Magic mushrooms, wild or cultivated, are so named because they contain psilocybin, an organic psychoactive and hallucinogenic substance. Even though it is not approved for medical use in the U.S., many ancient cultures have been using it for an elevated experience of self-discovery to achieve superior spiritual states. Magic mushrooms are also colloquially known by several names like shrooms, blue meanies, liberty caps, mushies, liberties, golden tops, and more.
Identifying Magic Mushrooms
Not all mushrooms contain psilocybin, however, even the ones that do, look similar to those that don’t. Typically, when fresh they have whitish-gray long and slender stems with caps that are white or dark brown in the center. Even though it is not unknown for people to eat magic mushrooms fresh, it is more customary to consume the dried version in food and drink. Some people also mix them with tobacco and cannabis and smoke them. Psilocybin, the naturally occurring psychedelic drug found in magic mushrooms, is also available in a liquid form. You can even buy organic shrooms online if their use or consumption is legal in your state or country.
The Effect of Magic Mushrooms
Magic mushrooms contain psilocybin, which is a hallucinogenic drug that causes people consuming it to feel, see and hear sensations that seem real are the product of their minds. Very much like other hallucinogenic drugs, magic mushrooms too are typically used by people for self-discovery and spiritual experiences. Some believe that they are sacred and therefore apt for attaining superior spiritual states, while others use them to experience a distorted sense of time and a feeling of euphoria. While it can take 20-40 minutes to take effect that can last up to six hours, several factors like age, dosage, weight, metabolic rate, the environment, etc., can influence the effect of shrooms. According to a report in Forbes, there is a lot of evidence pointing to the potential of psilocybin for the treatment of medical conditions like depression and anxiety.
Potential Side-Effects
As with other hallucinogens, magic mushrooms may trigger emotional and mental issues among some users. Consumed in moderation, shrooms cause a mild trip that allows the user to feel more relaxed, less anxious, and a little drowsy. However, there may be some physical and mental effects if your system does not agree with the drug. The physical effects typically include drowsiness, dilated pupils, headaches, nausea, and a general lack of balance and coordination. Some subjects with pre-existing conditions have also encountered convulsions during a “bad” trip. The desired mental effects include euphoria, hallucinations, a temporarily confused sense of time and space, and spiritual experiences. However, in adverse cases, subjects may experience panic attacks, paranoia, nervousness, and attacks of psychosis.
Conclusion
Due to the taboo built around drug use, there is not enough research into the long-term effects of using magic mushrooms. It is certainly advisable to use them in moderation, to understand the effect they have on you and limit yourself as needed. Further, magic mushrooms can be hard to identify for some, which leads to people consuming poisonous mushrooms instead. Mushroom poisoning can have serious effects, including long-term illness, organ damage, and in some cases, even death.