Shelby Uses Cannabis & Psilocybin For Mental Health - Candid Talk

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Shelby Hoogendyk is a 30-year-old former member of the Colorado National Guard. Today she shares her healing journey and how recent changes in her state law have made her life dramatically better. Not only have PTSD and other mental health issues subsided with the use of nature, but she’s also been able to cease the use of pharmaceuticals that made issues far worse instead of better. As the world was busy with the hustle and bustle of politics and life, last May Denver Colorado passed a ballot measure decriminalizing psilocybin or what many refer to as magic mushrooms. Then followed Oakland, California in passing a similar resolution less than a month after. Just like cannabis, it’s still a schedule one substance and federally illegal even though municipalities are legalizing them as movements begin for entire state decriminalization initiatives.

Many people fear the laughter invoking mushrooms much like they once did cannabis, but it’s a natural remedy that when used with care will often work for people when pharmaceuticals fail. This quasi legalization spur didn’t happen overnight – there have been decades of research into the use of this natural plant element for PTSD and mental health issues. As suicide rates increase drastically across the globe – especially for people who’ve faced trauma – the need for options beyond what’s behind the pharmacy counter is a necessity. Testimonies such as Shelby’s are compelling and actually numerous, the difference between hers and others is that now that this combo of schedule one drugs are legal in her locale she can speak out about it. This makes Hoogendyk one of few that are publicly talking about their use of Psilocybin – so let’s read what she had to tell me:

The fight to gain the right to use nature in Colorado wasn’t a simple one despite overwhelming scientific research that proves Magic Mushrooms are far more effective than any pharmaceutical on the market

“Due to multiple events of trauma throughout life, I used to have to take 4 sleeping agents to sleep the whole night through and not wake every hour or so. I had built a tolerance to my medications rather quickly and was looking at adding another medication to help me sleep through the night. My antidepressants and anxiety medicines weren’t working at all and if anything they made my PTSD symptoms worse, to the point I warned my psychiatrist if we didn’t find an alternative solution I was greatly fearful of ending up hospitalized or in jail because I had no control of my mental well being or emotions – and he kept refusing to alter medication. I ended up going to the Emergency Room twice to get help from their mental health department which didn’t work out too well as I was just sent to see my Primary Care Doctors. I assumed that when people reach out for help like this I thought there would be a much better response or at least one that would ensure my wellness. I found out quickly that it was going to be up to me.”

“When I went to go see my Primary care doctor I was told the same thing that the Emergency room doctor said – that I needed to schedule an appointment with yet another doctor – a psychiatrist. On top of issues I was having then, I also ended up with a misdemeanor ticket from this appointment – it was an unstable period of time in life and I needed help. All I was trying to do was exit the doctor’s office – I was able to get the infraction dismissed due to medical and mental health reasons and the fact my path was crossed, they wouldn’t let me leave so I pushed my way out the door. It’s sad that the medical establishment isn’t more understanding of people in crisis. I was currently trying hard to get my life back under control but needed help the healthcare system wasn’t giving me. I only had a week’s worth of medication to try and taper off everything which made me even more anxious than I already was. How did I end up in this mess I asked myself. “

“I did the best I could to wean myself off the pharmaceuticals and get away from them. I suffered bad headaches, serious physical pain, and PTSD flashbacks that were pretty severe causing me to lash out at everyone. I was worried I’d have to stay on pharmaceutical drugs for the remainder of my life because of the damage done due to them. It’s like a wicked catch 22 where the pharmaceuticals make you more unstable than you were before you started them. I started micro-dosing Psilocybin (mushrooms) after I was off all medications for two weeks. I felt I had been able to at least reverse the damage done with pharmaceutical drugs and have continued to microdose periodically when my symptoms start coming back. About 8 months post all this is when I met Bryan Ortega, Matt Kahl, and Joey Gallagher where my life continued to change and improve. I learned about how plant-based medicines and other natural parts of nature like Psilocybin help people with PTSD. It’s taught me the power your mind really has to change the things you want to and to see the positive side or aspects of life. “

Many used to hide their micro grow operations as it’s not news to many of us that Shrooms are medicine

“Cannabis to this day has helped me get to a place during an episode where I can use my brain to overcome the emotional floodgates and process the trauma in a more holistically healing way. I can sleep soundly through the night without pain or anxiety attacks or nightmares. I can stand and walk and move my body in ways I couldn’t after a very bad auto accident that caused all of this and I don’t get debilitating migraines that land me in the hospital getting pumped with more drugs either. I still have my ups and downs but it’s these whole plant medicines that have helped me rebound faster after depressive or PTSD triggered episodes. Before cannabis and other plant medicine, it would take a few months to a year to get back to baseline – now it’s a week! Plant-based medicines and nature have changed my life and given me a future.”

Veterans and former service members fighting PTSD have found much relief in Medicinal Cannabis

It’s such a compelling testimony – and one that makes anyone that’s judging people that are using plant medicines that are listed as having ‘no medicinal value’ think twice about their thoughts. When we read accounts such as Shelby’s it’s a testament to the fact that nature has been made to be our enemy by the government, medical establishment, and more. We’ve been programmed to fear these natural constituents when almost every pharmaceutical is actually modeled after what a plant can do. 200 years ago there were no pills and no quick trip to the Emergency Room or Doctor for your ailment or severe issue of any type – unless you were just shot or had the Plague the likelihood of seeing a doctor was low. But what you did gain when you saw a doctor was plant-based medicine because that was primarily what was used. We don’t have the historic timelines of use of things such as Psilocybin but they’re definitely not new.

My friends used to say back in the ’80s before we would drink the Shroomaid (Koolaid made with Mushroom Tea) in College: “There’s a fungus among us and that fungi are going to make you cry”. And it did, we would laugh until we literally cried. We’d forget about everything that was bothering us and life would ‘reset’ itself. Now Shelby isn’t ‘Shrooming’ like that – she’s using microdoses which means their small amounts to keep her balanced. This stops depression and keeps PTSD in check. Many of us with PTSD is like Shelby and use microdoses – just not all of us can do it easily as access is limited due to laws. But where she lives she now has the freedom to medicate safely, without pharmaceuticals, and with ease.