Psilocybin (magic mushrooms): What it is, effects and risks
What is Magic Mushroom {Psilocybin}
Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic chemical in certain mushrooms known as magic mushrooms. Eating mushrooms that contain psilocybin can have a variety of effects, ranging from euphoria to hallucinations.
Some people use psilocybin as a recreational drug. It can provide feelings of euphoria and sensory distortion that are common to hallucinogenic drugs, such as LSD.
Psilocybin is a Schedule I substance, meaning that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) believes it has a high potential for abuse and serves no legitimate medical purpose.
Although current research does not consider psilocybin addictive, users may experience disturbing hallucinations, anxiety, and panic after taking the drug.
This article explains how psilocybin works, including the potential effects and risks
What is psilocybin?
Psilocybin is a hallucinogen that people can ingest through certain types of mushrooms.
How does Magic Mushroom work?
Psilocybin activates Trusted Source serotonin receptors, most often in the prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain affects mood, cognition, and perception. Hallucinogens also work in other regions of the brain that regulate arousal and panic responses.
Psilocybin does not always cause active visual or auditory hallucinations. Instead, it distorts how some people who use the drug perceive objects and people already in their environment.
The quantity of the drug a person consumes, their past experiences, and their expectations of how the experience will take shape can all impact the effects of psilocybin.
According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), the hallucinogenic effects of psilocybin usually occur within 30 minutes after a person ingests it and last 4–6 hours.
In some individuals, sensory perception and thought pattern changes can last several days.
Potency Of Magic Mushroom
The potency of a magic mushroom depends on:
- species
- origin
- growing conditions
- harvest period
- whether a person eats them fresh or dried
The EMCDDA suggests the amount of psilocybin in dried mushrooms is about 10 times higher than that of their fresh counterparts.
How To Consume Psilocybin Magic Mushroom
Mushrooms containing psilocybin are small and usually brown or tan. In the wild, people may mistake mushrooms containing psilocybin for any number of other poisonous mushrooms.
People usually consume psilocybin as a brewed tea or prepare it with a food item to mask its bitter taste. Manufacturers also crush dried mushrooms into a powder and prepare them in capsule form.
Some people who consume these mushrooms cover them with chocolate.
Extent of use
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 7.4 million Americans ages 12 and older used hallucinogens, including psilocybin, in 2021. Of this number, adults ages 18–25 were the most frequent users.
Psilocybin has been used in various cultures and locations across the world, potentially as far back as 8,000 years ago, according to a 2022 review trusted Source.
In modern times, psilocybin use may be recreational at dance clubs or by people seeking a transcendent spiritual experience.
In medical settings, psilocybin may show promise in helping to treat or manage the following conditions:
- addiction
- depression
- end-stage cancer mood disorders
The effects of psilocybin are generally similar to those of LSD. They include altered perception of time and space and intense changes in mood and feeling.
Other possible effects of psilocybin include:
- euphoria
- peacefulness
- spiritual awakening
- derealization, or the feeling that surroundings are not real
- depersonalization, or a dream-like sense of being disengaged from surroundings
- distorted thinking
- visual alteration and distortion, such as seeing halos of light and vivid colors
- dilated pupils
- dizziness
- drowsiness and yawning
- impaired concentration
- muscle weakness
- lack of coordination
- unusual body sensations
- nausea and vomiting
- paranoia
- confusion
- frightening hallucinations
What impacts effects?
The effects of psilocybin vary between people, based on trusted Sources the user’s mental state, personality, and immediate environment.
If the user has a mental health condition or feels anxious about using the hallucinogen, they face a higher risk of having a bad experience.
Psychological distress is a potential adverse event after recreational use of psilocybin. This distress can take the form of extreme anxiety or short-term psychosis.
