Psilocybin changing brain chemistry

[auntiesioux]

Anyone have research using psilocybin mushrooms to change brain chemistry / RLS? Have had two neurologist allude to such but I have not followed through nor researched. Anyone with knowledge or experience?

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An interesting query. I did read something a while back about psilocybin in relation to RLS. I can't remember what it said though.

It is well known for causing changes to brain chemistry, but I'm not sure if the changes are in any way helpful for RLS.

It is being studied as an aid for psychotherapy. It's main characteristic is that it's psychoactive.

That could mean it can help RLS in some ways.

Our experiences are more often than not, emotionally charged, i.e. a specific experience evokes a specific emotion.

Some of these are"hard wired", like pain or something that tastes "bad". These evoke negative emotions.

Some associations between an experience and an emotion are learned however, or at least exacerbated by experiencing them. We may be unaware of this conditioning.

Some people with RLS for example, learn to dread going to bed because they "fear" they will be unable to go to sleep.

Some people become "hypervigilant" to their RLS symptoms and at the slightest symptom, their attention is immediately drawn to it.

Psilocybin may be helpful, because like some other psychoactive agents, it can dissociate the emotion from the experience. Thus, even if it doesn't actually control RLS symptoms, it can improve the experience.

I recall myself, many years ago using cannabis and often found that a pain, normally experienced as unpleasant, when under the influence became just a sensation.

Just as a disclaimer. I do NOT think RLS is " all in the mind" or a psychological condition. It is a physical neurological condition with physical causes.