How “Magic Mushrooms” Might Support Human Thriving in a Rapidly Changing World

You may have noticed that mushrooms are currently a significant trend. Admittedly, this wasn't always the case. Reflecting on 2020, many people considered us to be a bit out of our minds for establishing a mushroom farm in the UAE desert. It felt lonely and isolating as we launched a business model that had not existed in the region before.

Fast forward to today – mushrooms are no longer merely a quirky national pastime in a dozen countries, including my home country of Poland. Mushrooms are booming, and people are becoming aware of their phenomenal benefits for both human and planetary health.

However, I'm sure you're reading on because I mentioned magic mushrooms in the title. I don't blame you; we are curious creatures, and that's a good thing. Allow me, then, to take you on a short trip (ha!) through history and into the present day. We will visit different countries and cover the latest research and the business realm of psychedelics.

Hardly an event or conference goes by without a form of the following coming from visitors:

"Ohhhhh! Mushrooms… What kind of mushrooms? Do you grow the funny ones?"

For the record, we don't. Psilocybin, the compound that makes magic mushrooms magical, is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in certain species of mushrooms. Despite its remarkable traits, it remains a Schedule 1 substance (meaning high potential for abuse and/or no medical use) in most countries, including the UAE. But things are changing fast. Several countries are currently revising their classifications, so expect interesting developments to emerge relatively soon.

What's driving this phenomenon given the compound's mixed track record?

First, psilocybin's superpower lies in its molecular structure, allowing it to penetrate the central nervous system. Scientific and medical experts are only beginning to understand its effects on the brain and mind and its therapeutic potential, but it shows very promising results for various ailments, especially when other treatments fall short. Not only that, but it also shows great results in healthy populations.

Second, what makes psychedelics, such as psilocybin, unique is their ability to promote rapid growth of neurons, and their effects last long after the drugs have been cleared from the body. They also facilitate communication between different parts of the brain that normally do not talk to each other much. Imagine the possibilities!

Third, it is not habit-forming. Can we say that about other widely available substances? Tobacco, alcohol, who-knows-what's-inside-that-liquid-in-your-vape, even sugar? Negative.

How then did humanity allow such an intriguing compound to be banished?

It is indeed unfortunate, but now, after 50 years of obscurity, psychedelic medicine is gradually entering the mainstream. Fortunately, this time around, things are different. For once, governments and reputable institutions are on board for the ride. You know things are serious when Johns Hopkins Medicine has an entire center dedicated to working on psychedelics and consciousness. Least expected perhaps is the outpouring of support coming from conservative politicians moved by the stories of traumatized combat veterans healed by psychedelic-assisted therapy. That said, the research money is still trickling rather than flowing, but the progress is palpable. We are currently at a juncture where psychedelic drug development companies are being listed on NASDAQ and securing venture capital funding. Consequently, there is also a notable uptick in questionable patent filings as biotech companies engaged in psychedelic research endeavor to attract investors.

Compare that to how things unfolded in the 1960s and '70s in the U.S., and you can quickly see that the landscape is dramatically different today. Nowadays, psilocybin research is underpinned by rigorous scientific methods and backed by the medical community. All of this helps build confidence in regulators around the world, especially as they can now observe the pioneering countries and learn from their experiences. In 2023, Australia became the first country in the world to legalize the clinical prescribing of MDMA, better known as ecstasy, and psilocybin for certain mental health disorders. The United States and Canada aren't far behind, with Oregon in the U.S. and Alberta in Canada leading the way. A powerful use case for psilocybin is helping the terminally ill reduce their end-of-life anxiety which may contribute further to the mounting evidence in favor of the treatment. In Europe, 2024 kicked off on a strong note. The European Union has allocated €6.5 million for clinical trials aimed at investigating psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy's efficacy in alleviating psychological and existential distress in individuals diagnosed with various chronic diseases and disorders. Later this year, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has pledged to collaborate with multiple stakeholders to establish regulatory guidelines for the development and therapeutic utilization of psychedelic substances in Europe.

