Psilocybin mushrooms belong to a class of drugs known as psychedelics that cause changes to one’s perception, mood, and thought.
Psilocybin is the active ingredient found in shrooms. When ingested, psilocybin is converted to psilocin, the chemical with psychoactive properties.
Fresh psilocybin mushrooms can be crushed into a fine powder and sniffed or baked into a cake for easy consumption.
However, if you decide to crush them, make sure you put the powder into microdosed capsules for your own safe consumption. Especially if you’re a first-time user.
And when we talk about safety, we mean safety.
There are plenty of places out there purporting to offer “quality mushrooms”. Yet the side effects tell a different story.
This sets a bad precedent that may convince you psilocybin mushrooms are not good for you.
And we don’t want you missing out on the life-changing benefits of taking shrooms because of bad mushrooms.
As a war veteran from the Iraq war, I was diagnosed with complex PTSD. I have lived the better part of the last 10 years wanting to disappear. Mind Mend has given me my life back.”- Tyler Bishop
So what’s the solution? A credible site, that’s what. Look no further than Mind Mend.
I’ve tried lots of magic mushrooms on the market and they seem very inconsistent when it comes to dosage and quality. Mind Mend has never let me down. Top-notch quality with consistency.”- Bruce Ingraham
However, you may still be growing and handling whole mushrooms on your own. So here are some tips to help you gauge whether your mushrooms have gone bad.
How Can You Tell When Mushrooms Have Gone Bad?
You can tell if mushrooms are bad just by looking at them because the signs are often pretty clear.
Fresh mushrooms last up to 10 days in the fridge, while fresh sliced mushrooms have a shelf life of up to 7 days.
Despite this, it’s not enough to simply work from the shelf life of fresh mushrooms because mushrooms go bad easily.
Here are the tell-tale signs of bad mushrooms.
A Bad Smell
If your mushrooms have a foul smell when you open the jar, they’re already spoiled so don’t eat them.
Bad mushrooms have different odors, ranging from ammonia-like odors to fishy smells. Different types of bacteria determine the odor.
Fresh mushrooms should only have a mild earthy smell.
Dark Spots
Dark spots on mushrooms are more like a warning that they’re about to go bad.
But that’s not all; the mushrooms may eventually also darken all over. So pay attention to this when picking out whole mushrooms.
Slimy Shrooms
Slimy mushrooms indicate the presence of bacteria breaking down the mushrooms. So it’s better to toss them out at this point than risk stomach cramps.
As a rule of thumb, dried mushrooms easily last for months. To ensure maximum freshness, put them in a freezer bag before storing them in the fridge.
Are Mushrooms Right for Me?
The Unfiltered Truth About Magic Mushrooms
A Global Drug Survey in 2019 revealed that out of 20,000 people, 80.2% reported having used at least one of the following drugs:
- LSD
- Magic Mushrooms
- Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)
- Ketamine
- Ayahuasca
Magic mushrooms were the safest drug to take in terms of needing to see emergency medical treatment according to the Global Drug Survey 2017.”
This is no surprise since psychedelic users are generally very self-aware.
In fact, many folks plan their trips in advance and choose to avoid using magic mushrooms when anxious or depressed.
Here’s a little case study that proves this assertion.
Carhart-Harris, head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research in Imperial College London, extensively studies the benefits of psychedelic drugs on depression.
He explains how psilocybin works in the brain.
Psilocybin reduces brain activity in information transfer centers like the thalamus – which then conveys to the brain the movement and sensations it’s detecting.
But what does that mean?
Well, it explains why shrooms can make you feel at one with the world and searingly insightful.
Carhart-Harris considers magic mushrooms to be more self-exploratory than the usual recreational drugs.
However, “set and setting” is crucial to having a positive experience with magic mushrooms.
People need a conducive environment and a “sober sitter” reassuring them that they’re not going mad.
Especially if they undergo a “bad trip” – or a “challenging experience”, as Carhart-Harris prefers to call it.
The truth is, aside from their amazing benefits, shrooms can also cause anxiety and paranoia. Despite this, studies prove people still consider the experience highly meaningful.
Common Side Effects of Psilocybin Mushrooms
Generally, sustained use of psilocybin mushrooms isn’t as life-threatening as drugs like opioids or benzodiazepines.
But users can still experience mushroom poisoning.
Other side effects of psilocybin mushrooms include:
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Dry mouth
- Increased heart rate
- Chills
- Numbness
- Inattention
- Feelings of floating
- Visual and auditory hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Lowered to no inhibitions
- Psychosis
- Synesthesia (mixing up senses)
- Altered perception
- Unpredictable hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Muscle spasms
- Elevated, euphoric mood
- Sense of inflated well-being
- Enhanced perception of reality
- Elevated blood pressure
- Excessive sweating
- Hearing colors or seeing sounds
Psilocybin Mushroom Addiction
Are magic mushrooms addictive or not?
As with any substance, addiction takes hold for different reasons.
The simple answer: unchecked use of magic mushrooms leads to craving more of the substance.
In some instances, people even combine psilocybin mushrooms with another substance like LSD for a different effect.
Now, this is more likely to result in psychological addiction to psilocybin mushrooms than physical addiction.
Psychological addiction can look like becoming addicted to the unpredictable nature of “trips” that come with mushrooms.
While physical addiction looks like someone showing an increased tolerance for magic mushrooms.
Unfortunately, once users get to this point, it takes professional addiction treatment to help them fully recover.
But it doesn’t have to get to that point.
Not when you choose the right team of qualified shroom providers to walk the journey with you.
Very knowledgeable staff and honest. Walked me through my first experience and you can tell these guys want to legit help people. Needed advice when it came to coming off medications and they were super helpful.”- Tung Le’
Feel the Difference
At Mind Mend, we don’t take chances with your well-being.
My biggest regret: I wish I had known about magic mushrooms sooner. Years of suffering gone boom! I was new and very scared about the idea of taking magic mushrooms, but I will never look back. Truly a godsend.”- April
Featured Image: unsplash.com by Vince 6800
