Hallucinogenic mushrooms belong to several genera of mushroom; Psilocybe, Panaeolus and Conocybe. The most commonly used in North America are Psilocybe mexicana and Psilocybe cyanescens. Psilocybin is distributed in both dried mushroom form and as a white powder. The most common ways of experiencing mushrooms are to chew and swallow them or to brew them into a tea to drink.
Use of mushrooms has a very ancient background. Throughout history, mushrooms have been used in religious and spiritual rituals as a way of “connecting with God” through their hallucinogenic effects. Some report the effect of mushroom use is like a milder, shorter version of LSD. It is hard to describe the experience of mushroom use as it is highly individualized, depending on the identity of the mushroom, the amount and how it’s taken, the user’s expectations and past experiences.
Low doses can cause feelings of relaxation as well as physical feelings of heaviness or lightness and perceptional distortions. Psychological effects usually involve a slight distortion of sensory perception. Most prominent in mushroom use are the visual effects which can include wavering images and distorted sizing of objects.
Higher doses can cause more physically intense sensations such as lightheadedness, numbness of the tongue, lips or mouth, shivering, sweating, nausea, and anxiety. Visual effects at higher doses can range from different color patterns to complex hallucinations. Other possibilities include synesthesia, such as hearing colors or seeing sounds, time distortion where minutes seem like hours. Some describe feelings of euphoria or enlightenment. Extreme anxiety can also occur.
Main risks with mushroom usage:
The greatest danger with mushrooms is misidentification. Some mushrooms are poisonous and cause stomach cramping, vomiting, diarrhea and in extreme cases, death. Some users report feeling sick even after ingesting the psilocybin varieties. Being an unpredictable hallucinogen, driving while using mushrooms can be extremely dangerous. Mushrooms use can also bring to the surface underlying mental disorders. Some users report having flash backs for days and sometimes months afterward. There is also the possibility of a “bad trip,” which can cause severe anxiety, panic and confusion.
