Although the news that Colorado intends to spend $10 million researching the medicinal benefits of marijuana dominated headlines recently, another study published its findings on the health benefits of another narcotic: shrooms.
Researchers at the University of South Florida have discovered that low doses of psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) can counteract the negative effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is a form of brain damage which results from a biological change in the brain's chemistry after a particularly traumatic event. Although PTSD is probably most commonly associated with military men and women who have been injured in combat, as a Texas personal injury lawyer I know that it is also regularly suffered by victims of auto accidents, dog bites, and child abuse.
The USF study confirms research previously conducted by the Imperial College of London in that psilocybin not only helps patients overcome the so-called “fear conditioning” inherent in PTSD, but also stimulates new brain cell growth.
This is an important discovery which will hopefully help many people. It is currently estimated that more than 13 million Americans (roughly five percent of the population) currently suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Mark Anderson is a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Attorney with offices throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area of North Texas. If you or a member of your family has been injured in an accident or suffered a traumatic brain injury, you are invited to call for a free, no obligation consultation locally at either 817-294-1900 or 214-327-8000.