Tag: Psilocybin

According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), over 8.5 million Americans aged 12 or older reported using hallucinogens in the past year, making it challenging to pinpoint a single substance as the most commonly abused hallucinogen. The answer depends heavily on the specific population and time frame examined.

An estimated 8 million American adults used psilocybin in 2023, making it the most popular psychedelic substance [1.11.1]. The term 'mushroom looking drugs' most often refers to psychoactive fungi, primarily psilocybin-containing mushrooms ('magic mushrooms') and *Amanita muscaria*.

While many powerful natural psychedelics exist, research indicates that salvinorin A, the active compound in the *Salvia divinorum* plant, is the most potent natural hallucinogen by mass. Its incredibly low effective dose sets it apart from more widely known substances such as DMT and psilocybin.

The practice of microdosing involves taking sub-perceptual amounts of psychedelic substances, with users reporting subtle enhancements rather than a full hallucinogenic experience. While the effects of a typical psychedelic trip can be intense and last for many hours, the question of 'how long does a microdose last?' is more nuanced, involving a distinction between acute and residual effects.

In a survey of thousands of people who reported experiencing encounters with what they considered God or ultimate reality, Johns Hopkins researchers found that more than two-thirds of self-identified atheists shed that label after their encounter, whether it occurred spontaneously or was induced by a psychedelic. While no substance can medically help you see God, certain psychedelics have a documented history of use for generating profound spiritual or 'God encounter' experiences.

In 2021, approximately 296 million people worldwide used psychoactive drugs, raising the crucial public health question: what is the least harmful drug? [1.5.1] The answer, however, is far from simple and depends heavily on how 'harm' is measured.

While no single new drug has recently received widespread FDA approval specifically for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in 2025, a robust pipeline of investigational treatments is targeting refractory cases. For the approximately 40–60% of patients who do not respond adequately to first-line serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), researchers are focusing on alternative neurobiological pathways, most notably the glutamate system.