Potential Benefits
We strongly suggest that you consult with your health care providers prior to a journey. Facilitators are working as an Oregon Licensed Facilitator and are not acting in any capacity of a health care professional, and are not treating or diagnosing any medical or psychological conditions.
While there is a wealth of information on the benefits of Sacred Medicine done with proper Set & Setting, it is important to understand that each person’s experience is unique. Your mindset, whether you feel safe and comfortable within the physical environment, whether you trust your guide, dosing, supplements/medications and your own physiology are some of the influencers.
Different observational studies or clinical trials have associated some of the following benefits:
- Increased neuroplasticity
- Reduction or elimination of symptoms related to:
o Depression
o Anxiety and end-of-life distress
o Stress
o PTSD
o OCD
- Improved emotional regulation
- Reduction or elimination of addiction and substance misuse
- Reduction in inflammation and pain
Beyond the benefits described above is the opportunity to step into the great mystery, beyond the science. Sacred Medicine often invites you to explore, such as identifying your limiting beliefs, meeting parts of yourself that need to be seen, heard and experienced, or even experiencing the Divine.
Whatever benefits are offered, the invitation is to embody them post journey. By actively working with whatever new perspectives arise, the teachings can have lasting impact, versus just an event in your life. Integration is key.
Potential Risks
Sacred Sisters Way strongly suggests that you consult with your health care providers prior to a journey with psilocybin. Sacred Sisters Way facilitators are working as an Oregon licensed Facilitator and are not acting in any capacity of a health care professional, and are not treating or diagnosing any medical or psychological disorders.
Individuals with certain conditions may be at increased risk of adverse reactions when consuming psilocybin. These risks have not been extensively studied or quantified. Studies have generally excluded individuals at high risk for adverse events and negative outcomes. The use of psilocybin is weakly associated with triggering psychotic-like symptoms.
The use of psilocybin can lead to transient adverse physical effects. The higher the dose, the more common and intense the effect. Additionally, the effects can vary depending on a person’s genetic background, the use of certain medications and supplements, and the presence of certain physical conditions.
Examples:
Cardiovascular: Psilocybin can cause transient increases in your heart rate, heart rhythm and blood pressure. Using psilocybin can be dangerous for people with cardiovascular conditions.
Neurological: Psilocybin could transiently raise the pressures in your brain. Taking psilocybin in the presence of a neurological disorder could be dangerous and could adversely affect neurological conditions.
Gastrointestinal: Psilocybin can cause transient nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other GI upset.
Hepatic: Psilocybin is broken down to its active ingredient in the liver. Taking psilocybin in the presence of liver impairment can be dangerous and influence the duration and intensity of the effects.
Renal: Psilocybin is eliminated from the body through your kidneys. The ingestions of psilocybin in the presence of kidney disease can be dangerous and result in injury.
Other Transient Effects:
a. Anxiety/Panic
b. Physical or emotional discomfort
c. Transient sensory and cognition changes
d. Paranoia, confusion, disorientation, thought loops
e. Dysphoria anxious ego-dissolution
f. Somatic or nervous system expressions
Drugs/Supplements that increase Serotonin – while Serotonin Syndrome (toxicity) is rare with psilocybin it is important to inform your facilitator of all medications and supplements.
Post-use effects and/or phenomena - drug free visual abnormality occurring days to weeks after use. Less commonly reported with Psilocybin is HPPD (transient flashbacks or persistent visual disturbances).
People living with Psychological Conditions – while studies are limited for this population (e.g., Bipolar), there are survey results that indicate there is a chance of increased symptoms, sometimes resulting in hospitalization post journey.