Mental Health Epidemic

While the present differs significantly from 50 years ago, certain aspects remain unchanged. Wars, trauma, economic uncertainty, and technology bulldozing entire industries all continue to exert continuous pressure on our mental health. This is particularly pronounced in a growing population that is soon to surpass 8 billion humans. How do we then position psychedelics as allies or tools that we can use to hopefully navigate this rapidly changing and chaotic era more effectively?

The stakes are high: patients are desperate for new solutions as mental health approaches have not seen major breakthroughs in over 30 years. There is also potential in healthy subjects who might want to augment their wellness and deepen their understanding of themselves. Think biohackers, the longevity crowd, and many others. Even psychedelic wellness retreats, popularized by celebrities, have emerged as a trend. However, it is increasingly people from all walks of life who take an interest, seeking to heal and reset their brains. In the language of business, the total addressable market is 100% of the world’s population as inevitably each and every one of us will experience a mental health crisis at least once in our lifetimes.

Scientists widely agree that these powerful altered states of consciousness can be therapeutic but can also be destabilizing. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that they are administered in a therapeutic setting by professionals. However, this approach has a downside. If these substances can only be consumed with a therapist present, coupled with integration sessions and a complex protocol, then the scalability of this treatment is not at the level of mainstream medication that can reach a large number of people who need it. Scientists are, therefore, experimenting with decoupling the hallucinations from the therapeutic effect, potentially arriving at a shorter duration treatment that is easier to scale. Some argue, however, that what is colloquially known as "the trip" is a prerequisite for most of the therapeutic effects to occur, with cluster headaches perhaps being an exception to the rule.

Ancient Wisdom - 21st Century Tools

Much like reishi, chaga, turkey tail, and lion’s mane mushrooms have long been recognized as powerful adaptogens in various traditions, the psychedelic experience has been integral to various indigenous cultures and belief systems from time immemorial. However, it is only now that we possess the tools to comprehend the science behind these potent compounds.

A timeless concept that has withstood the test of time is the notion of "the set and the setting." It refers to the mindset one brings to the experience and the environment in which it takes place. While not a novelty to indigenous shamans, it stands in contrast to Western approaches, which are often reductionist and tend to avoid pain and discomfort at all costs. This dichotomy may lie at the core of what some psychonauts colloquially refer to as a "bad trip," involving adverse reactions such as anxiety, panic, depersonalization, and ego dissolution. Interestingly, it appears that even users who might have had a challenging psychedelic experience tend to report improvements in well-being as they work to integrate ''the trip'' into their life narrative.

The Psychedelic Renaissance

Veterans in the psychedelics space frequently voice concerns about the rapid pace of developments. Psilocybin and MDMA are poised to be the hottest new therapeutics since Prozac. Universities want in, and so does Wall Street. Some worry a push to loosen access could bring unintended consequences. And while compounds such as psilocybin rank low on drug harm score charts, they carry their own set of risks, especially for an already vulnerable subset of the population. Individuals with underlying mental disorders are advised to avoid psychedelics. Additionally, there are concerns about cardiovascular and drug adverse interactions. The limited knowledge is due to the emerging legal status of psychedelics, resulting in scant data and restricted research availability.

Do you think this new frontier of PAT - psychedelic-assisted therapy - may one day reach us here in the UAE? With a brewery already established and a casino on the horizon, does it seem implausible to imagine psychedelics being utilized in controlled therapeutic settings under the watchful eye of a therapist? Given the UAE's status as a preferred destination for medical treatments, it doesn't appear entirely far-fetched.

Liliana Slowinska is the founder and business development director of Below Farm, the Middle East’s first mushroom farm, renowned for cultivating the finest functional mushrooms in a desert environment—from culture to fruit. Liliana relentlessly innovates, educates, as well as introduces exceptional mushroom products to the GCC market.