Emily Johnson
Magic mushrooms, or shrooms, are wild or cultivated mushrooms that contain psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychoactive and hallucinogenic compound. They are considered psychedelic drugs, which means they can affect all the senses, altering a person's thinking, sense of time, and emotions. Psilocybin mushrooms are often small, brown to white mushrooms that bruise bluish to black when the tissue is cut or damaged. While some research suggests that psilocybin may help relieve symptoms of some mental health conditions, it is classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States, indicating a high potential for misuse and no currently accepted medical use in treatment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour | Brown to white |
| Cap | Viscid when moist |
| Spore colour | Dark to purplish black |
| Spore print colour | Dark purple-brown |
| Stem | Long and slender |
| Effects | Hallucinations, altered perception of space and time, sensory perception changes, nausea, vomiting, lack of muscle coordination, weakness, flashbacks, euphoria |
| Medical uses | Treatment for depression, nicotine and alcohol addictions, substance use disorders, relieving emotional distress in people with life-threatening cancer diagnoses |
| Legality | Illegal in most places, including Australia, the US, and India |
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What You'll Learn
- Magic mushrooms are wild or cultivated and contain psilocybin
- Hallucinations, altered perception of space and time, and sensory alterations are common effects
- Therapeutic potential exists for mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and cancer-related distress
- Risks include nausea, vomiting, lack of coordination, and dangerous interactions with other drugs
- Legality varies by region, with penalties for possession, use, or sale in some places
Magic mushrooms are wild or cultivated and contain psilocybin
Magic mushrooms, or psilocybin mushrooms, are a type of psychedelic mushroom that contains the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychoactive chemical psilocin when ingested. The most potent species are members of the genus Psilocybe, such as P. azurescens, P. semilanceata, and P. cyanescens. However, psilocybin has also been found in several other genera, including Panaeolus, Inocybe, Pluteus, Gymnopilus, and Pholiotina.
Magic mushrooms can be found growing in the wild, particularly in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, including California, Oregon, and Washington. They are often found in urban landscapes, feeding on wood chips that have had the sugars and simpler carbohydrates removed by other fungi. They can also be cultivated, and their products can be purchased in some jurisdictions.
The effects of magic mushrooms include hallucinations, altered thinking, an altered sense of time, and emotional changes. Physical effects may include nausea, vomiting, euphoria, muscle weakness or relaxation, drowsiness, and lack of coordination. The mind-altering effects typically last between three to eight hours, depending on the dosage and preparation.
It is important to note that misidentifying mushrooms can be dangerous, as some mushrooms that resemble magic mushrooms can be toxic and cause severe illness or even death. Additionally, some people may experience negative side effects such as extreme fear, anxiety, panic, or paranoia, known as a "bad trip." The risk of mental health problems, such as psychosis or suicidality, may be higher when using magic mushrooms outside of supervised clinical settings.
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Hallucinations, altered perception of space and time, and sensory alterations are common effects
Magic mushrooms are psychedelic drugs that can induce hallucinations and alter users' perceptions of space and time, as well as their sensory perceptions. They contain psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychoactive and hallucinogenic compound. Psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I drug, indicating a high potential for misuse and no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. However, research suggests that psilocybin may have therapeutic benefits in treating mental health conditions.
When consumed, psilocybin is converted by the body into psilocin, the chemical responsible for its psychoactive properties. Magic mushrooms can be eaten, mixed with food or brewed into tea. They can also be mixed with other substances like cannabis or tobacco and smoked. The effects of magic mushrooms vary depending on factors such as dosage, age, weight, personality, emotional state, environment, and history of mental illness.
Hallucinations are a common effect of consuming magic mushrooms. Users may experience visual, auditory, or tactile hallucinations, perceiving things that seem real but are not. These hallucinations can sometimes be intense and frightening, leading to feelings of anxiety, panic, or fear, known as a "bad trip." In some cases, flashbacks involving previous magic mushroom experiences may occur, even weeks, months, or years later, which can be disturbing, especially if a negative experience is recalled.
In addition to hallucinations, magic mushrooms can alter a person's perception of space and time. Users may experience a distorted sense of time or a loss of sense of reality. Sensory alterations are also common, with changes in sensory perceptions reported. The effects of magic mushrooms are not always positive, and there are risks associated with their consumption, including the possibility of a ""bad trip" and the potential for poisoning if misidentified.
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Therapeutic potential exists for mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and cancer-related distress
Magic mushrooms, or mushrooms with psilocybin, are psychedelic. Psilocybin is a well-known psychedelic compound primarily found in Psilocybe mexicana and other species of so-called "magic mushrooms". Magic mushrooms can affect all the senses, altering a person's thinking, sense of time, and emotions. They can cause a person to hallucinate, seeing or hearing things that do not exist or are distorted.
Psychedelics have shown therapeutic potential for mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and cancer-related distress. In terms of mental health disorders, psychedelics have demonstrated potential efficacy in treating conditions like treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sleep disturbances, and other rare mental disorders. Psilocybin therapy, in particular, has shown antidepressant potential. Furthermore, psychedelics such as psilocybin, ayahuasca, and ketamine have been found to be effective in treating substance use disorders. They can reduce substance use, prolong periods of abstinence, and decrease the frequency of heavy usage. The therapeutic effects of psychedelics are often linked to the mystical or emotional experiences induced during therapy, which can catalyze profound behavioral changes.
