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Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous
interestingly while psilocybin and its metabolite psilocin are not dopamine agonists there has definitely been increased dopamine activity observed in the frontal cortex related to ingesting it.
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This is because of the role dopamine plays in psychosis. Even at the best of times, mushroom trips result in brain activity that comes very close to clinical psychosis, but it's especially true during "bad trips." Some have hypothesized that bad trips can be prevented entirely by administering certain D2 and/or 5-HTP antagonists to the "subject."
Psychosis is strongly correlates with dopamine over-stimulation (see schizophrenia). So basically, mushrooms are thought to have an indirect effect on Dopamine simply by altering ones mood and emotion, perception and cognition in a manner that can mimic a psychotic episode. But this can be fixed, apparently, with certain Parkinson's medications and anti-psychotics.
But really, what's the point of tripping if you're GUARANTEED a good time. Part of it for me was always the "journey." I didn't always like the destination, but I think the experience itself would be less (ahem) spiritual if it was just a pleasure-ride.
Then again, if people suffering from Majo Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder could be treated with a combination of low-dose psilocybin and a fucking risperidone, that seems like a much safer treatment than the "modern" SSRI antidepressant, which is one of the most dangerous and debilitatingly dependency causing drug classes out there.