silocybin (magic mushrooms): What it is, effects and risks in our society or health

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what is magic mushroom
Psilocybin is a hallucinogen that people can ingest through certain types of mushrooms.
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How it works
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Psilocybin works by activatingTrusted 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.
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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.https://southparkpsychedelics.com/product-category/magic-mushroom/

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, changes in sensory perception and thought patterns can last for several days.

Potency
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.

Consumption
Mushrooms containing psilocybin are small and usually brown or tan. In the wild, people may mistake mushrooms containing psilocybin for any number of other mushrooms that are poisonous.

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 reviewTrusted Source.https://southparkpsychedelics.com/product-category/magic-mushroom/

In modern times, psilocybin use may be recreational at dance clubs or by people seeking a transcendent spiritual experience.https://southparkpsychedelics.com/product-category/magic-mushroom/

In medical settings, psilocybin may show promise in helping to treat or manage the following conditions:https://southparkpsychedelics.com/product-category/magic-mushroom/

addiction
depression
end-stage cancer mood disorders
However, the review authors highlight that research is ongoing.https://southparkpsychedelics.com/product-category/magic-mushroom/

Street names for magic mushrooms
People may also refer to magic mushrooms as:

shrooms
boomers
zoomers
mushies
simple Simon
little smoke
sacred mushrooms
purple passion
mushroom soup
cubes
Effects
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.
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Other possible effects of psilocybin include:
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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 onTrusted Source 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.

Psilocybin as a treatment for depression
Researchers have investigated whether psychological specialists can use psilocybin and similar hallucinogens to treat depression.

One study examined the ability of psilocybin to reduce depression symptoms without dulling emotions. Results indicated that psilocybin may be successful in treating depression with psychological support.

Psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs may helpTrusted Source people with depression by encouraging connections between neurons in the brain.https://southparkpsychedelics.com/product-category/magic-mushroom/

However, more research is necessary for experts to understand exactly how this mechanism works and if there is a way to achieve it without hallucinogenic side effects.
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Risks
Some people who take psilocybin may experience persistent, distressing alterations to how they see the world. These may take the form of a visual flashback, a traumatic recall of an intensely upsetting experience.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people can continue to experience flashbacks anywhere from weeks to years after using the hallucinogen. This is a condition called hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder and is rare.
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Some individuals who use psilocybin may also experience fear, agitation, confusion, delirium, psychosis, and syndromes that resemble schizophrenia.https://southparkpsychedelics.com/product-category/magic-mushroom/

Finally, though the risk is small, some psilocybin users risk accidental poisoning from eating a poisonous mushroom by mistake.

Symptoms of mushroom poisoning may include muscle spasms, confusion, and delirium. A person should visit an emergency room immediately if these symptoms occur.https://southparkpsychedelics.com/product-category/magic-mushroom/

Because hallucinogenic and other poisonous mushrooms are common in most living environments, people should regularly remove all mushrooms from areas where children are routinely present to prevent accidental consumption.

MostTrusted Source accidental mushroom ingestion results in minor gastrointestinal illness, with only the most severe instances requiring medical attention.

Abuse potential
Current research suggests psilocybin is not addictive, and no physical symptoms occur after stopping use. However, further research is necessary.

After several days of psilocybin use, individuals might experienceTrusted Source psychological withdrawal and have difficulty adjusting to reality.

Regular use may also cause an individual to become tolerant to the effects of psilocybin, and cross-tolerance occurs with other drugs, including LSD and mescaline.

People who use these drugs should wait at least several days between doses to experience the full effect.

Q:
How likely is it that I will have a bad trip taking magic mushrooms?

Anonymous
A:
A “bad trip” can include feelings of despair, confusion, paranoia, anxiety, and panic. These feelings can persist for hours to days.

To avoid this, first, you will not have a bad trip or any trip at all if you choose not to ingest the mushrooms. If the mushrooms have a higher, stronger dose than expected, this can increase your chances of having a negative experience.

For someone going through a personal crisis or using mushrooms in an unsafe, unsupportive environment, the chances of a “bad trip” increase.

There are no guarantees with mushrooms since they are an unprocessed plant product, and bad trips can and do happen. If someone has ingested mushrooms and is experiencing panic, anxiety, or is in any danger of harming themselves or others, seek medical assistance immediately.

Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT
Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.
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Summary
Psilocybin is a chemical that occurs in certain mushroom varieties. Consumption can lead to symptoms such as euphoria, hallucinations, and sensory distortion.

Although current research suggests psilocybin is not addictive, some people may have bad experiences, including feelings of anxiety, paranoia, and short-term psychosis.

Factors such as mental health, setting, quantity, and expectations may affect the experience someone has after using psilocybin.


Last medically reviewed on October 31, 2023

Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal DrugsPsychology / Psychiatry
How we reviewed this article:

SOURCES
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Medically reviewed by Dominique Fontaine, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, HWNC-BC — By Kathleen Davis, FNP — Updated on October 31, 2023

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Magic mushrooms: How long do they stay in your system?
How long in the system?
How long does the high last?
Kick-in time
Effects
Risks
Seeking medical attention
Summary
Magic mushrooms, or “shrooms,” are a type of mushroom containing psilocybin, a hallucinogenic compound. The length of time shrooms stay in a person’s system depends on many factors, including the strength of the mushroom, dose, and the individual’s body.

People may take shrooms for spiritual or recreational purposes. Its hallucinogenic compounds can induce intense and long-lasting effects.

These effects could last for hours, with no set time on when they will end. Similar factors may also play a role in how long shrooms take to kick in and whether they show up on a drug test.

Keep reading to learn more.


How long do they stay in the system?
Joe Amon/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post /Getty Images
A person’s kidneys process the compounds in magic mushrooms, which include psilocybin, the primary ingredient responsible for shrooms’ hallucinogenic effects.

The process happens relatively quickly, and in many cases, the kidneys excrete most of them from a person’s system in a few hours.

Researchers note that about 66% of the compounds from shrooms get excreted in the first 3 hours after ingestion. After 24 hours, psilocybin becomes undetectable in a person’s urine.

However, there is no exact time on how long other compounds will stay in the system, or how long the shrooms’ effects will last.

Several factors may play a role in how the body handles these compounds, such as a person’s weight and metabolism, as well as the dose and type of mushroom ingested.

Dr