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The Couples Using Magic Mushrooms as Relationship Therapy

"It was like we could see each other's souls."

Once a month, Fern*, 32 and her fiancé Connor*, 25, set aside some time to devote to their relationship. They'll dim the lights of their one bedroom flat, wrap up together in a soft blanket, light some candles, and turn off their phones. But this isn't prep for an extensive session of Netflix and chill—this is their special routine for a new type of couples therapy: tripping on funghi. Magic mushrooms have been a part of human culture for thousands of years: Long before Alice fell down the rabbit hole, ancient civilizations from the Egyptians to the Aztecs were having ritualized encounters with the psychedelic growths. Then in the 1950s and early 70s mushrooms were picked up by hippies in search of spiritual expansion. In more recent years, however, they have been scrutinized more closely for their potential as boosters of our mental health. Not only have mushrooms been found to reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety, research also shows that consuming them can bring on spiritually significant experiences that result in long-term changes to the behaviors and values associated with openness. In other words, people on mushrooms can become more sensitive to feelings, and more accepting of other people's views. Read more on Broadly

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