Psilocybin Mushrooms

(Magic Mushrooms, Shrooms)

TrippyWiki score: 9.9/10

What are magic mushrooms?

Psilocybin mushrooms are the most popular classical psychedelics in the world. They have been used for thousands of years by cultures all around the world and are becoming accepted by modern society because of their great potential for improving mental and psychological health. You can find over 200 species of these magic mushrooms worldwide. The 2 main compounds in all of them are psilocin and psilocybin – psilocybin turns into psilocin before your body can utilize it.

Why choose shrooms over other psychedelics?

Psilocybin mushrooms…

Are the most popular psychedelic substance, therefore we have access to a huge amount of studies and trip reports
Contain psilocin, which is the most effective and reliable psychedelic we know of for treating depression
Are already legal in some places and are soon to become legal for medical purposes in many countries
Grow in nature so they are free and easy to obtain during autumn
Are possibly the best psychedelic if you want to connect with nature
Don’t cause any physical damage and there is no lethal dose (you’d have to eat over 2 kilograms to overdose)
Are always pure unlike many synthetic psychedelics
Will make you trip for 4-6 hours, which allows you to discover many lessons but the trip isn’t too long either
Aren’t as stigmatized as synthetic psychedelics like LSD
Won’t make you addicted unless you take them just to have fun and see pretty colors
Are possibly the best psychedelic for beginner psychonauts

Long-term benefits & side effects

Many of the benefits will only occur if you follow the tips below.
Most (if not all) of the side effects are preventable and they will not happen if you follow the Safety checklist.

Magic mushrooms…

Make you appreciate nature more
Are one of the most effective ways to treat depression (after a single session of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, depression stays below 50% for at least 6 months)
Are being used to cure addictions (3 psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy sessions lower the rates of tobacco addictions by about 80%)
Can lower your levels of stress and anxiety, including social anxiety
Can help you form positive habits, such as meditation and exercise
Increase neuroplasticity
Make you more creative and open-minded
Help you look at your life from a different perspective
Allow you to heal your childhood trauma and forgive people who’ve hurt you
Can make you more conscious and loving
Can help you transcend the fear of death
Give you insights into the nature of reality
Have helped many people improve their immune system and cure allergies
Can be used for treating autism
Is an effective way to treat cluster headaches
Can be used as a treatment for PTSD
…

Might not be actual psilocybin mushrooms and may instead be poisonous look-alikes
Have led to self-harm by people who took them in an unsafe environment
May speed up the onset of schizophrenia if you’re genetically predisposed to it
Can cause HPPD and physical damage if you combine them with other substances (such as alcohol or stimulants)
Could cause you trauma due to bad set and setting
Might lead to drug-induced psychosis if you’re predisposed to it
Can be psychologically addictive (but only if you eat them recreationally)
Can cause seizures in rare cases
Are illegal in some places and you might get arrested for picking shrooms or having them in your pocket
…

How to take shrooms

Administration

You can either take psilocybin mushrooms raw or dried. Either way, the best way to take them is orally.

If you can, make a mushroom tea. It’s much easier on your stomach than eating shrooms.

Don’t worry, hot water will not destroy the psychedelic compounds.

Add lemon water to the tea because citric acid will help convert psilocybin into psilocin. Therefore, the shrooms will be much less nauseating. By adding lemon to the mix, the trip will also be more powerful.

Ginger also helps prepare your stomach for mushrooms but it is not necessary.

Leave the tea alone for at least 15 minutes, then drink it.

Grind your mushrooms if you can. Ground mushrooms will digest better and you will start tripping faster.

If you decide to eat your shrooms, chew them well before swallowing.

Smoking mushrooms

Technically, you could also smoke shrooms but it is not a good idea.

When you smoke magic mushrooms, the spores will stay in your lungs. Over time, this may cause some harm to you.

If you still want to smoke shrooms, just beware that psilocybin gets destroyed at about 180°C (356°F).

Dosage

These dosages are displayed in dried grams. 1 dried gram is equal to about 10 raw grams.

The numbers here are suited for an average, 70kg person. So if you weigh 140kg, multiply the amounts by 2.