In the context of cancer-related distress, early-phase clinical research from the 1960s to the early 1970s suggested that psychedelic therapy, particularly with LSD, may improve cancer-related depression, anxiety, and fear of death. More recent research has focused on psilocybin-assisted therapy, which has demonstrated rapid, robust, and sustained improvements in cancer-related psychological and existential distress.
While psychedelic therapy offers promising avenues for treating various conditions, it is important to acknowledge that the existing research has limitations, including small sample sizes and methodological constraints. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects observed are often partial and temporary, suggesting that repeated administrations and integration with psychotherapy might be necessary for enduring benefits. As such, the future of psychedelic therapy relies on thorough research, ethical considerations, and careful implementation to ensure safe and effective outcomes for patients.
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Risks include nausea, vomiting, lack of coordination, and dangerous interactions with other drugs
Magic mushrooms are psychedelic drugs that contain psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic. They can induce hallucinations and affect all the senses, altering a person's thinking, sense of time, and emotions. The risks of consuming magic mushrooms include nausea, vomiting, and a lack of coordination, among other things.
Nausea is one of the most common side effects of consuming psilocybin mushrooms. It can be accompanied by vomiting, stomach pains, and gastrointestinal distress. This is likely due to the presence of chitin, an indigestible polysaccharide that triggers inflammation and an immune response. To reduce nausea, mushrooms can be soaked in lemon juice to mimic the digestion process and aid the conversion of psilocybin to psilocin. Additionally, chewing the mushrooms for an extended period before swallowing can help maximize the exposure to chitinase, a group of enzymes that break down chitin.
The consumption of magic mushrooms can also lead to a lack of coordination, particularly when combined with certain drugs. For example, psilocybin may increase the depressing effect of opioids on the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in loss of coordination, confusion, and drowsiness. In more severe cases, it could lead to a slowdown or even cessation of breathing and heart function.
The simultaneous use of magic mushrooms with other drugs can be hazardous. Combining psilocybin with stimulants can, in extreme cases, cause heart attacks or seizures. Additionally, mixing psilocybin with two or more serotonergic drugs can lead to dangerously high levels of serotonin, resulting in serotonin syndrome, which can be fatal. It is important to note that psilocybin acts similarly to other hallucinogens, resulting in cross-tolerance. Regular or recent use of another psychedelic may reduce the effects of psilocybin.
It is worth noting that the risks associated with magic mushrooms extend beyond those mentioned above. Accidental ingestion of poisonous mushrooms can occur, leading to mushroom poisoning or, in rare cases, hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder. Furthermore, individuals may experience flashbacks involving previous magic mushroom experiences, which can be disturbing.
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Legality varies by region, with penalties for possession, use, or sale in some places
Psilocybin, the key ingredient in magic mushrooms, is a psychedelic drug that can affect all the senses, altering a person's thinking, sense of time, and emotions. Magic mushrooms typically have long, slender stems that are whitish-gray and dark brown caps that are light brown or white in the center. While the mushrooms are often eaten, mixed with food, brewed as tea, or smoked, the liquid form of psilocybin is also available.
The legality of unauthorized actions with psilocybin mushrooms varies by region. Psilocybin and psilocin are listed as Schedule I drugs under the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which means they are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse or no recognized medical uses. Many countries have some level of regulation or prohibition of psilocybin mushrooms, such as the US Psychotropic Substances Act, the UK Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
In the United States, federal law makes simple possession of psilocybin a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison and a minimum $1,000 fine. Subsequent convictions carry harsher minimum sentences for both fines and incarceration. Growing and cultivating psilocybin mushrooms carries a maximum 20-year federal prison sentence and a $1,000,000 fine. State penalties for drug possession and cultivation crimes vary widely, with California, Oregon, and Washington making simple possession a misdemeanor with penalties of 180 to 364 days of possible jail time. In Oregon, a person can face a felony for possessing 60 grams or more of psilocybin, while Wyoming makes it a felony to possess more than three grams of a Schedule I drug in powdered form. In Texas, possession of any amount of psilocybin mushrooms is a felony-level offense, with penalties ranging from state-level felony to first-degree felony, depending on the amount and intent to sell or distribute.
In Canada, the province of Alberta has regulated and allowed the use of psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, mescaline, ketamine, and DMT for medicinal purposes in drug-assisted psychotherapy. In the District of Columbia, Initiative 81, also known as the Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act of 2020, allows for the possession and non-profit gifting or distribution of psilocybin mushrooms.
In Australia, federal and state laws provide penalties for possessing, using, or selling magic mushrooms, or driving under their influence. However, in 2023, Australia approved the use of psilocybin and MDMA in prescription medications for the treatment of PTSD and treatment-resistant depression.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, some white mushrooms are psychedelic. The psychedelic compound psilocybin is found in certain types of mushrooms, which are often small, brown, or white.
Psychedelic mushrooms are hallucinogenic, altering a person's thinking, sense of time, emotions, and perceptions. They can also cause nausea, vomiting, lack of muscle coordination, and weakness.
No, they are not safe. Psychedelic mushrooms can be poisonous and unpredictable in their effects. There is also a risk of misidentifying mushrooms, as some toxic mushrooms resemble those containing psilocybin.
