The Ultimate Guide to Shrooms

Shrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are fungi that contain a psychoactive compound called “psilocybin.”

It is a naturally occurring psychedelic that has the ability to induce powerful hallucinations and mystical experiences.

There are over 180 species of mushrooms that contain psilocybin. They have a long history of use in religious and spiritual rituals in Mesoamerican times.

Today, magic mushrooms are most popularly used in Europe and the U.S for many reasons.

This is because they are more than just a psychedelic drug and sacramental rite of passage — historically, they were used in therapeutic settings to treat various disorders and ailments.

Even though they are decriminalized in some North American cities, they are still illegal at the federal level. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regards psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” for depression.

Canada is one of the few countries that’s taken steps to legalize magic mushrooms, mainly for people with depression and other mental illnesses.

What Do Magic Mushrooms Look Like?

Hallucinogenic mushrooms resemble ordinary mushrooms, which is why it’s best to acquire them from verified sources so as to avoid the risk of ingesting a poisonous mushroom.

Psilocybin mushrooms have long, slender stems and caps with dark gills on the underside.

A fresh mushroom has white or whitish-gray stems and dark-brown caps. When dried, they turn to a rusty brown with bits of off white color.

One that’s mostly depicted in old children’s stories is the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) mushroom. It has a red cap with white spots all over, as seen below.

Another common type is the Psilocybe semilanceata, which thrives in any climate that supports trees and grass. They can mature in a matter of hours if the weather is rainy and sunny.

This species is also known as “Liberty caps” and is tan in color. They grow in a bell shape and have a protrusion at the top.

Phases of a Shroom Trip

Numerous factors contribute to a magic mushroom experience — your mindset, the species of mushroom, the dosage, the setting, and your body’s personal chemistry.

As such, every individual journey is unique. Even so, understanding the common effects is an excellent way to prepare.

Psilocybin mushrooms can be ingested in many ways. Generally, they are eaten whole in their dried form — and most people agree that they taste horrible.

But you don’t have to add that bit to your experience with our products, as we’ve already solved that problem by masking the taste. Our products come in tinctures, capsules, and gummies.

To mask the flavor, people often blend them into a smoothie or juice. Some brew them into tea, and others grind them to put into capsules.

Every method has a slightly different effect. For example, when brewed into tea, the results are much faster than when they are eaten, whereas swallowing capsules will cause the impact to come on much later.

There are four primary phases of a trip — the ingestion, the onset, the peak, and then the comedown.

Every stage has its own observations and perceptions.

The peak, which happens a few hours after ingestion, has intense psychological and sensory shifts.

Can You Have a Bad Trip on Shrooms?

This thought often crosses the minds of anyone curious about magic mushrooms. A bad trip can include:

• Uncontrollable paranoia
• Dysphoric hallucinations
• Reckless behaviors

However, you can minimize these risks by adhering to six factors:

• Set
• Setting
• Substance
• Sitter
• Session
• Situation

The expression “Set and Setting” is often familiar to psychedelic users. Norman Zinberg came up with it to explain the context for a psychedelic drug experience.

There are four more S’s that aren’t as widely known. Let’s look at them in more detail:

Set

This is all about a user’s state of mind during a trip. It’s the stage in which you prepare and list your expectations on the psychedelic experience ahead.

These thoughts are then shared with your guide, who’s there to help you experience a more profound sense of calm during your trip.

Setting

This is the surrounding environment in which your trip happens, including the physical location and space for the session.

You can choose to have your session in a familiar outdoor setting or a clean and comfortable room. The setting can enhance your experience because you are affected by the things around you, such as what you see and touch.

Substance

What dosage of mushrooms are you taking? The best way to tackle magic mushrooms is to go with a microdose.

Why?

It allows you to improve your creativity and productivity without hallucinating. We’re going to talk more about microdosing later on.

Sitter

This is someone who acts as a guide during your trip. They have experience with psychedelics and are there to take care of you.

A guide is sober and can help you create the perfect setting for your experience. They also act as an anchor and pillar of support the entire time.

You need to ignore the portrayals of a bad trip in popular culture — they rarely capture authentic experiences. Most times, they imply that bad trips are more out of your control than they actually are.

Session

This is the total time of a trip, from start to finish — from the moment you ingest the shrooms until the very end. You and your guide walk this path together, and they can tell you what they observed after.

Situation

This refers to how you manage to integrate the experience into your life. It is time for introspection and decision making about what the experience has taught you.

How Long Do Shrooms Stay in Your System?

It takes around 6 to 12 hours for the short term effects of magic mushrooms to wear off. On average, the psilocybin half-life lasts for an hour or two.

A substance’s half-life is how long it will take for your body to be rid of it. It takes around five or six half-lives for a drug to leave your system altogether.

Magic mushrooms can last in your:

• Blood for less than 24 hours
• Urine for up to 24 hours
• Hair follicles for up to 90 days

How quickly psilocybin leaves your body depends on several factors:

• The type of mushroom
• The dosage
• Your metabolism
• Your frequency of use
• Your age
• Your weight
• Your hydration level
• The health of your body system

Psilocybin does not lead to compulsive use, as it is not an addictive drug. In fact, shrooms are considered one of the safest substances.

