What Are Magic Mushrooms?
For those of you totally new to mushrooms, there are thousands of varieties of this organism in the world – and more are being discovered all the time. Some of these are actually poisonous; some are the portabellos and chanterelles you can buy at the grocery store, and still, others are of the psychedelic variety commonly known as magic mushrooms, or shrooms. What causes magic mushrooms to be psychoactive is their main chemical compound psilocybin.
What Are the Effects of Psilocybin?
When our bodies metabolize psilocybin, the resulting chemical, called psilocin, is able to bind with serotonin receptors in our brains. One effect of the presence of psilocin in our brains is that it allows significantly more sensory information to reach our consciousness. This is, at least in part, responsible for the psychedelic experience of a psilocybin trip.
Using magic mushrooms might seem like a novel idea, but the history of psilocybin mushrooms is longer than the history of modern medicine and psychology combined. People have been using these mushrooms for thousands of years, mostly as part of religious ceremonies due to the mystical effects that psilocybin causes. Although there are innumerable examples of indigenous peoples around the world using magic mushrooms therapeutically, modern-day scientists have only been studying the effects and uses of psilocybin since the middle of the 20th century, and during much of this time, the study of psilocybin was put on hold due to political opposition and the ensuing fear of psychedelics. Thankfully, its study was renewed in the 21st century. Even though the therapeutic use of psilocybin still faces opposition, the steady stream of promising results from a wide range of studies with this miraculous drug is too significant to ignore.
Psilocybin Therapy Used for Mental & Physical Issues
Psilocybin therapy implies consuming psilocybin as part of a larger plan to treat diverse mental and physical health concerns. Some of the ailments that psilocybin has already proven effective in treating are substance dependence, depression, and distress caused by facing terminal illness. In addition to these proven therapeutic uses, scientists at Johns Hopkins’ Centre for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research are currently studying the effectiveness of psilocybin in treating a multitude of other health concerns, such as opioid addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, anorexia nervosa, and alcohol use in people with major depression. Additionally, a study published in May 2021, titled, The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin, lists a total of 26 conditions – 31 including specific anxiety disorders — for which the therapeutic application of psilocybin is being explored. It would be amazing if psilocybin could treat even one of these health conditions. The possibility that psilocybin might prove effective in treating all these conditions is truly mind-blowing!
What is even more mind-blowing is that often all that is needed is one dose. One. Dose. Think about all the people going broke or even getting in debt paying for expensive commercial pharmaceutical treatments. Think about all the people who destroy body organs through the long-term use of medications, ironically trying to heal other parts of their bodies. And think about the desperation many people experience going from one treatment to another without seeing results. One dose of psilocybin can help someone struggling with alcohol dependence to stop drinking. One dose of psilocybin can help someone with advanced-stage cancer to come to terms with his or her own imminent death. Let’s just say this one more time: mind-blowing.
How to Use Magic Mushrooms
Magic mushrooms can be consumed in a number of ways. They can be eaten raw or dried; they can be taken as capsules or added to food and beverages in powder form. It is also possible to buy premade edibles in many presentations such as gummies, chocolates, or drink mixes. Feel free to browse our selection of psilocybin products here!
Dosage can also vary greatly depending on the user’s intention. Clinical trials with psilocybin usually use one or two doses of 25 mg, whereas the practice of microdosing involves much more frequent and smaller doses, usually between 0.1 and 0.5 g of dried psilocybin mushrooms.
What Does a Magic Mushroom Trip Feel Like?
Depending on how magic mushrooms are consumed, the effects will begin within minutes or even up to an hour after consumption, and the trip will be fully over after about six hours.
Because psilocybin exposes the consciousness to greater sensory stimulation, a magic mushroom trip is a highly sensory experience, awash with colours – some you might have never seen before – movement, and geometric shapes. In addition to this enhanced interaction with the outside world, a magic mushroom trip is highly introspective. It leads to greater personal awareness and reflection. It is often described as a spiritual and mystical experience.
Of course, a magic mushroom trip is not all ponies and rainbows. It is possible to have what is typically referred to as a ‘bad trip’. However, especially in the context of therapy, these ‘bad trips’ are usually still considered beneficial by the users in the long term. If you think about it, taking an unfiltered look into yourself or your past is not always pretty. Nevertheless, this understanding is still important in order to heal and move forward.
Other common effects of psilocybin mushrooms include nausea or an upset stomach. To avoid these unpleasant side effects of psilocybin, users can prepare magic mushroom tea instead of chewing whole dried mushrooms, or mushrooms can be consumed along with ginger, which helps to calm nausea.
Can Psilocybin Become Addictive?
Despite psilocybin’s amazing therapeutic results, you might still be hesitant about trying it due to fear of addiction. However, not only is psilocybin not addictive, but it can help you overcome dependence on other substances, such as alcohol or tobacco. The body develops a tolerance for psilocybin, so if you take it too frequently, you simply won’t feel any effects. In fact, an important study, which spurred additional psilocybin research, found that one dose of psilocybin, as used in clinical trials, is safe and has long-lasting benefits.
Considering both the safety of psilocybin and the host of conditions it can treat, we should analyze any lingering fear or opposition to psilocybin treatment we might still be holding on to so that we don’t get in the way of others’ healing because of our own misplaced prejudice. This might require some serious introspection. Coincidentally, if introspection doesn’t come easily, some psilocybin could help. Buy psilocybin products today from our shroom dispensary today.