This is such a huge topic, I'll have to divide this up into sections. I wanted to start by simply putting down my experience yesterday with taking Psilocybin mushrooms ( as an experiment ) to see how it relates as a potential treatment to RSD. I had my suspicions from using it many times in the past as a recreational drug, but It had been long enough ago since last taking them, that I needed a reminder of all the beneficial effects it has had for ( me ), personally, but also, paying specific attention to "why" this is, and how it all of this relates together. The connections made.
As it has always been in the past, I've walked away with a number of personal insights and answers to a number of questions that I had about my own life experience.
This experience is the equivalent to "talk therapy" without a therapist. One of my first noted revelations. At the very least, I've never seen it that way exactly in the past.
The purpose for sharing this is strictly for sharing my insight. It's not meant to replace any scientific, mental healthcare by a trained professional using scientific method. Having said that, I feel strongly there are real answers that are legitimate based solely on results. There's absolutely no denying this effect over 100's of experiences over a 50 year period all getting similar if not exactly the same results every time. For that reason alone, I think it's worthwhile sharing because no where I have found a study based strictly on Psilocybin being used for this specific combination of mental health issues.
For what it's worth.
The Experience
Submitted by J on
As it turns out, the amount I took didn't quite have the effect I was hoping to find. Regardless, having what I would call a "fun" experience proved to yield a lot of insights. It wasn't as cerebral or spiritual as I was shooting for...but it was quite enough to remind me of why I had chosen to take them in the past, as well as remind me of what those reason were. It also proved to give me some new insights specific to reasons why they may be effective in treating not only RSD, but also related comorbid issues associated to ADHD ( for me ) like OCD, Depression, Anxiety and PTSD. This again is based on hunches and suspicions I already have, as well as possibly pulling these all together. To be clear, I'm intentionally not including ADHD into the mix for possible treatment specifically.
To start, with the premise or question:
AI Overview
"Yes, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and can be confused with it:
Symptoms: RSD can cause people to experience extreme emotional responses to rejection, such as shame, guilt, sadness, or rage. People with RSD may also have difficulty regulating their emotions.
Mental health conditions: RSD is often linked to other mental health conditions, including OCD, as well as ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, depression, and PTSD.
Treatments: Treatments for RSD include therapy, medicine, and stress management.
RSD can be caused by a number of factors, and people with RSD may develop behaviors that stem from their fear of rejection. For example, people with RSD may avoid situations that could lead to rejection, such as forming friendships or romantic relationships. They may also have trouble interpreting unclear conversations as anything other than rejection."
Okay. Let me try to pull this all together. Before taking the shrooms...I felt "normal " for me. I was in a good frame of mind and looking for to it with anticipation. All the usual culprits were there including feeling anxious and slightly depressed. The usual saddness was present including any negative emotions and thoughts I normally have. Nothing unusual including the usual feelings I have towards my SO and reacting to things she says or doesn't say that cause negative reactions in me.
After about 30 minute's, I started to feel the telltale signs they were working. I also noticed my mood started to change. I began to smile much more easily as well. This mood change was even before the full effect took place. It was also instantaneous.
After about an hour, I started to experience some level one visual hallucinations. At a hour and 1/2....some full on visual hallucinations including walls, ceilings and yard ( outside ) were breathing and moving. Picture the yard turning to water with waves, covered by grass and leaves, while everything else remained still. The colors were slightly more intense but this was the extent of any distortions I experienced. I wasn't having any other hallucinations other than visual. These were the only hallucinations I experienced other than the usual visual distortions: perceptual difference in depth and distance etc.
This is where the interesting part begins in terms of RSD or any other issues I may be experiencing.
"They may also have trouble interpreting unclear conversations as anything other than rejection."
So why is that? What causes "unclear conversations" or lack of "clarity" in general. What causes "cognitive distortions" which interfere with seeing things clearly? What causes " ambivalence" or the inability to be aware of your feelings or emotions in a way that make it clear and easy for a person to understand and be aware of what these are? What causes these false emotions and feelings that causes a host of other issues associated with these things?
"Here's some information about false memories and OCD:
False memory OCD: A subtype of OCD that involves obsessions about the validity of memories. People with false memory OCD may experience anxiety, uncertainty, and doubt about their memories.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): A psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are recurrent, intrusive, and distressing thoughts that can create **anxiety** . Compulsions are rituals or behaviors that function to "neutralize" the **anxiety**.
Co-occurring conditions: ADHD is one of the most common co-occurring conditions with OCD."
The thing I always remember about taking shrooms is the absolute clarity you get. Things become painfully obvious and insights flow freely. You figure things out easily and everything seems so clear without effort. Your mind seems free of clutter and things that normally feel like blocks or walls that keep you from what your true feelings are gone. Things that keep you from being yourself or the person you know you are...feeling aligned with how you believe and what you know is true about yourself. And you know it without any doubt in your mind. And when you feel this way...it actually feels good. It changes your mood from sad to happy. And when you feel like this....it only goes to show that you externalize this outwardly to other people.
So how does this work? I believe, that somehow...shrooms remove anxiety from this entire mix. And when you don't feel anxiety...all the anxiety related issues disappear. Things like hyperfixation, rumination, and intrusive thoughts disappear. Related feelings of depression and hopelessness would also go with it. Chronic worrying would also be reduced without anxiety.
And if this were possible ( to remove all of this ) from your thinking and experience....you'd be free of emotional pain in discomfort. It would feel good and you'd become instantly more relaxed. You wouldn't burn so much mental energy all the time. You wouldn't worry as much. Your mind wouldn't feel so rigid and stuck in one place and so set of one's beliefs. You'd be free to entertain other things.
And if this were to happen....you'd smile a lot more. You'd smile because you feel good and you'd feel a lot happier. All those "things" you normally feel would be gone. And without those things in the way, your mind would be clear. You'd experience clarity of thought...and everything inside you would align.
Aside from all the hallucinations or your senses....just the opposite is true inside your thoughts and how you "feel". Not everything I saw was good or positive...but it was real and true...and I could put it into it's place. The negative bias seemed to disappear as well....anothrr part of that same clarity.
I actually now believe more than ever...what I just said is fundamentally true. Within a matter of minutes after taking the mushrooms...this process began to happen. I know because is exactly what it felt like....and the fact that I felt very happy and was smiling the whole time. I also noticed how nice I was to my SO. I also noticed how my behavior was exactly what I wanted it to be. I was behaving exactly like the person I wanted to bring to the relationship. I fully approved of myself and how I was treating her her the whole time. I liked her and I liked myself. I felt happy and was smiling. And I didn't feel any of usual suspects that I described. The intrusive thoughts went away. The rumination or worries and concerns went away too. My fears about these things were also reduced to a manageable comfortable level. I was much more relaxed and much more aware of everything around me. My mind was free to think of other things and I was happy to be the person I know I am without all those anxiety related things.
No anxiety makes this possible I believe.
I still feel this way today even if only slightly less than yesterday. I expect this to last for some time. I wanted a more dramatic effect...but just this much caused this reaction. As I said, almost instantaneously, within the period of about an hour.
And I Believe Now.....
Submitted by J on
This is how it happens.
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2022/04/422606/psilocybin-rewires-brain-people...