Sarah Brown
Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, are wild or cultivated mushrooms that contain psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychoactive and hallucinogenic compound. While they are illegal in most places, there is a growing interest in their potential to treat mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD, addiction, pain, and neurodegenerative disorders. The effects of magic mushrooms usually begin within 30 minutes when eaten, causing hallucinations, perceptual changes, and shifts in how a person perceives reality. However, there are risks associated with their use, including the possibility of a bad trip and the similarity in appearance to certain types of poisonous mushrooms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common names | Shrooms, magic mushrooms, mushies, blue meanies, golden tops, liberty caps |
| Active ingredient | Psilocybin (converted to psilocin in the body) |
| Effects | Hallucinations, perceptual changes, distorted sense of time and space, increased heart rate, nausea, yawning, drowsiness, relaxation, anxiety, paranoia, nervousness, panic attacks, fear of death, flashbacks, headaches |
| Onset of effects | 30 minutes when eaten, 5-10 minutes when taken as tea or soup |
| Duration of effects | 4-6 hours, or 6-12 hours for short-term effects to wear off |
| Factors influencing effects | User's mood, personality, expectations, age, unique biology, sex, history of drug use, amount taken, potency, setting (environment) |
| Medical use | Potential treatment for substance use disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, pain, neurodegenerative disorders, anxiety |
| Legality | Illegal in most places, including the U.S. (except in Oregon, Denver, Oakland, Santa Cruz, and Ann Arbor) |
| Risks | Poisoning from similar-looking poisonous mushrooms, bad trips, long-term mental health issues (e.g., psychosis), death in rare cases |
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What You'll Learn
- Magic mushrooms can be consumed fresh, cooked, dried, powdered, or brewed into a tea
- They can cause hallucinations, perceptual changes, and a distorted sense of time and reality
- They can induce a range of emotions, from bliss to terror, and physical side effects like nausea and increased heart rate
- Magic mushrooms are illegal in most places, but some US cities have decriminalised them
- They have been used to treat mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders
Magic mushrooms can be consumed fresh, cooked, dried, powdered, or brewed into a tea
Magic mushrooms, also known as shrooms or liberty caps, are a wild variety of mushrooms with hallucinogenic effects on the human brain. They are considered illegal in most parts of the world, but their consumption is becoming increasingly popular in mainstream culinary culture.
Magic mushrooms can be consumed in various forms, including fresh, cooked, dried, powdered, or brewed into a tea. Here are some common methods of consumption:
Fresh or Cooked
Magic mushrooms can be consumed fresh or cooked by mixing them with food to mask their bitter taste. Some people choose to cook with magic mushrooms, utilising their psychoactive properties as an "ingredient" in their meals. However, it is important to note that the heat may affect the drug's potency.
Dried
Drying magic mushrooms is a common method of consumption. The mushrooms can be dried and then consumed orally as whole pieces or ground into a powder. Dried mushrooms are also often used to make tea.
Powdered
Magic mushrooms are also sold in powdered form, or fresh mushrooms can be ground into a powder. This powder can be added to various foods or drinks for consumption. Mushroom powder is known to have nutritional benefits, including vitamins and minerals.
Brewed into Tea
One popular method of consuming magic mushrooms is by brewing them into a tea. Psilocybin mushroom tea is made by steeping dried mushrooms in hot water. The tea is consumed to ingest the psychedelic compounds psilocybin and psilocin, which can induce altered states of consciousness and pleasurable feelings. It is important to note that the effects of magic mushrooms can vary widely depending on dosage, individual physiology, environment, and mindset.
While magic mushrooms have been used for thousands of years, it is important to remember that they are illegal in many places and can have significant risks, including hallucinations, anxiety, and even psychosis. Always consume magic mushrooms responsibly and be aware of the potential risks and side effects.
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They can cause hallucinations, perceptual changes, and a distorted sense of time and reality
Psilocybin, often referred to as "magic mushrooms" or "shrooms", are hallucinogenic drugs that can cause hallucinations, perceptual changes, and a distorted sense of time and reality. When psilocybin is ingested, it is converted in the body to psilocin, a chemical with psychoactive properties.
The effects of magic mushrooms usually begin within 30 minutes when eaten, or within 5-10 minutes when taken as a soup or tea, and can last approximately four to six hours. The early effects typically include nausea and excessive yawning. After these initial effects, the "trip" begins. A trip might be mild, leaving a person feeling drowsy or relaxed. However, higher doses or stronger mushrooms can bring on hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, and nervousness. The person may also experience a distorted sense of time, place, and reality. In very rare cases, if someone takes a huge amount of mushrooms, the side effects can be severe enough to cause death.
The effects of magic mushrooms vary depending on the user's mood, personality, and expectations. Being in a good state of mind, with trusted friends and in a safe environment before taking magic mushrooms reduces the risk of having a bad trip. The setting, including the type of music and light, also plays a role in the overall experience. For example, using magic mushrooms in a calm, quiet, and relaxed environment can lead to a pleasant experience, while being in a noisy, crowded place may result in a negative experience.
