Tinnitus is a symptom that can be caused by a variety of underlying conditions. Psilocybin has the potential to address tinnitus that is related to inflammation or hearing loss. However, anyone considering psychedelics for addressing tinnitus should fully explore all possible underlying conditions before choosing this route. Especially in the case of pusatile tinnitus, it may mean that a more serious condition is present.
What We Do At The Retreat
Our goal at Eleusinia Retreat is to coach individuals to have a safe and pleasant psychedelic experience. Furthermore, we teach them the skills to incorporate psychedelic therapy into their routine at home. We give you the tools and the knowledge for you to feel safe and confident with psilocybin use. We can tell you what has worked for us or for visitors in the past, but overall, you are in the driver’s seat. We don’t force or require a certain type of therapy.
At the group meetings at the retreat, we focus mainly on covering the cues and techniques for managing the trip. We walk you through some “rescue” techniques on what to do if you become uncomfortable. In addition, we also cover some techniques for enhancing the more pleasant, meditative parts of tripping. On the morning of the dosing day, everyone reclines in the common area and eats the mushrooms.
The guides are there throughout the process to remind you of the “rescue techniques”. We try not to interrupt too much if you are having a good time. However, we do not want you going home without having the experience of redirecting yourself. With the use of VR headsets as one of the redirecting tools, the experience is quite pleasant for most. I highly recommend that visitors get a headset for home. It is a great option to have.
The Mechanisms In Play: Reduce Inflammation, Enhance Plasticity
It is important that everyone with tinnitus planning to use psilocybin understand that this is not a medication with the single mechanistic factor of “turning off” tinnitus. There are two mechanisms in play, each of which could potentially resolve the issue alone if given time and repetition. Psilocybin has some powerful anti-inflammatory properties that have been shown to last at least a week after administration in animal studies. The mind-bending effects of a trip stimulate neuroplastic change, which may accelerate habituation.
Neuroinflammation
Neuroinflammation is thought to play a big part in tinnitus. Whether it is caused by external factors like trauma or internal factors like autoimmune, addressing the inflammation could play a big role in recovery. Psilocybin and other psychedelics can reduce neuroinflammation by suppressing TNFa production. They have a big advantage over other TNF blockers because they can work across the blood brain barrier. Some researchers are even convinced that psychedelics are the future of preventing Alzheimer’s and other inflammation related dementias.
Neuroplasticity And Habituation
A psychedelic experience is quite chaotic and destabilizing. While this chaos can make the experience challenging to manage, it is also what can make it so effective. During the experience and in the aftermath, your brain becomes more flexible and capable of change. Neuroplasticity plays a big part in the habituation process and using psychedelics could be compared to using PEDs to speed up this process.
Psilocybin Often Causes Auditory Hallucinations
The effects of a psychedelic trip are a bit unpredictable. Sometimes, the effects are almost all visual while other times the experience is very emotional with physical sensations. Sometimes it includes auditory hallucinations like tinnitus, even for people that usually don’t have it. There could be ringing, thumping, chiming, beeps, or even sounds that I lack the words to describe. It does not depend on the type of mushroom; it just depends on what kind of weird and strange connections your brain will come up with at any given time. I have had vastly different experiences on the same dose and mushroom type, even from the same batch.
The auditory hallucinations can be distressing for someone with tinnitus because this is what they are trying to silence, not enhance. On the other hand, sometimes the trip is completely silent for them.
Anyone taking psilocybin while struggling with tinnitus should be prepared for this. You should also know that in the week following a strong psychedelic experience, the effects have not completely faded. Though you may not feel like you are under the influence, it is easier to slip into a meditative trance during this time. If you close your eyes and do some rhythmic breathing, you can often even summon a light show to your field of vision. This effect could include changed or heightened tinnitus and it is important to not get anxious about it. It does fade away.
Our Technique: Control The Tone
We recommend that you focus on the sound of auditory hallucinations during the trip and let it become your meditation cue. Try to use it like many meditators use Tibetan singing bowls to aid in their meditation. Let it resonate and concentrate your attention on it. You may find that it will change in tone and texture, and that you can alter its nature with just the power of your attention. In my case, after kneading the sound repeatedly like putty by focusing my attention, it eventually faded away at any point my attention wavered. You can read more about my experience here.