0.1 gram = Microdose
Best if you’re afraid of tripping and you still want to reap the benefits
0.5-1 gram = Light dose
Best if you take mushrooms in nature or for solving human problems (business, relationships, …)
1-2 grams = Regular dose
The insights you’ll learn are easier to retain and incorporate than if you were to take higher doses
2-3 grams = Strong dose
Great for deep personal change
3-4 grams = High dose
This dose is shown to be almost as effective as 5 grams in psilocybin therapies while the chance of getting an extremely challenging experience is much lower.
5+ grams = Heroic dose
The mental benefits of a heroic dose are slightly more profound than a high dose but 5+ grams are more likely to cause a bad trip. It is easier to let go on a heroic dose but the intensity can still be difficult to handle. If you are taking psilocybin for spiritual exploration, heroic doses may be more effective but require lots of preparation and responsibility.

Many psychonauts recommend starting with a light dose (1 gram, specifically).

However, it is not wrong to start at higher doses.

Starting with 2+ grams is usually a better strategy because your ego will find it easier to surrender to the experience, which is extremely important.

You will also not get as many benefits from low doses as if you were to start with higher doses.

It’s been shown that mystical experiences can deeply change your identity and the higher the dose you take, the more intense they will be.

Do not, however, start with a strong dose if you don’t have a trip sitter nearby.

And don’t take super-high doses in nature. The last thing you want is to be lying on the ground unconscious for hours outside.

So keep in mind that the higher the dose you take, the more important it is to be in a safe environment.

Some people are more sensitive than others. There are people who can take 4 grams and feel nothing while some people can trip on a microdose.

Different species also have different amounts of psilocin and psilocybin but the differences are usually not too big so don’t worry about this too much.

Equivalents for 1g of shrooms

The chemicals below have similar effects to magic mushrooms. Some of them are legal to obtain in many countries, more on which later.

Dry Mushrooms	1 gram
Fresh Mushrooms	10 grams
Fresh Truffles	7 grams
Dry Truffles	5 grams
Psilocybin	7 mg
4-AcO MiPT	9 mg
4-AcO DIPT	9 mg
4-AcO DMT	9 mg
4-AcO DET	7 mg
4-AcO DPT	13 mg
4-AcO MET	10 mg
4-HO DET	9 mg
4-HO DiPT	8 mg
4-HO DMT	8 mg
4-HO DPT	28 mg
4-HO EPT	25 mg
4-HO MET	9 mg
4-HO MiPT	8 mg
4-HO MPT	10 mg

Safety checklist

Maximize the benefits

Keep in mind that integration is even more important than the trip itself. Taking psychedelics would be almost useless if you didn’t retain any lessons in your day-to-day life.

What will help you the most is contemplating about the experience – be it by journaling, thinking about the trip, or sharing your memories with a trusted friend.

Distracting thoughts can get in the way, which is why you want to spend the day after your trip without TV, social media, and other distractions.

If you can, spend time in silence and solitude. Meditate, go for a walk, contemplate the experience.

Should you listen to music on shrooms?

Music can make the trip more pleasant and greatly increase the benefits. That is why it is used in most psychotherapy sessions.

However, not all music is created equal. Listening to N.W.A. and 2Pac usually wouldn’t be so helpful. Even positive, relaxing music with lyrics can be a distraction.

If you decide to listen to music on shrooms, choose calm, classical music with little to no lyrics.

This playlist used in Johns Hopkins psilocybin studies is proven to be extremely effective:

The author of the playlist, Roland Griffiths, went over hundreds of songs and only chose the best of the best based on how his patients responded to the music.

The music should be loud enough so you can hear it clearly but not unpleasantly loud. If you can, play it in headphones.

Duration

Onset = 15-20 minutes
Come up = 30-40 minutes
Peak = 1-3 hours
Come down = 2-4 hours

You should notice the first effects within 30 minutes after you take the substance
You will reach the maximum effect around the 90-minute mark
The whole trip usually lasts for 4-6 hours
At heroic doses, your trip may last for even longer (up to 12 hours in rare cases)
If you eat food before you take the substance, it will take longer to kick in (up to 90 minutes) and your trip will be weaker

What do shrooms feel like?