According to the 2017 Global Drug Survey, a magic mushroom is considered a safe drug compared to others on the market.

Only 0.2% of people who took magic mushrooms in 2016 needed emergency treatment. Compared to LSD, MDMA, and cocaine, that’s five times lower.

Side Effects of Shrooms on the Brain and Body

All psychedelics pose a threat of triggering mental and emotional challenges.

Magic mushrooms may affect you negatively if you combine them with alcohol. Mixing with drugs or other substances can increase the potential psychological and physical risks you face.

Currently, there’s not a lot of data on psilocybin and other psychedelics. However, it’s much safer to always err on the side of caution when mixing a drug with a magic mushroom.

So, here’s what we do know:

Alcohol is a no-no. There are anecdotal reports from emergency rooms that back this up. Abstaining from alcohol while under the influence of shrooms is the safest bet.

Another bad combination is SSRI antidepressants, Xanax, and Adderall.

Psilocybin is a serotonin booster. This means mushrooms may interfere with any drug that alters your serotonin system.

Coffee is neutral ground. (Coffee lovers, hurrah!) There are no known side effects of mixing magic mushrooms and coffee — only some beliefs that caffeine energy can boost and enhance the experience.

Magic mushrooms, as a drug, are potent on their own. And there’s no need to experiment when there’s not enough supporting research just yet.

Please remember that the aim of taking shrooms is to improve your life. Be sure it is your own choice, without any form of peer pressure.

Talk to your doctor about your plans and follow their advice if you have any conditions.

Make sure to only buy magic mushrooms from a trusted source, such as Mind Mend.

Therapeutic Use of Shrooms

There’s research on magic mushrooms that dates as far back as the 60s and 70s. It suggests the substance could positively impact a wide variety of disorders, including:

• Mood disorders
• Cluster headaches
• Addiction

In the 1970s, the federal government reclassified psilocybin as a Schedule I drug, which made research challenging to do. Luckily, there are anecdotal reports of psilocybin therapeutic effects.

They have caught the attention of medical professionals today in the right way.

When it comes to the brain, psilocybin mushrooms affect the brain’s prefrontal cortex. This is the part of the brain that regulates thought analysis and abstract thinking.

Dosage plays a considerable role when ingesting psilocybin mushrooms. A moderate dose of 1 to 2.5 grams can give you the following reactions:

• Increased introspection
• Intense emotional experiences
• Hypnagogic experiences

There are brain-imaging studies that show how taking mushrooms is neurologically similar to dreaming. This roughly shows you the mindset you’ll be in under a mushroom trip.

There’s research that shows how magic mushrooms might:

• Affect brain communication networks
• Help alleviate depression
• Help eradicate anxiety

Many organizations, such as the Beckley Foundation and MAPS, are funding and carrying out shrooms research.

Microdosing Shrooms

Microdosing is the act of ingesting minimal amounts of a psychedelic substance.

You get to enjoy the health and recreational benefits of hallucinogenic mushrooms without hallucinating.

It is a process that allows you to continue with your daily activities while under the influence. This is because the dose is sub-perceptual, leaving you to experience no visual distortions and a less pronounced effect.

As a beginner, you need to start with one-twentieth to one-tenth of a regular dose. You can then change the dosage according to factors such as age and weight.

Common effects of microdosing include:

• Decreased stress
• Conversational fluidity
• Mood enhancement
• Mindfulness, presence, and peace
• Emotional stability
• Improved memory
• Easier meditation
• Clearer, more connected thinking
• Enhanced athletic endurance
• Increased creativity
• Alleviation of persistent conditions such as anxiety, ADD/Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and PTSD

Let us compare the effects of a microdose to a high dose. One that’s over 5 grams could lead to a complete loss of connection with reality.

This is what brings about all those tales of bad trips you hear about.

Some side effects of a high dose include:

• Synthesia
• Ego death
• Disorientation
• Intense hallucinations
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Extreme anxiety and fear
• Extreme difficulty with cognitive tasks
• Open and closed eye visions
• Deep introspection
• Mystical experiences

This is why psychedelics shouldn’t be consumed if you plan to escape reality — it’s how one can abuse the drug and in turn affect their health.

When used correctly, magic mushrooms can help you revamp your life, as well as make it more authentic and fulfilling.

Microdosing can be taken like any other supplement, unlike a big dose of psilocybin. Our products were designed to make it all easier — they are available as gummies, tinctures, and capsules.

Mind Mend Products

We understand the value of having your mental health in check.

As of 2020, according to the World Health Organization, “Close to 1 billion people are living with a mental disorder, 3 million people die every year from the harmful use of alcohol, and one person dies every 40 seconds by suicide.”

Most pharmaceutical drugs today are addictive and get you hooked. With psilocybin mushrooms, you can take control of your health and reap many benefits.

We have a wide variety of products that are relaxing and have no synthetic equivalent. They offer you relief from conditions such as:

• PTSD
• Depression
• Anxiety
• OCD
• ADD/ADHD

Featured Image: Unsplash by Jen Theodore