What If The Trip Is Silent?
It happens. We cannot control the nature of each trip. Unfortunately, if the trip is silent, there is nothing available to work on directly. You will still benefit from the experience, but not as much as if you had the opportunity to take an active role in the process. There is something empowering about taking your agency back and seizing control of something that has caused you so much difficulty. Some trips will be silent, some will be visual, some will have bodily sensations, and some will be more emotional. If your tinnitus did not show up to be massaged into oblivion this time, then just try again. This is exactly what we prepare you for at the retreat.
Additional Therapies
We encourage you to take advantage of the “afterglow” period after the session to engage in whatever therapy you find most beneficial. Tuning forks, white noise, etc. Any of these therapies may work better for you while you are in this flexible mental state.
3 Responses
Hi Jessice
Could you possibly comment on the efficassey of macro dosing, I am a long sufforing victim of tinnitus and would gladly participate in any process of habituation. This condition has been of significant blight of my life for many years.
Best Wishes
Stephen
The data regarding psilocybin for tinnitus is limited. However, there is one small clinical trial that found that psilocybin therapy led to significant reductions in tinnitus severity. With another study finding that psilocybin therapy was associated with changes in brain activity in the auditory cortex, possibly providing a mechanism of action related to the previous study. That said, it’s not uncommon for people living with chronic conditions like tinnitus to require multiple administrations of psylocybin to achieve sustained remission. Please see our blog post about the Burst and Pulse dosing regiment.
https://www.eleusiniaretreat.com/articles/guide-to-psilocybin-burst-pulse-dosing/
i have no hearing loss. My severe tinnitus was caused by a trauma filled life since childhood only to fall into a severe crisis of depression, illness, panic attacks , burning ears all from the mental and verbal abuse for a decade daily, within my 40 year marriage.
I was correctly diagnosed by the Mayo clinic after 6 years of nonstop migraines, which lead to tinnitus slowly entering my life, and became unbearable worse within 1 year.I was forced to leave and divorce my husband, to save my own life and sanity.Officially I was diagnosed from the Mayo with “chronic pain syndrome with central sensation. I spent three weeks there at a clinic daily, to learn coping skills.They saved my life. I wear noise inducing hearing aids and have had them for 4 years. Their help is about 30%, but i wear them thru-out the day. I am now single, feel isolated, and am still fighting the court system in a DISABILITY/PTSD case against my ex husband. MY stress level is heightened because on the ongoing court battle. I have tried multiple therapies, and have found no success, except lessons taught at Mayo Clinic. Consulting my Psychiatrist the other day I brought up Psilocybin Therapy for Tinnitus. Mr doc, Dr. Igleburger in Ft. Walton Beach Fl
thought it was a excellent idea, and he had just attended a conference on the same subject. He indicate Oregon is the only state that has it legalized in a controlled environment . That excites me. Between the extreme tinnitus, depression, Ptsd, recent carpal tunnel surgery, arthritis becoming more aggressive , and my isolation, since my ex husband and my boys moved to Colorado. My life before tinnitus was a full life. Words cannot describe how it has effected me overall mentally, and the fact that i never have a moment of silence. The more stress I am felling, the stronger and high pitched the ringing becomes. My ears burn at times. You have heard all this before. I am seeking help and asking in guidance in trying your program. I do not work and feel as if a minimum of a few weeks need to be spent out there. That is only a guess, since this is all new to me. I am a female caucasian . a youthful 67, work out daily, but am anxious to try
what you have to offer if this is a POSSIBILITY of lowering or eliminating my tinnitus. I was not exposed to loud noises, just mental and verbal abuse from my ex, and a trauma filled teens and childhood.I have had tinnitus full time for 2016. Please advise me how your program works.( In my late teens, and early twenties i dabbled with LSD, THC,Mescaline . No use for over 40 years)I live in e state of Florida, and realize travel is required.
real mushrooms, raw or in tea, and am licensed in Fl fro cannabis in Fl.