Kerry Katona has revealed she had an ’emotional’ experience taking hallucinogens with fiancé Ryan Mahoney while on a family holiday in Marbella.
The reality TV star, 42, who has been clean for over a decade now, admitted that she and Ryan have tried magic mushrooms before and are now looking for a psychedelic tea.
Kerry wrote in her New! column this week: ‘Later this year we both want to go on a spiritual retreat and try Ayahuasca, a plant-based psychedelic tea. We are planning to go to Puerto Rico in September.
“We’ve microdosed magic mushrooms before with a guru and that was so emotional.”
Magic mushrooms are a Class A substance in the UK and a Schedule I substance in the US – the categories for drugs considered to be the most harmful.
Open: Kerry Katona has revealed she had an ’emotional’ experience when she took hallucinogens with fiancée Ryan Mahone during a family holiday in Marbella
Possession carries a prison sentence of up to seven years and two years respectively.
But dozens of studies have linked psilocybin – the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms – to relieving depression.
A synthetic version of the hallucinogenic chemical in magic mushrooms could be rolled out on the NHS in the next decade to treat depression.
Researchers at the University of Oxford tested psilocybin on more than 200 people with treatment-resistant depression — a severe form that doesn’t improve with currently approved drugs or therapy.
Kerry previously admitted that she has no “regrets” about her past drug use, as she’s had “a lot of good times” using substances.
The reality TV star recently confessed to using drugs as a “coping mechanism.”
In 2008, she made a disturbing appearance on This Morning, working her way through an interview that sparked much concern for her well-being.
Discussing the incident on the Back Then When podcast with Keith Lemon & Lucie Cave, Kerry said, “Honestly, I’ve put enough shit up my nose to last me a lifetime.”
It was eventually revealed that she was suffering from side effects from her bipolar medication and was battling a drug addiction – despite insisting during the live interview that she was “absolutely fine.”
Keith asked if she’d seen Phillip Scofield since the interview, and Kerry replied, “Yes, I’ve seen him loads of times over the years.”
She continued, “To be honest, there wasn’t any talk about mental health at the time, nobody really understood it.
“I used drugs as a coping mechanism and I don’t regret it. I’ve had a lot of good times with drugs.
Hallucinogens: The reality TV star, 42, who has been clean for over a decade now, admitted that she and Ryan have tried magic mushrooms before and now want to try a psychedelic tea
Kerry wrote in her New! column this week: ‘We’ve microdosed magic mushrooms before with a guru and it was so emotional.’
‘I can’t regret it. I have to accept it and move on. It is what it is. There are no mistakes, only lessons.’
Kerry continued, “I went through what I went through for a reason. If I can help one person and use humor in the process, be it Bi-polar, bankruptcy, drugs, divorce, domestic violence…”
Earlier, the singer spoke out during the interview to raise awareness on World Bipolar Day earlier this year: “It was my bipolar medication, but people assumed I was crazy about booze or drugs.”
“Even after I explained I had an illness, no one thought to ask me about it or about the drugs I was taking that made me this way.
“I had no idea what bipolar was. I thought I was going crazy.’
The Atomic Kitten star has been very open about her past drug use issues in the past.
She opened up about her past drug abuse in 2019, telling The Mirror: ‘It wasn’t so much that I was addicted, more that I binged. It got to the point where I was so lonely, so empty. Cocaine was my best friend. It was always there for me when I was down.
“When I felt worthless, it gave me that self-love and confidence. But it turned out to be a liar.
“I’m not tempted to go that way anymore. I don’t even drink at home – I have to go to school.’
Still talking about it: In 2008, Kerry made an unsettling appearance on This Morning, working her way through an interview that sparked much concern for her well-being
Fame game: Kerry rose to fame as a member of the pop group Atomic Kitten alongside Natasha Hamilton (right) and Liz McClarnon (center) (Atomic Kitten pictured in 1999)
Kerry revealed her battle with mental health issues to Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster, saying she now lives medication-free but still suffers from manic episodes that can last for weeks.
She shared how she was prescribed antidepressants at the age of 17 and also used illegal drugs during her time with Atomic Kitten.
“From the age of 17 I was on a lot of antidepressants, especially when I got to Atomic Kitten,” she said.
“And I was on drugs, as everyone knows, and I went to the Priory and my doctor, my psychiatrist, diagnosed me with bipolar disorder and it turned out to be pretty common with a lot of people with mental health [issues]people turning to drugs.