Sarah Brown
Magic mushrooms, or shrooms, are a commonly recognised, natural hallucinogen. They are mostly illegal in the US and the UK, but they have been used for thousands of years and have a wide range of potential health benefits. However, there are also negative effects associated with their use. Consuming magic mushrooms can lead to disturbing hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, nausea, panic, and even short-term psychosis. The biggest danger to your health when taking magic mushrooms is accidentally consuming a poisonous mushroom, which can be life-threatening.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Negative experiences | Feelings of anxiety, paranoia, panic, despair, and short-term psychosis |
| Hallucinations, including frightening visions | |
| Flashbacks | |
| Delayed headaches | |
| Increased risk of negative experiences with higher doses | |
| Risk of adverse psychological effects for individuals with schizophrenia or other mental illnesses | |
| Uncomfortable side effects | |
| Poisoning or death from consuming poisonous mushrooms | |
| Driving under the influence |
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What You'll Learn
Hallucinations, anxiety and paranoia
Psilocybin, a chemical found in certain types of mushrooms, commonly referred to as "magic mushrooms", can induce hallucinations, anxiety, and paranoia in users. The effects of psilocybin vary between individuals and are influenced by factors such as dosage, mental state, personality, and environment. While some users report positive experiences such as euphoria and inner peace, others may encounter negative consequences, including disturbing hallucinations, heightened anxiety, and intense paranoia.
Hallucinations
Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic substance, meaning it can alter a person's perception of reality and induce hallucinations. These hallucinations can be visual or auditory, causing users to see or hear things that are not actually present. Additionally, psilocybin can distort how individuals perceive their surroundings, leading to a distorted sense of reality. The intensity of hallucinations is often dose-dependent, with higher doses resulting in more pronounced effects.
Anxiety
While psilocybin has shown potential in treating anxiety disorders, particularly when combined with psychotherapy, it can also induce or exacerbate feelings of anxiety in some individuals. The risk of experiencing anxiety during a "trip" may be heightened if the user already has underlying anxiety or feelings of nervousness before consuming psilocybin mushrooms. This heightened anxiety can manifest as fear, panic attacks, or a sense of overwhelming distress.
Paranoia
Psilocybin mushrooms can induce paranoia, a feeling of distrust and suspicion, in some users. Paranoia can range from mild suspicions to intense paranoia, including terrifying thoughts of losing control or fears of death. The intensity of paranoia can vary depending on the dosage and individual factors such as mental state and expectations going into the experience. As with other negative effects, the only guaranteed way to avoid paranoia is to refrain from consuming psilocybin mushrooms.
It is important to note that the effects of psilocybin mushrooms are highly variable and influenced by multiple factors. While some individuals may experience negative effects such as hallucinations, anxiety, and paranoia, others may have more positive experiences. However, due to the unpredictable nature of psilocybin, it is essential to approach these substances with caution and be aware of potential risks.
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Nausea, chills, headaches
Consuming magic mushrooms can lead to several adverse effects, including nausea, chills, and headaches. Here's a detailed overview of these negative impacts:
Nausea
The consumption of magic mushrooms can induce nausea due to the presence of psilocybin and psilocin. Psilocybin, when ingested, is converted to psilocin by the acidic environment in the stomach and enzymes in the liver and intestine. This conversion process is believed to trigger nausea, as even those given pure psilocybin in clinical trials experienced nausea.
To combat mushroom-induced nausea, various preparation methods can be employed. One popular method, known as the Lemon Tek, involves grinding dried mushrooms, soaking them in lemon juice, and then drinking the mixture. This technique is reported to effectively prevent nausea while also providing a quicker onset of effects. Another approach is the long mastication process, which involves chewing the mushrooms for an extended period, maximizing exposure to chitinase, an enzyme that aids in the digestion of chitin, a component of mushroom cell walls.
Chills
Chills are a common physical response to ingesting psilocybin mushrooms. Chills can occur alongside other physical symptoms such as facial flushing, increased sweating, and changes in body temperature. These physical reactions are part of the body's physiological response to the psychoactive effects of magic mushrooms.
Headaches
Headaches are a well-documented side effect of consuming magic mushrooms. These headaches typically have a delayed onset, occurring after the initial ingestion of psilocybin, and usually resolve within a day. Research suggests that psilocybin may increase nitric oxide levels in the body, which can trigger headaches in some individuals. The severity and duration of these headaches appear to be dose-dependent, with higher doses leading to more intense and prolonged headaches.
It is important to note that while magic mushrooms can induce these negative effects, they rarely result in life-threatening symptoms. However, it is always advisable to exercise caution and be aware of potential risks when considering the consumption of any substance.
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Flashbacks, disturbing visions
Magic mushrooms, or shrooms, are naturally occurring psychedelic drugs that can induce hallucinations and distort a person's senses, thinking, emotions, and sense of time. While they are not considered physically addictive, regular users may experience flashbacks involving previous mushroom trips, which can be disturbing.
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), also known as flashbacks, is a rare condition that causes intense and frequent visual hallucinations. These flashbacks can be triggered by drug use, stress, tiredness, or exercise, and they can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. The physical symptoms of HPPD include visions or visual irregularities, such as seeing random flashes of light or words moving on a page. Emotional symptoms can also accompany HPPD, causing confusion or fear.
People who regularly use magic mushrooms are at risk of experiencing flashbacks, which are typically visual distortions involving changes in emotions or perception. These flashbacks can occur weeks, months, or even years after the last mushroom trip and can be triggered by various factors, including the use of other drugs, stress, tiredness, or exercise.
