Informative Speech About Magic Mushrooms

Unlike the other schedule 1 drugs listed, marijuana is much safer than the others listed. There have been many cases where people have overdosed

The article discusses research on the use of hallucinogens for medical therapies applicable to cancer, drug addiction, and psychological problems. Studies being undertaken at Johns Hopkins University are discussed. Johns Hopkins' research on hallucinogens includes assessment of the drug's psychospiritual effects among volunteers and its use in easing psychiatric and behavioral disorders in those so affected.

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide or LSD is a hallucinogenic drug that can be taken orally, injected or even absorbed through the skin. Once LSD has entered the body, it starts to take effects on the levels of serotonin in the brain which can cause; hallucinations, mood change, and even sensory distortion. After taking LSD, the effects on the brain usually last from 6 to 9 hours depending on multiple factors; the dosage of LSD taken, the subject taking LSD, and even the user 's mood can affect the duration of LSD use. LSD is a non-lethal, non-addictive, and a non-habit forming drug that has little to no effect on the long-term health of an individual. However, LSD has been illegal since the 1960 's. Not only did availability of LSD become scarce with the criminalization of the substance, but the legislation also put a halt on the research of the chemical as well. Much of the way LSD interacts with the brain has been left unknown. This derivative from the rye fungus Ergot has been the source of controversy that has left many people wondering why LSD has been classified as a drug that is just as dangerous to use as heroin. It becomes difficult for an individual to understand how legislation could criminalize a chemical without completely understanding how it functions and affects people. LSD should be legalized for scientific, medical and recreational usage.

     While American Indians are well known for their use of psychedelic agents other cultures have also been known to use psychedelics, especially psilocybin. So-called “magic'; mushrooms also grow naturally in many parts of Europe and Asia. Norse tribesmen, for example, were believed to use Amanita muscaria or fly agaric mushrooms to bring on feelings of rage before going into battle. The same mushroom may have also been the inspiration to the founders of Hinduism. Preparations of datura, the agent found in jimson weed, are used in magic and witchcraft in many areas of the world, (Aaronson, 1970). More recently many artist, writers, and musicians have been known to use mescaline and psilocybin and other naturally occurring hallucinogens such as those found in morning glory seeds, and nutmeg, as well as synthesized hallucinogens like LSD. Because of their mind-expanding qualities, the high insight into reality that they seem to produce, as well as highly complex sensory experiences, some report receiving inspiration from such drugs.

While psychedelics can create a profound sense of distortion from reality urging the importance of putting yourself in a the right setting with the right people, there is little evidence that links psychedelics to toxic effects on the brain or body. So much so that researchers from the EmmaSofia organization in Oslo Norway claim that psychedelics are no more dangerous than common activities including playing soccer or riding a bike (Krebs, 2015). Psychedelic substances are known for altering your perception of reality, which could be dangerous if you’re somewhere that presents physical risks, but research suggests the psychedelics themselves do no damage physically. Not only are the psychedelics safe but they also provide therapeutic

“Psychoactive substances exert their their effects by modifying biochemical or physiological processes in the brain.” Psychedelics are taken out of context to be for recreational use only, when they can be taken to enhance spiritual journeys.

Along with the history of these mushrooms, there are other interesting facts about these hallucinogens. At least 144 species

Although prescribed use of psilocybin is rare nowadays for medicinal purposes; many tests have been done on its medicinal uses in patients with personality disorders. Some tests have shown a noticeable reduction in obsessive compulsive disorder as a result of psilocybin use. Psilocybin has also been tested and is sometimes administered to cancer patients and has been proven to ease mental stress and the emotional baggage caused by cancer by changing the patient’s perspective on his/her situation and life in general. This compound has also been proven to reduce the pain resulting from cluster headaches in 85 % of patients tested and distanced the frequency of the attacks in 96% of patients.

Magic Mushrooms are mushrooms that contain psilocybin and this chemical causes people to have hallucinations. Hallucinogens, 2016) Magic mushrooms are commonly abused by millions of Americans. Mushrooms are sold illegally on the streets and kits can be found online to grow your own. (Illegal Drugs & Drug Information, 2009) Psilocybin (magic mushrooms) is a psychedelic drug that grows naturally across many climates excluding Antarctica. Psilocybin mushrooms look very normal and common but they produce greatly intense effects. (Hallucinogens, 2016)Magic mushrooms are mainly consumed by humans and do not contain enough chemicals to considered toxic to adults. Mushrooms can cause changes in motor functions and behavior. Users of psilocybin usually experience hallucinations and sometimes even panic when taken in large doses. If animals such as goats, were to consume magic mushrooms, they would experience similar effects as humans although there is no way of telling if they are hallucinating. People convicted of psilocybin possession can be banned from obtaining federal college grants and loans. (Illegal Drugs & Drug Information, 2009)

The purpose of this research paper is to examine the different effects of different types of hallucinogenic drugs on the human brain. The paper will focus specifically on LSD, DMT, and Shrooms as they are amongst the strongest types of drugs in their category. The chemical structure of the different drugs and the way they alters chemicals in the brain will be examined as well. This topic is worth investigating because if you or anyone you know is interested in trying LSD, DMT, and Shrooms, it is important to know the effects they will have on your brain if you are unaware or don’t

There may also be some indecisiveness in deciding what to do or get (All of this info from Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World: An Identification Guide, Gale Encyclopedia of Science, and Wikipedia.org).

Peter Gasser, tested the extent to which the psychedelic drug, LSD, could be beneficial in psychotherapy as a “complement to talk therapy,” (The New York Times). The trial featured a sample size of only twelve patients, making it too small to be conclusive. However, it did open the door to the concept of using the drug for therapeutic purposes. Most of the patients who participated in the trial “had terminal cancer, and several died within a year after the trial,” (The New York Times). On the bright side, they were privileged enough to have the opportunity to experience a “mental adventure that appeared to have eased the existential gloom of their last days,” (The New York Times). The effects of the drug last up to 10 hours, after which the user generally falls asleep. Therapy sessions are held in a controlled environment with a psychiatrist present in order to assist the patients out with any level of distress that they may experience and to talk them through their thoughts and emotions and help them figure out their source. The experimenter, Dr. Peter Gasser, advised the test subjects that they may experience some level of mental and emotional upset, but reassured them with remarks such as “I can’t guarantee you won’t have intense distress, but I can tell you that it will pass,” (The New York Times). The drug also causes the subjects to talk excessively and to open up in a way that is extremely cathartic,

Drugs have been around for a very long time. They are used for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include relaxation, socialization, curiosity, stress relief, or a form of escapism. However, most people don’t know the threats and danger that it can cause to the body. In this paper, we are going to examine the changes that happen inside the brain due to the effects of different drugs. We will look closely at how drugs such as hallucinogens, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, and cannabis affect an individual psychologically. I will explain the origin of the drugs, how a person feels while on the drug, how the drugs

An individual’s behavior and emotion becomes chemically altered often resulting in dependency, aggression, onset of diseases and poor judgement. This poses a dangerous threat to the neurotransmitters since they have multiple jobs in different parts of the brain. Drugs of abuse are able to exert influence over the brain reward pathway either by directly influencing the action of dopamine within the system, or by altering the activity of other neurotransmitters that exert a modulatory influence over this pathway. These drugs are often powerful and have been known to trigger schizophrenic behavior and can also cause a person to cease breathing, for example hallucinogens such as LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin are able to artificially stimulate the serotonin receptor (Sapolsky, 2005).

Another risk that is run when recreationally using hallucinogens is that of a “bad trip”. Hallucinogens are unpredictable in what they will warp the mind