Common short-term effects include:

Euphoria
Connectedness to nature
Increased awareness and consciousness
Mindfulness, being present
Music enhancement
Increased creativity and open-mindedness
Pain relief
Higher capability for love and compassion
Seeing life from a different perspective
Appreciating small things
Expanded sense of self
Feeling one with all that is
Higher energy
Stamina enhancement
Feeling your emotions more intensely
Memory suppression
Inability to sleep
Time distortion
Visual effects (enhanced colors, seeing patterns in everything, distortions, …)
Nausea, vomiting
Getting stuck in a thought loop
Inability to focus
Worse thermoregulation
Increased heart rate
Difficulty urinating
Confusion
Headache
Anxiety, paranoia
Vulnerability

The higher dose you take, the more intense these effects will be.

With that said, it is impossible to accurately describe the experience through human language.

The psychedelic affects each individual differently and no two trips are the same. Therefore, there is virtually no way to know what your trip will feel like.

The only way to truly know what shrooms feel like is to take shrooms.

Psilocybin mushrooms will most likely give you a pleasant experience. Bad trips can happen but you can prevent them by following the tips below.

Bad trips

Bad trips mostly happen because people take the substance irresponsibly. If you take this psychedelic the right way, there is virtually no chance you’ll get a bad trip.

In case you still do, that’s good! A “bad” trip isn’t always bad, it can actually be the most healing and insightful moment of your life!

During a “bad” trip, negative emotions are coming up from your subconscious mind. They have always been there whether you are aware of it or not. They have been damaging your life and a difficult trip is an opportunity to process these traumas and unpleasant feelings and let go of them.

The more painful the experience, the more you can heal.

So instead of calling bad trips bad, call them challenging.

If you understand that bad trips are awesome in the long run, not only will you feel more comfortable diving into these challenging states, it will actually excite you!

Why they happen

The most common reasons for getting a bad trip are:

Tripping in an unsafe environment (in public, at a party, even nature doesn’t feel safe if you take higher doses)
Facing difficult times in your day-to-day life (a break-up, death of a loved one, …)
Rejecting to let go and trying to hold on to your ego and control the state
Being afraid of the trip (either because of the stigma around psychedelics or because you are not sure how pure your substance is)
Mixing the psychedelic with alcohol, weed, or other drugs
Expecting a bad trip (it can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy)

How to cope with a bad trip

Do not perceive this experience as something bad, remember that facing these difficult emotions is extremely healing
Fully surrender to the experience, do not try to feel good
If you’re alone, call a trusted friend to come over and keep you safe

How to end a bad trip

In case you are not ready to face your inner demons yet, there are a few ways to end a bad trip.

One possible way is to put on music that is familiar to you. Another way is to switch up your location and move from one place to another. This can completely change your train of thought.

In case the trip becomes extremely challenging and there is no one around you to keep you safe, consider ending your trip with a trip killer.

Using a trip killer usually is not the best idea because the bad emotions will stay unresolved and you will get little to no benefits from the experience. With that said, using a trip killer is smarter than harming yourself.

The 2 best options that you have for ending a bad trip are Phenibut and benzodiazepines. Phenibut is generally safer but it can take a few hours to kick in and end your trip.

So to end a trip, use benzodiazepines. But again, only do it if there is no other way.

Interactions

Qualia Mind
This nootropic is comprised of 28 ingredients designed to support and maximize your brain function. These ingredients act synergistically and many of them will protect you from the potential neurotoxic effects of the psychedelic. Qualia will also make your trips more pleasant and help you retain more benefits from them.
Lion’s Mane and Niacin
Taking Lion’s mane and niacin combined with a microdose of psilocybin or other serotonergic psychedelics can result in significant improvements in neuroplasticity. This combination is also called the “Paul Stamets Stack,” as it was developed by Paul Stamets, a leading expert in mycology. Specifically, Paul recommends taking a microdose with 1 gram of dry Lion’s mane and 50-100 mg of niacin every 3rd day.
Ginger
Ginger significantly reduces nausea and can prevent you from vomiting.
Herbs
Along with ginger, other herbs can help you reduce nausea as well. They can also help you calm down. Herbal teas (chamomile, lemon balm, valerian root, …) are especially helpful.
Green tea
Tea makes you both more alert and calm at the same time. It also contains neuroprotective antioxidants, such as EGCG.
CBD
CBD has a calming effect.
LSD
These substances act synergistically, some people prefer this combination instead of taking the two individually.
Weed
Marijuana will intensify your trip. If you combine these substances, marijuana will also become more psychedelic for you.
MDMA
They have a synergistic effect but psilocybin might increase the neurotoxicity of MDMA. Also, do not combine the two if you suffer from heart problems.
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide will multiply the intensity of your trip.
Dissociatives
Combining dissociatives with psychedelics won’t necessarily cause you harm but it can be confusing and lead to bad trips.
Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, …)
Benzos will end your psychedelic experience within 40 minutes but using this method may cause you side effects in the long run.
Alcohol
Alcohol minimizes all the potential benefits of a psychedelic experience. It also greatly increases your chance of having a bad trip.
SSRIs or MAOIs
Not only will these antidepressants greatly decrease the intensity of your trip, but they can also lead to long-lasting side effects.
Lithium
Combining psychedelics with lithium significantly increases the risk of seizures and psychosis.
Stimulants
The combination can easily lead to heart problems, even if you’re a healthy individual.
Tramadol
Combining the two can cause seizures.
St. John’s Wort
This combination may lead to serotonin syndrome.

