classroom.
He acts out, screaming against a world that hurt him more than it needed to.
The chaos transfers from the nurse, to the child, to the teacher.
The teacher absorbs the anger, her patience eroding hour by hour.
She carries the heavy weight of that day home to her family.
She is too drained, too mentally spent to help her aging mother navigate the evening.
A moment of distraction.
A slip.
A fall.
The siren wails in the distance.
Tens of thousands of dollars in debt pile up on a bedside table.
A hip is broken; a family's security is fractured.
And it all traces back to a single moment of sleeplessness,
Caused by a bottle, or a pill, or a needle,
In a house miles away.
Addiction is a disease that has no boundaries.
It does not stay in the addict's veins.
It bleeds into the streets, the schools, and the hospitals.
It touches everyone.
Roughly 70% of individuals with illegal drug or alcohol addictions are employed. This challenges the stereotype that addiction only affects the unemployed or homeless.
For the addict, it's a loop
For you, it might feel like that extra drink, pill, or cigarette you promised yourself you wouldn't touch.
The nagging addict brain taunting and tempting you.
It is so freaking exhausting!
You have probably tried:
- the meetings,
- the patches, and
- the sheer willpower,
...but the cravings still scream at you, leaving you feeling defeated.
Before you beat yourself up, offer yourself compassion knowing that...
Addiction is a disease with side-effects that millions of people suffer from.
A disease like cancer or Alzheimer's recognized by modern medicine.
What if there was a way to hit a "reset" button on your brain?
New science is pointing to a fascinating, fungi-based solution that is turning the medical world upside down.
People everywhere are asking, "Can psilocybin help with addiction"?
The answer is looking surprisingly, wonderfully hopeful!
Harmful use of alcohol contributes to 3 million deaths annually worldwide. This represents 5.3% of all deaths.
In the United States alone, the annual cost of substance abuse (including tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs) is estimated to exceed $740 billion.
This figure accounts for crime, lost work productivity, and health care.
WHO (World Health Organization)
Think of your brain like a giant, snowy ski hill.
Every time you indulge a habit or a craving, you carve deeper grooves to ski the same path.
Eventually, that groove gets so deep and icy that you can’t steer out of it no matter how hard you try.
That is what addiction looks like in the brain.
Research suggests that psilocybin—the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms"—acts like a fresh coat of powder snow.
It covers up those deep, rutted tracks!
This process is called neuroplasticity
We all have that nagging voice in our heads, right?
The one that whispers, "You're not good enough," or
"Just one more won't hurt."
Scientists call the part of the brain where this "ego" lives the Default Mode Network (DMN).
When you are struggling with addiction, this network is hyperactive—it’s like a radio stuck on max volume playing a song you hate.
Psilocybin turns that volume dial way down.
It quiets the noise!
This break from the constant mental chatter allows you to see:
- your life,
- your trauma, and
- your choices
...from a totally new, clearer perspective.
I wish everyone could spend a 12-hour shift in the Behavioral Health unit of every Emergency Department to witness the destruction alcohol wreaks on lives. It might just scare you sober! Yet, drinking is so normalized and celebrated. Even being sober comes with its own stereotypes and challenges; people judge and treat you differently—a lot.
It is something I am damn proud of. It takes immense strength and courage to get and stay sober, but you eventually realize life is so much better without being controlled by alcohol. After all, alcohol is a method of control. Just ask our Native brothers and sisters. They are connected to a higher power and possess magic (we all have this), but the white man was afraid of that power and wanted to strip it away, so they introduced alcohol. It is a poison that kills you from the inside out.
Erin Taylor, RN
Let’s talk about the hard numbers, because I love data!
First, let's look at psilocybin for addiction regarding alcohol.
No more fighting the urge with white knuckles; the urge just wasn't there anymore.
People who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who wait until they are 21.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
I can speak from a personal experience this is how psilocybin helped me quit drinking and harder substances.
I tried quitting drinking hundreds of times over several years.
I always felt great at first, and found sobriety easy.
But then came the cravings.
Once the cravings started, it was only a matter of time before my addict brain talked me into having “Just a few drinks on the weekends again”…
And before I knew it…
I was back where I always ended up…on my bathroom floor praying to the porcelain gods drowning in shame and powerlessness.
It wasn’t until I started microdosing the cravings went completely away.
And have stayed away, for 7 1/2 years now.
Imagine having that kind of freedom after years of struggling!
In the 1970s, psychologist Bruce Alexander conducted a study challenging the idea that drugs cause addiction solely through chemical hooks. Rats in solitary confinement consumed morphine water compulsively. However, rats placed in a "Rat Park" (a social environment with toys, food, and other rats) largely ignored the morphine water. This suggests that environment and social connection play a massive role in addiction vulnerability.
If you smoke, you know nicotine is an absolute beast to quit.
I know this struggle, too.
But the research here is honestly mind-blowing.
