How many psilocybin therapy sessions should I have?
What to consider when planning for more than one session of psilocybin assisted therapy.
If you’re traveling to Oregon to have a legal psilocybin experience, you may want to know how many times you ought to take psilocybin and how to space out these sessions.
Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this as everyone’s reasons for having an experience is different. Also, because psilocybin assisted therapy is still in its early days, there isn’t enough data about ideal interval periods between sessions just yet.
In clinical trials, researchers typically schedule psilocybin sessions between three to four weeks apart, but this has more to do with research design than with efficacy.
If you’re considering doing more than one session of psilocybin therapy, here are a few things to think about:
Tolerance
The body can rapidly built tolerance to the mind-altering effects of psilocybin. This is why psilocybin has a very low abuse potential. If you took it every day for a long period of time, psilocybin’s ability to offer you insights and peak experiences would eventually diminish. Tolerance only happens if you use psilocybin regularly for a prolonged period of time. It is possible however, do to two or three sessions within a short period then wait three weeks, a month, or more before scheduling your next experience. In order to let your brain reset, it is suggested that you take at least a one-day break between sessions. This will also give you some time to integrate your first experience before you have your next one.
How many insights or “a ha!” moments do you need or want?
After taking psilocybin, most people receive insightful thoughts, visuals or messages that can help them make sense of the issues they’re struggling with. Some people may receive all the insights or a-ha messages that they need in a single session. Others however, may want to dig a little deeper to learn even more about themselves or where they’re at in their lives. If you are looking to do some deep existential or spiritual exploration, then it might be worth thinking about multiple sessions. There’s no saying exactly how many sessions you will need, but for those who connect with the mushrooms, you’ll usually have a sense of when its time to have another session.
How quickly are you able to make sense of insights gained?
When scheduling multiple sessions, think about how much time you typically need to process new information. In other words, are you a fast or slow learner. If it takes you a while to process new information, then it may be a good idea to have two days or more, or even a few months break between sessions. If you are able to process new information quickly and can take a day off work to do so, having just a day’s break between sessions is a possibility.
Your travel schedule
If you’re traveling to Oregon for a psilocybin experience and don’t know when you’ll be back again, it could make logistical sense to fit two or three sessions into a week-long visit. If this is something you’re interested in, speak with your facilitator to find out if this option is suitable for you.