Microdosing

If you are not ready to take higher doses, microdosing is a way to go because it can bring similar benefits to your life with even fewer side effects.

Experts in the field generally recommend microdosing with 0.1 gram every 3rd day. Taking a microdose more often is not a good idea because you would become tolerant to psilocybin and the substance would have little to no effect.

Around 80% of people who take microdoses claim that it has profoundly changed their lives.

For some, microdosing has cured their depression and helped them find beauty in small things. Some also say that they experience significantly less anxiety when they microdose.

Many people take tiny doses of mushrooms to become more creative and productive throughout the day. Microdosing has also been shown to increase athletic performance.

What is awesome about microdosing is that you can stop at any time in case you notice some adverse reaction or if you simply don’t see any benefits.

How to microdose

Get an accurate 0,01g scale. Weigh 0,1g of shrooms and take them every 3rd day.

If you don’t want to buy a scale, just eat 1.5 of the average shrooms.

Do so in the morning so that the substance doesn’t interfere with your sleep.

History of shrooms

Legality

Red = Illegal
Blue = Legal
Yellow = Something in-between (usually decriminalized)

Research chemicals that act as precursors to psilocybin are generally safer as far as the law goes. In most countries, you can legally buy some of them for chemical purposes.

More on research chemicals below.

Where to get psilocybin mushrooms

These are the ways you can get your hands on magic mushrooms, ranked from the safest to the least safe:

Become a research subject
More and more researchers are now allowed to experiment with magic mushrooms. If you live in the right place at the right time, you can become a participant in such experiments.
Grow your own magic mushrooms
This method takes time but it allows you to develop a deeper connection to mushrooms.
Buy a research chemical that is similar to psilocybin
There are dozens of chemicals that convert into psilocin, therefore they act almost identically. What is amazing about these is that they don’t nauseate you nearly as much as psilocybin mushrooms and they also are easier to dose accurately. More on buying research chemicals below.
Learn to identify and pick mushrooms
The danger is that there are dozens of species similar to psilocybes, some of which are poisonous. More on picking mushrooms below.
Buy mushrooms in person
Only buy shrooms from a person you trust. He could be selling you poisonous mushrooms instead. It rarely happens but it can.
Buy magic mushrooms from a hidden market
There is no reason to get mushrooms this way. Shrooms from the dark web are overpriced. On top of that, most dark web markets are a scam and you might not receive anything.

How to find and identify shrooms

Learning how to pick magic mushrooms will take you a while if you try to do it on your own.

If you can, find someone in your social circle to teach you how to identify them. This will save you hours of research.

If you don’t have anyone to guide you through the process, follow this 5-step formula:

1. Find out what species grow in your country
2. Find out when exactly they grow in your country (usually, it’s from late September to early December)
3. Find out where exactly they grow
4. Watch some YouTube videos on how to identify the species you’re looking for
5. Get outside and find your first mushrooms!

Buying chemicals similar to shrooms

Research chemicals, such as 4-AcO-DMT and 4-HO-MET are extremely similar to psilocin as far as their effects and chemical structure. There is no evidence that they would be physically harmful.

