The psychiatrists noticed reports of people using hallucinogens to self-treat their headaches and decided to do a follow-up study. Cluster headaches, also known as suicide headaches, are thought to be the worst pain known to man. The pair chose six patients who suffered from these headaches and treated them with a non-hallucinogenic form of LSD.
All six patients reported a decrease in the number of cluster attacks and five said this effect that lasted for months after the study. This is a small study, but I think I smell the beginnings of the Legalize Medical LSD movement. [ScienceNOW; Shutterstock/Stefan Schejok]
You can keep up with Kelly Hodgkins, the author of this post, on Twitter.
Samuel
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 7:21 PMThis information has been around for a very long time, however never looked into until recently as the government outlawed testing of LSD for any purpose. Similar results have been shown with an offshoot of LSD called bromo. (which is different to the “bromo dragonfly” on the streets, which is a synthetic manipulation of the amphetamine chemical to produce hallucinations).
Also the picture you have has nothing to do with LSD. That picture is of a fly argaric mushroom, from the aminitas type of Fungus. Very rare, and very similar Looking to other, highly toxic chemicals. The active ingredient is completely different to psyillocybin or “magic” mushrooms.
Samuel
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 7:23 PMAlso, I forgot to add that the bromo I refered to is not hallucinogenic, and presents no recreational value.
Tom
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 12:32 AMSorry Samuel, I believe it is a Amanita Muscaria, which has some psychoactive/hallucinogenic properties and is somewhat relevant. :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria#Psychoactive_use
Samuel
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 8:54 AMYou are correct, also known as fly argaric. It is hallucinogenic, however many mushrooms from the aminitas family are highly toxic. I didn’t make that very clear, as I wrote all that on my iPhone :p
Jack
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 3:03 AMIsn’t that a psilocybe mushy?
Jack
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 3:06 AMCancel that comment, loved your comment Samuel.
I did remember watching a doco about it on YT.
Really great that something is happening.
I’ll try LSD when I’m 50, just in-case it mentally scarrs me with things I can’t currently comprehend.
Samuel
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 8:56 AMThanks very much jack. Also in regards to waiting to your 50, just remember, it’s all about set and setting. Have a positive mindset and go somewhere you feel comfortable and it’s nigh on impossible to have a bad experience.
DMT however, is a different story :p
CK
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 3:39 AMBromo is to LSD as Methadone is to Heroin.
And yeah, I heard of this tech about 3 years ago, and it wasn’t new then.
ovt
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 3:43 PMamanita’s contain muscimol, which is more of a deleriant and not a proper hallucinogen like other psilocybe family mushrooms. You are more likely to vomit than see colours.
Amanitas are also not so rare, you can find them in pretty much any pine forest :)
LSD and other psycho-actives are amazing tools for meditation, good to see other uses coming from it.
Samuel
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 9:40 PMAmanita Muscaria is rare. The amanita family is not rare. Especially in australia. And if you have ever eaten fly argaric you will change your story about “vomiting is more likely than seeing colours/hallucinations”
ovt
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 8:29 AMDear Samuel
I’ve seen thousands of these growing in pine state forests as they have a symbiotic relationship with that species of tree.
I have eaten both types of shrooms and I am talking from experience.