It is important to note that the use of magic mushrooms comes with risks. Firstly, it can be challenging to identify psilocybin mushrooms, as they closely resemble poisonous mushrooms that can cause severe illness or even death. Secondly, while magic mushrooms rarely result in life-threatening symptoms, consuming a large amount or a strong batch of mushrooms can lead to negative effects such as intense paranoia, panic attacks, and fears of death. Additionally, some people who regularly use magic mushrooms may experience flashbacks, known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), involving previous magic mushroom experiences. This disorder involves lasting or persistent visual hallucinations or perceptual distortions, such as visual snow, trails, intensified colours, and altered motion perception.
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They can induce a range of emotions, from bliss to terror, and physical side effects like nausea and increased heart rate
Psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms, shrooms, or mushies, are wild or cultivated mushrooms that contain the naturally occurring psychoactive and hallucinogenic compound psilocybin. When psilocybin is ingested, it is converted in the body to psilocin, which is the chemical with psychoactive properties.
The effects of magic mushrooms usually begin in 30 minutes when eaten, or within 5–10 minutes when taken as a soup or tea, and can last approximately four to six hours. The length and intensity of each mushroom trip vary depending on the strength of the mushrooms and the amount consumed. The user's mood, personality, expectations, age, unique biology, sex, and history of drug use also play a role in how they respond to the drug.
Magic mushrooms can induce a range of emotions, from bliss to terror, and physical side effects like nausea and increased heart rate. They can also cause perceptual changes, such as visual and auditory hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there or are distorted) and a loss of the sense of time and space. People taking psilocybin may have what is called a mystical experience, where they enter a dreamlike, euphoric state, perhaps having visions or reliving memories. They may feel a loss of personal boundaries and a sense of oneness with the universe, which some researchers call "oceanic self-boundlessness". This experience can be blissful, but it may also be frightening.
The setting, or environment, in which someone takes magic mushrooms also plays a significant role in the experience. Using magic mushrooms in a calm, quiet, and relaxed environment can contribute to a pleasant experience, while being in a noisy, crowded place may result in a negative experience. Being in a good state of mind, with trusted friends, and in a safe environment before taking magic mushrooms reduces the risk of having a bad trip.
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Magic mushrooms are illegal in most places, but some US cities have decriminalised them
Magic mushrooms, also known as shrooms, are illegal in most places. They are considered illegal drugs because they contain the hallucinogenic substances psilocin and psilocybin. The effects of magic mushrooms can vary, with some trips being enjoyable and others leading to terrifying thoughts, paranoia, panic attacks, and fears of death. The length and intensity of each trip can vary and depend on factors such as the user's mood, personality, and expectations.
Despite being illegal in most places, there has been a growing movement to decriminalize magic mushrooms in some parts of the United States. Decriminalization does not mean that psilocybin is legal, but it directs law enforcement to focus on other crimes. The first city to decriminalize psilocybin was Denver, Colorado, in May 2019. Since then, over a dozen cities across the United States have followed suit, including Oakland, Santa Cruz, Washington, D.C., Somerville, Seattle, and Detroit. In November 2020, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize psilocybin and legalize it for supervised non-medical use. Colorado followed suit in 2022, and both states now allow the legal purchase, possession, and cultivation of magic mushrooms for adults over the age of 21.
Advocates for decriminalization cite research that suggests psilocybin is non-addictive and causes a lower number of emergency visits compared to other illegal drugs. Additionally, psilocybin has shown potential in treating mental and behavioral health conditions such as treatment-resistant depression and nicotine dependence. Decriminalization is also argued to redirect law enforcement resources from policing private psychedelic usage to higher-priority issues affecting the general public.
However, concerns have been raised about the increase in calls to poison control centers related to psilocybin, particularly among adolescents and young adults. There are also risks associated with consuming magic mushrooms, as they can be difficult to identify and may be mistaken for poisonous mushrooms, which can cause severe illness or even death. It is important to note that the commercial sale of psilocybin is still illegal, and there are ongoing debates about the potential risks and consequences of unrestricted use.
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They have been used to treat mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders
Magic mushrooms, or mushrooms that contain psilocybin, have been used to treat various mental health conditions. While the research on the therapeutic effects of psilocybin is still ongoing, it has shown promising results in treating mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders.
Psilocybin has been found to produce significant and immediate effects in the treatment of depression, with symptoms remaining low even one year after treatment. In a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, participants with a long-term history of depression were given two doses of psilocybin approximately two weeks apart. The results showed that psilocybin treatment produced large decreases in depression severity, with 75% response and 58% remission at the 12-month mark.
The active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, psilocybin, has also been studied for its potential to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A clinical trial in London, Canada, aims to investigate the effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy on 20 participants diagnosed with PTSD. While there is currently a lack of treatment options specifically designed for PTSD, the London-based trial seeks to explore the potential of psychedelic drugs in treating severe mental illnesses such as PTSD.
Additionally, psilocybin is being explored as a potential treatment for substance use disorders. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is supporting research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin for substance use disorders and other mental illnesses. Psilocybin's low level of toxicity and potential to change a person's sense of reality make it an intriguing subject for research in this area.
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