SAFETY & USE GUIDE

Psilocybin works by activating serotonin receptors, most often in the prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain affects mood, cognition, and perception. Hallucinogens also work in other regions of the brain that regulate arousal and panic responses.

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Psilocybin does not always cause active visual or auditory hallucinations. Instead, it distorts how some people who use the drug perceive objects and people already in their environment.

The quantity of the drug a person consumes, their past experiences, and their expectations of how the experience will take shape can all impact the effects of psilocybin.

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In some individuals, changes in sensory perception and thought patterns can last for several days. For most people, effects typically last between 4-6 hours.

The effects of psilocybin may include altered perception of time and space and intense changes in mood and feeling.

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Other possible effects of psilocybin include:

• Euphoria

• Peacefulness

• Spiritual awakening

• Derealization, or the feeling that surroundings are not real

• Depersonalization, or a dream-like sense of being disengaged from surroundings

• Distorted thinking

• Visual alteration and distortion, such as seeing halos of light and vivid colors

• Dilated pupils

• Dizziness

• Drowsiness and yawning

• Impaired concentration

• Muscle weakness

• Lack of coordination

• Unusual body sensations

• Nausea and vomiting

• Paranoia

• Confusion

• Frightening hallucinations

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The typical urine drug screening for employment does not test for psilocybin, but there are specific tests that can be ordered to test for it.

Like many other compounds, mushrooms can be found in hair follicles for up to 90 days.

Dried mushrooms are the most common way to consume mushrooms.

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Although there are common dosage frameworks across psilocybin mushroom species, and potency varies, there are additional factors at play. The freshness of the fungi, your current set or mental state, and your body’s preparedness for the fungi all factor into your magic mushroom dosing considerations. 

Dosing ranges from microdosing, a sub-perceptive dose, to macro-dosing, in which people can completely disconnect from reality.

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We have included a full chart below showing the different dosages of psilocybin and their physical and mental effects.

Some people who take psilocybin may experience persistent, distressing alterations to how they see the world. These may take the form of a visual flashback, a traumatic recall of an intensely upsetting experience.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people can continue to experience flashbacks anywhere from weeks to years after using the hallucinogen. This is a condition called hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder and is rare.

Some individuals who use psilocybin may also experience fear, agitation, confusion, delirium, psychosis, and syndromes that resemble schizophrenia.

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Finally, though the risk is small, some psilocybin users risk accidental poisoning from eating a poisonous mushroom by mistake. Symptoms of mushroom poisoning may include muscle spasms, confusion, and delirium. A person should visit an emergency room immediately if these symptoms occur.

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Because hallucinogenic and other poisonous mushrooms are common in most living environments, people should regularly remove all mushrooms from areas where children are routinely present to prevent accidental consumption.

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Accidental mushroom ingestion results in minor gastrointestinal illness, with only the most severe instances requiring medical attention.

The potency of a magic mushroom depends on:

• Species

• Origin

• Growing conditions

• Harvest period

• Whether a person eats them fresh or dried

Researchers have found that the amount of psilocybin in dried mushrooms is about 10 times higher than that of their fresh counterparts.

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Psilocybin is absorbed from the gastro-intestinal tract after eating or drinking the mushrooms - hallucinogenic effects usually occur within 30 minutes of ingestion with a duration of effect of 4–6 hours for most people.

Like most compounds, the more you use mushrooms, the more tolerance you develop. Tolerance also develops with regular use, meaning that with regular use, a person will need more to achieve the same effect.

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Developing a tolerance can be especially risky with mushrooms because consuming a large amount can result in overdose symptoms 

which, while not fatal, can include:

• Agitation

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Muscle weakness

• Panic or paranoia

• Psychosis

• Seizures

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The short-term effects of magic mushrooms typically wear off in 6 to 12 hours, but people can experience long-term changes in personality and flashbacks long after taking the compound.

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The average half-life of psilocybin ranges from 1-2 hours and it generally takes 5-6 hours for a substance to be eliminated from your system.

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Psilocybin is not generally considered addictive nor does it tend to lead to compulsive use. Plus, people can build a tolerance to psilocybin fairly quickly, making it hard to have any effect after several days of repeated use.

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While people rarely report physical symptoms of withdrawal when they stop using the drug, some experience psychological effects, which may include depression.