Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychoactive and hallucinogenic substance, is found in mushrooms, sometimes referred to as magic mushrooms. According to certain study, this drug may help reduce the symptoms of a few mental health issues. However, most areas prohibit the use of mushrooms, and individuals should be aware of the hazards.
SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, states that psilocybin is one of the most well-known psychedelics. Because it has a high potential for abuse and no recognized medical value in therapy in the US, psilocybin is categorized as a Schedule I substance.
Read More: brazilian magic mushrooms
A Comprehensive Guide to Shrooms
Despite the fact that some societies have long used the hallucinogenic qualities of some mushrooms, Dr. Albert Hofmann extracted psilocybin and developed lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in 1958.
Magic mushrooms may be consumed by mixing them into food or beverages, and they are frequently prepared by drying them. However, some people consume psilocybe mushrooms that have just been harvested.
Shrooms, mushies, blue meanies, golden tops, liberty caps, philosopher’s stones, liberties, amani, and agaric are some other names for magic mushrooms.
Psilocybin belongs to the class of drugs known as hallucinogens.
Common Side Effects: Unwanted side effects from mushrooms include drowsiness, nausea, yawning, anxiety, panic, paranoia, hallucinations, and psychosis.
How Do Shrooms Function?
Because magic mushrooms are hallucinogenic, they may make you see, hear, and feel things that aren’t real. However, the effects of mushrooms vary greatly and are thought to be impacted by environmental circumstances.
The effects of magic mushrooms depend on a variety of circumstances, such as dose, age, weight, personality, emotional state, surroundings, and past history of mental illness.
Although psilocybe mushrooms are frequently sought for their calming effects, some people have reported experiencing anxiety, scary hallucinations, paranoia, and bewilderment as a result of using them. Magic mushroom-related hospitalizations are frequently linked to what is referred to as a “bad trip.”
The Opinion of Experts
Native Americans and Europeans have utilized magic mushrooms for thousands of years for both spiritual and therapeutic purposes.
For many years, people have connected mushrooms to spiritual experiences and self-discovery. Many people consider natural substances like mescaline, marijuana, and magic mushrooms to be sacred medicines that help individuals achieve higher spiritual states. Some people use magic mushrooms to feel connected, euphoric, and to experience a warped sense of time.
The body transforms the psilocybin in mushrooms into psilocin, which is thought to affect serotonin in the brain and cause strange and changed perceptions.
The Possible Advantages of Mushrooms
Researchers have also looked at the possible therapeutic advantages of psilocybin, even though some people use magic mushrooms only for its euphoric effects.
Use in Medicine
Can medical disorders be helped by mushrooms? Some people agree. Johns Hopkins University researchers suggested in 2018 that psilocybin be reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule IV to permit medicinal usage.
Psilocybin was proven to be an effective therapy for depression, alcohol and nicotine addictions, and other drug use disorders by Johns Hopkins researchers. Research has also demonstrated that magic mushrooms can effectively alleviate the psychological discomfort experienced by individuals who have been diagnosed with life-threatening cancer.
Microdosing
Additionally, mushrooms are occasionally used in a procedure called microdosing. Taking extremely tiny doses of a medication to assess its effects while reducing undesirable side effects is known as microdosing.
According to one study, individuals who self-medicated with modest doses of psilocybin were able to alleviate cluster headaches without experiencing any of the drug’s euphoric side effects.
It should be mentioned that for several significant reasons, researchers generally discourage using psilocybin for self-medication.
It might be more difficult to control your anxiety and other unpleasant or unexpected feelings while intoxicated outside of a therapeutic environment (which could result in a terrible trip).
You could take too much medication.
Buying a medicine from an uncontrolled source makes it difficult to determine its quality.
Psychedelic-Aided Counseling
The potential advantages of using some psychedelic substances in conjunction with psychotherapy are presently being researched. One that is being investigated as a psychedelic treatment for addiction and anxiety related to terminal disease is psilocybin.
The impact of this therapy on particular personality qualities may contribute to its effectiveness. In one small-scale trial, participants with treatment-resistant depression showed an improvement in extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness and a decrease in neuroticism following psilocybin therapy.
More research is being done. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated psilocybin-assisted treatment a breakthrough therapy in 2019. The goal of this classification is to expedite the development of medications that have the potential to treat critical diseases and to enhance the research process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do other hallucinogenic substances pose a greater risk than magic mushrooms?
No. The effects of mushrooms are as unpredictable as those of other drugs, and they can be toxic. Compared to LSD, some people have reported seeing hallucinations that are far more severe and terrifying when using magic mushrooms.
Fly agaric mushrooms: what are they?
The psychoactive substances ibotenic acid and muscimol, which are found in fly agaric mushrooms, are known to induce delirium, twitching, sweating, disorientation, vomiting, and drooling. Psilocybin-containing mushrooms are not the same as fly agaric mushrooms.