Finally! No mushroom mansplaining here. Now there’s a book out by Jennifer Chesak that explains the benefits and interactions of psilocybin for women.
As per the Amazon description, this book gives answers to some of women’s most pressing questions, like:
- Does psilocybin affect women differently?
- Does it matter where I am in my cycle when I use psilocybin?
- Can psilocybin help with menstrual migraines, endometriosis, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder?
- Will psilocybin boost my sex life?
- Do hormones have an impact on the entourage effect?
- What the heck is the entourage effect?
Psilocybin is a psychoactive compound found in several mushroom varieties, and in recent years it’s been increasingly researched for its potential to alleviate the symptoms of disease and improve the quality of life. In particular, psilocybin for women’s mental and physical health. While most studies tend to be small, the results are beginning to point to several ways in which it might prove beneficial to women.
We already know that psilocybin-assisted therapy could prove to be particularly useful in general as a help mental disorders such as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), trauma, anxiety, depression and the like. Research from studies already conducted shows that psilocybin in therapy often results in transcendent or mystical experiences, which were linked to enduring changes in a person’s mental outlook, provoking psychological healing and emotional breakthroughs.
Women are often burdened with unique social and interpersonal stressors which can burden them with long-term mental-health issues and also experience menstrual symptoms such as severe cramps, pain, PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), as well as abnormal menstruation. It’s quite possible that psilocybin can have a good effect with this.
It’s been shown to alter hormonal balance as well as activational and circadian cortisol secretion, thereby modulating several brain-reward mechanisms and stress-regulating systems. This affects natural fluctuation, including hormonal release, of reproductive systems such as ovaries, testes and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and adrenal (HPA) axes, which could lead to the regulation of menstrual cycles, and ultimately reduce menstrual pain. Moreover, psilocybin’s capacity to lift mood and act as an entheogen may benefit women experiencing perinatal mood disorders, such as postpartum depression and anxiety.
While caution guidance must be taken around use during pregnancy and lactation, some women report that psilocybin-assisted therapy can offer beneficial outcomes (with therapeutic support) towards managing these complex and challenging mental-health conditions.
Indigenous perspectives also shed light on the use of psychedelic substances during pregnancy. To date, limited knowledge is available on the use of such substances during pregnancy and lactation butespite the scarcity of official data, those who have experienced psychedelic use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding are invited to share their experiences through survey-based research led by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and the Unmonitored Experience Repository (an initiative of the Psilocybin Research Vault).
Since many women consider menopause to result in deep alienation and dissatisfaction, including a disruption to their sense of self in the broader world, psilocybin-assisted therapy might help them accept the existential fears and transitions inherent to menopause, identify with their newfound physical state and redefine their sense of self within their new role as women in the world. In this way, psilocybin might help women accept and transform their fresh outlook on their relationship to their spiritual beliefs, their family and friends, and the environment.
Psilocybin’s mental health benefits could also impact women’s physical health. Indigenous and traditional knowledge and practices suggest that psychotropic agents (which include psychedelics) have been used to treat several ailments, such as gynaecological issues. To date, scientific evidence about the use of such substances is limited.
It’s important to point out that despite its promising prospects as a supplemental treatment, much remains to be learned about the mechanisms of action of psilocybin regarding women’s health due to the lack of available studies, its safety profile, and the optimal protocols of care.
Psilocybin holds great potential as a therapeutic tool for bettering women’s mental and physical health. From relieving symptoms of mental health disorders to addressing menstrual-related issues and supporting women through life transitions, psilocybin offers a promising way to promoting holistic well-being. Continued research, advocacy, and education are essential to open up the full therapeutic potential of psilocybin and ensure that all women can access safe and effective psychedelic-assisted therapy.