The experience of a flashback can be self-induced by thinking about a previous trip, and the intensity of the flashback can be influenced by the individual's state of mind, previous encounters with psychedelic drugs, and expectations. For example, feelings of stress or anxiety before taking magic mushrooms may result in a bad trip, increasing the likelihood of disturbing flashbacks in the future.
While HPPD is a rare condition, it is important to seek support and treatment if flashbacks become disturbing or impact one's mental health. Treatment options include seeking help from mental health professionals, participating in calming or self-soothing activities, and abstaining from drug use to aid recovery.
In summary, magic mushrooms can negatively impact individuals by causing flashbacks or HPPD, which involves disturbing visions and emotional symptoms that can persist long after the initial mushroom trip. It is crucial to be aware of the risks associated with mushroom use and to seek appropriate support and treatment if needed.
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Adverse psychological effects
Psilocybin, the chemical found in magic mushrooms, is a hallucinogenic substance that can cause a range of psychological effects, both positive and negative. While some people use psilocybin recreationally, it is also being studied for its potential therapeutic benefits in treating mental health conditions. However, it's important to understand the adverse psychological effects that can occur when consuming magic mushrooms.
One of the most commonly reported negative psychological effects is a "bad trip". During a bad trip, individuals may experience extreme fear, anxiety, panic, paranoia, or even short-term psychosis. The risk of a bad trip can be influenced by various factors, including the user's mental state, personality, expectations, dosage, and the surrounding environment. For example, feelings of stress or anxiety before taking magic mushrooms can increase the likelihood of a bad trip. Additionally, consuming mushrooms in a noisy and crowded place can contribute to a negative experience.
The hallucinogenic effects of psilocybin can also lead to disturbing hallucinations and perceptual changes, such as seeing or hearing things that are not there or distorted. These experiences can be frightening and may result in psychological distress, especially when negative aspects dominate the trip and there is a lack of adequate support during and after the experience. In some cases, individuals may experience flashbacks involving previous magic mushroom experiences, which can be scary and impact their ability to fully enjoy life.
Higher doses of psilocybin and pre-existing mental health conditions may also increase the risk of adverse psychological effects. While research suggests that psilocybin is not typically addictive, regular use can lead to tolerance, where even high amounts of the drug may no longer produce the desired effect. Mixing magic mushrooms with other substances, such as stimulants, opioids, alcohol, or marijuana, can also increase the risk of serious side effects and adverse psychological experiences.
It is important to note that the psychological effects of magic mushrooms can vary significantly between individuals, and there is a lack of comprehensive research on the long-term psychological consequences. However, it is clear that magic mushrooms can have a significant impact on mental health and well-being, and caution should be exercised when considering their consumption.
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Poisoning, overdose, death
While it is rare, it is possible to overdose on mushrooms, and in some cases, ingesting the wrong type of mushroom can be fatal.
Poisoning
Mushroom poisoning occurs when toxic mushrooms are ingested. Many cases of mushroom poisoning are intentional ingestions, but they can also occur when foragers misidentify a poisonous mushroom species as edible. Mushroom poisoning can also occur when toxic mushrooms are ground up with other foods, such as rye, and are consumed unnoticed. The symptoms of mushroom poisoning vary depending on the species, toxins, and amount ingested, but they can include abdominal pain, muscle pain, mucus in the lungs, slow heart rate, excessive sweating, muscle spasms, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some toxins in mushrooms can cause liver failure, kidney failure, and neurological issues. Amatoxin is the most common toxin that causes severe poisoning and is found in various mushroom species, including the "death cap" (A. phalloides), which contains a lethal dose of approximately 10 mg per mushroom. Amatoxin blocks the replication of DNA, leading to cell death, which can affect the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system. Other deadly mushrooms include the three destroying angels (A. virosa, A. bisporigera, and A. ocreata), the fool's mushroom (A. verna), the deadly webcap (C. rubellus), and the fool's webcap (C. orellanus).
Overdose
An overdose on mushrooms can occur when taking too many mushrooms or ingesting a strong batch. While death from a mushroom overdose is very rare, an overdose can cause intense physical and mental discomfort. Typical signs of a psychedelic mushroom overdose include anxiety, panic attacks, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Death
Death from mushroom ingestion can occur in severe cases of mushroom toxicity, usually as a result of organ failure or neurological complications. The time between ingestion and death can vary, with some toxins taking days or weeks to cause fatal symptoms. It is important to note that even mild nausea after consuming mushrooms should be evaluated as it could be an early sign of severe illness.
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Frequently asked questions
Consuming mushrooms can lead to negative effects such as nausea, excessive yawning, anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks, and short-term psychosis.
Regular and long-term mushroom consumption can lead to flashbacks, which are typically visual distortions involving changes in emotions or perception. These flashbacks can occur weeks, months, or even years after the last consumption and can be triggered by stress, tiredness, or exercise.
No, consuming mushrooms does not appear to cause physical dependence, and there are no significant withdrawal effects reported. However, some individuals may experience mild psychological effects or feelings of tiredness after prolonged use.
The biggest risk is accidentally consuming poisonous mushrooms, as they can look very similar to psilocybin mushrooms. Consuming poisonous mushrooms can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Additionally, consuming large doses of mushrooms can lead to unpredictable behaviour, distorted senses, and adverse psychological effects, especially for individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions.
Yes, mushrooms are classified as a controlled substance in many regions. Possession, distribution, and consumption of mushrooms can result in significant legal penalties, including fines, imprisonment, or both. Driving under the influence of mushrooms is also illegal and can lead to similar consequences as drunk driving.
