(NewsNation) — Some moms say they’re getting through the day with the help of “magic mushrooms.”
The trend has expanded across the country, with a group of moms saying that taking less than a gram of psychedelic mushrooms in small capsules is a natural remedy to soothe stress and anxiety, and may replace alcohol and certain medications.
Moms on Mushrooms founder Tracey Tee says she participates in microdosing so that she can feel more present and less anxious.
“I am not numbing out. It is an expander in terms of how I am able to live my life. And it isn’t Band-Aiding anything that I want to avoid,” Tee said during a Monday appearance on NewsNation’s “On Balance.”
Harvard Health defines a microdose as anywhere between one-fifth to one-half of a gram. The Food and Drug Administration has granted the drug breakthrough therapy status, meaning any research, funding and clinical trials will be on a fast track.
Moms on Mushrooms, an organization of moms who support microdosing as a way to grow and heal, is trying to de-stigmatize the use of psychedelics — especially for mothers. Through continued education and conversation, the organization believes that mothers can come together to heal by using the natural remedy.
A study by scientists at the University of Michigan found psychedelic mushrooms could provide long-lasting relief from chronic pain, as well.
The research found that the active ingredient in these mushrooms, called psilocybin, might alter and reshape pathways in our brain, which the authors believe could treat the cause of chronic pain and not just the pain itself.
NewsNation’s Devan Markham contributed to this report.