It’s like bringing a bazooka to a knife fight, lol!
This suggests that the question "Can psilocybin help with addiction?" isn't just a theory anymore; for nicotine, the evidence is incredibly strong.
Another mind-blowing study
While primarily focused on Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), this study is often cited in addiction research because depression is a common co-morbidity with substance abuse.
This randomized clinical trial (Davis, et al, 2021) with 24 participants showed that...
Psilocybin-assisted therapy produced large, rapid, and sustained antidepressant effects.
And yet another fascinating study
Can one microdose psilocybin session shift methamphetamine use?
A small pilot study suggests YES.
🍄 Engagement was strong. Most participants, 78 percent, reported a full mystical experience, a pattern linked to better outcomes in past work.
For a rampant disease with no approved treatments, this is incredibly promising!
Approximately 90% of people in the United States who need treatment for a substance use disorder do not receive it. This is often due to cost, lack of insurance, or stigma.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Can psilocybin help with addiction?
A resounding hell to the fuckin' yes!
So, what actually happens during a treatment?
You don't just take a pill and sit in a waiting room.
You go on a journey with a trained practitioner.
During the session, many people report having a "mystical experience."
This isn't just seeing pretty colors; it’s a profound feeling of connection to the universe, love, and forgiveness.
It sounds woo woo, I know, but that's me!
The data shows that the more intense this mystical experience is, the more likely you are to quit your addiction.
It is like a spiritual shock to the system that reminds you that you are more than your cravings.
Hold your horses, though!
I don't want you running out to a cow pasture just yet.
The "magic" isn't just in the mushroom; it is in the psilocybin addiction treatment protocol.
This always involves trained therapists.
Yep, you have to do some work.
You have:
- Preparation sessions to get ready,
- the dosing session where they hold your hand (literally and metaphorically), and
- integration sessions afterwards to make it a transformational experience
Without the therapy, it’s just a wild ride.
With the therapy, it becomes a surgical strike on the root causes of your pain.
Around 75% of people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) report past trauma, and rates often exceed 90% in clinical treatment settings, especially for childhood abuse like sexual or physical abuse,
Is it safe?
That is the big question on everyone's mind.
Physically, psilocybin is very safe and, ironically, non-addictive.
You won’t get hooked on the cure!
However, it is not for everyone.
If you are:
- pregnant/breastfeeding
- have a seizure disorder
- have a family history of schizophrenia, psychosis or
- certain heart conditions
...doctors will likely say it's a no-go for you.
And yes, "bad trips" or challenging emotional experiences can happen.
That is exactly why the setting is so important.
You want to be in a cozy room with professionals, not at a chaotic party.
Safety first, always!
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Legality
You might be thinking, "This sounds great, but is it legal?"
Well, it is complicated.
In most of the US, it is still Schedule I (illegal).
However, the FDA has granted it "Breakthrough Therapy" status, which fast-tracks the research because the results are so promising. Places like Oregon and Colorado are opening up regulated access, and clinical trials are recruiting all over the world.
Colorado is decriminalized, which means you can:
- grow it yourself
- share it with others
- offer a service in exchange including a ceremony
- go to a "provider" to receive psychedelic therapy
So, how does this stack up against rehab or 12-step programs?
For some, those traditional paths work wonders, and that is fantastic.
But for the "treatment-resistant"—those of you who have tried everything and lost hope—this is where psilocybin shines.
Psilocybin digs up the root cause rather than just trimming the leaves.
I personally think 12-step programs (which are scientifically proven to be the #1 way to quit drinking and stay sober) are the perfect adjunct therapy with psilocybin.
Psilocybin digs deeper than any other modality into the psyche, and working the steps, especially Step 4, is a super deep dive within you, so they pair together beautifully.
What should you do next?
If this sparks a little flame of hope in your chest, feed it.
- Find out if you live in a decriminalized area and grow your own medicine.
- Look up "clinical trials for psilocybin" near you.
- Talk to your doctor or therapist about this research—print this article out if you have to!
You deserve to be the best version of yourself.
While substance abuse gets the most attention, "process addictions" (behavioral addictions) stimulate the brain in nearly identical ways. The World Health Organization has officially recognized "Gaming Disorder" as a disease, and gambling disorder is recognized in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
If you struggle with addiction
You are a perfectly imperfect human, and there is a strong probability some pretty bad shit happened to you.
Psilocybin can help you let go of that shit.
Forgive yourself and everyone who hurt you.
It may be hard at first, but especially with the support and structure of a 12-step program, you can forgive yourself and them and be happy again one day.
It is possible.
There is hope for you and it’s right here.
Addiction has affected many of my relationships since I was a kid.
Addiction destroys lives.
Life is so much better on this side of addiction, and it is possible to heal your trauma wound.
The brain is amazing, and with the right help, it can relearn how to be happy without substances, once it has detoxed and healed.
Keep your head up, stay curious, and remember: you are not broken, you are just waiting for your reset!
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