However, shrooms have shown promise in combination with psychotherapy. Psychedelic use, including psilocybin, can produce spiritual benefits similar to meditation or other mystical experiences though comparing subjective effects isn’t easily quantifiable. In May, Denver, Colorado passed a ballot measure decriminalizing psilocybin mushrooms, more commonly known as magic mushrooms, or simply shrooms. The city council of Oakland, California passed a similar resolution less than a month after. Similar to cannabis, which has also been decriminalized or legalized in several states, psilocybin mushrooms continue to be illegal on the federal level, and are listed as a Schedule 1 narcotic. It is also critical to take mushrooms in a comfortable and safe setting while in a positive frame of mind.
Verywell Mind’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. But, with other studies showing no benefit, he suggests “it’s not currently known whether microdosing really works or is due to a placebo or ‘expectancy’ effect”. “Microdosing is a fascinating phenomenon,” the study’s co-author Vince Polito tells VICE, “mainly because people claim such a diverse range of outcomes from the practice”.
🍄 Shrooms are a psychedelic drug, with psychedelic effects
In 2010, approximately 21 million Americans had tried magic mushrooms at least once in their lifetime. People who feel they are becoming psychologically dependant on magic mushrooms could benefit from seeing a mental health expert. A person’s kidneys process the compounds in magic mushrooms, which include psilocybin, the primary ingredient responsible for shrooms’ hallucinogenic effects. Since there are so many varieties of magic mushrooms, it is unsurprising that they can vary significantly in appearance. Therefore, when considering how to identify psilocybin mushrooms, it is best to familiarize oneself with the varieties growing locally. In recent years, numerous studies have emerged regarding magic mushrooms’ medical use.
Shrooms and LSD are decently similar in effects
Microdosing involves taking very small amounts of a drug to test its benefits while minimizing unwanted side effects. Psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning that it has a high potential for misuse and has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
While these effects typically wear off within 24 hours, some people experience lingering distress. This is rare, and some experts suggest it has more to do with preexisting mental health conditions than the substances themselves. Under therapy conditions, trip sitters, or monitors, reassure patients experiencing fear and anxiety, sometimes comforting by touching the hand or shoulder.
“There are mushroom churches formed in areas of the country that offer membership as a form of potential legal protection,” Simons says. “I’ve heard they’re sold pretty openly at resorts in Jamaica,” Grinspoon adds. A trip-sitter can provide gentle reassurance that the reaction is due to the substances you took and that it will pass. They can also change the setting by guiding the person having a response into a quiet space with soothing colors, music, and aromas.
For each level of effects, we’ll estimate the psilocybin content and describe potential effects, from what experienced psychedelic consumers report and also results published in human clinical trials. Mushrooms can be air dried or put in a food dehydrator on a low-temp setting (120°F or less) for about a day.
Trip sitters don’t do much or need much training, but they “hold the space” of reality, keeping your physical body safe and sound, so you can let your mind freely wander the myco-plane for a few hours in peace. My book has a whole chapter on how to be a good trip sitter, which DoubleBlind has published an excerpt of here. In addition to thinking about what type of psilocybin mushrooms you want to take (there’s more than 180 kinds!) and how much you want to take, you’ll want to think about method of administration. You can just eat psilocybin mushrooms whole—a lot of people choose to do that—and it is a kind of cool way to cultivate a relationship with the fungi. These methods are popular because, well, shrooms don’t taste very good.
As a rule of thumb, however, expect about 1-2 months before you’ve got mature mushroom fruiting bodies. The problem with growing mushrooms from a kit is that you never know what you’ll get. Most kits are cheap and poor quality, and the standard of the spores is questionable at best. Your best bet is using FungusHead spores and simple, DIY growing supplies. Starting from scratch is a little more effort, but trust us – it will produce far more consistent results than most online mushroom grow kits. It also reduces the risk of contamination and provides a fantastic learning experience. Humans have used psilocybin mushrooms for thousands of years, and experts regard them as having a good safety profile.
A risk of mushrooms is doing something unsafe to yourself or someone else while you’re under the influence. The risk of this is reduceable to near zero by only taking shrooms (“tripping”) with a trusted and sober guide who has experience supporting psychedelic sessions. Psilocybe cubensis is the most common species for psychedelic users. Research shows that this type of magic mushroom contains roughly a total of 0.5 – 1.0 percent of psilocin — 0.7 percent of total psilocin equals about 1 percent of psilocybin.
Read more about buy shrooms online here.