Some of these chemicals may be completely legal as long as you buy them for “chemical research” purposes. You cannot consume them legally but whether or not anyone cares is a different story. These companies know that you’re not buying 4-HO-DMT to study it under a microscope.

Perhaps the best provider of research chemicals is Chemical Collective.

Their products are cheap, the company is extremely reliable and they will deliver the chemicals to you within 20 days. In case the package gets lost, you can ask them to send you a new one and they will.

Some research chemicals may not be legal where you live so always check the legal status in your country before you buy any substance.

If you don’t do that, the police probably won’t arrest you but you can’t expect to receive the package either.

Is there a difference between magic mushrooms and research chemicals?

There is a slight difference. Along with psilocin and psilocybin, magic mushrooms contain other psychoactive alkaloids.

With that said, most of the psychoactive effects (at least 95%) are caused by psilocin, to which psilocybin converts.

Since almost all of the 4-HO and 4-AcO chemicals also convert to psilocin, the difference between them and mushrooms is tiny.

FAQ

Becoming addicted to psilocybin mushrooms is virtually impossible. What you need to know about is tolerance.

If you were to trip 2 days in a row, your 2nd trip would be extremely weak. You will have to wait for several days to refresh your tolerance.

How many days does it take?

This mostly depends on the dose. At regular doses, it takes approximately 7 days to become sensitive again.

So you could technically take psilocybin mushrooms every week but if you want to maximize the benefits, do not trip before you integrate all the lessons from your last trip.

Counter-intuitively, you might get more benefits by tripping less often.

That is why you may only want to trip once or twice a month or just a couple of times a year.

As your trips get more and more intense, you will not want to trip nearly as often anyway.

Psilocin’s psychedelic effects are believed to come from its agonist activity on serotonin 5-HT_2A/C and 5-HT_1A receptors.

Unlike LSD, psilocin has no significant effect on dopamine receptors and only affects the noradrenergic system at very high dosages.

Psilocybin has also been shown by fMRI imaging to have a dampening effect on certain brain regions, most notably the Default Mode Network.

With that said, the only way to truly know what this psychedelic does to your brain is to try it yourself.

It is not about your age, it is about how mature you are.

Teenagers (and younger) generally aren’t responsible enough to take psychedelics but it isn’t always the case.

If you are under the age of 21, your brain is evolving at a rapid rate on its own. This means that when you take psychedelics, there is more potential for growth but the risks are also higher.

Most importantly, you need to trip in a safe place where you feel comfortable.

Whether you should take mushrooms at home or in nature will depend on your priorities.

Tripping at home is safer and probably better for personal growth while taking magic mushrooms outside will help you develop a strong connection with nature.

Try both and see which one you like more.

If you are a mentally stable individual who does not suffer from psychosis or have a predisposition to schizophrenia, there is virtually no way you would develop any mental illnesses because of this psychedelic.

No.

Mushrooms aren’t easy to detect in your saliva or blood.

Some special tests could technically detect that you’ve taken psilocybin mushrooms but the policemen don’t use them.

Even on these special tests, mushrooms cannot be detected after 24 hours since you’ve taken them.

They taste like a mix of regular mushrooms and chocolate. That doesn’t mean you will enjoy eating them though. Psilocybes are nauseating and can even make you vomit, especially if you eat them raw.

Keep your mushrooms in a cold dark place, preferably with no air.

If you don’t do this, your shrooms will lose potency within a few weeks or months.

When you store mushrooms well, they will last for over a year.

In the spiritual community, there are mixed opinions on this.

You will not be able to retain these states of consciousness unless you put in a lot of work in your “sober” life.

However, that doesn’t mean that psychedelics cannot be helpful. Reaching these temporary states on a substance and seeing that these states are obtainable can be motivating.

This is why psychedelics can help you build a daily practice of yoga and meditation – both of which will help you awaken.

Psychedelics also teach you to let go of your ego which will be essential for awakening.

So psychedelics can help you awaken. Indirectly, but they can.

If you microdose with magic mushrooms, you can and will look sober.

On 0.5 grams or more, it can be difficult to look sober, especially during the peak experience.

At doses larger than 1 gram, it becomes nearly impossible to act sober.

In addition to that, your pupils will be dilated.

So do not talk to your boss or your parents when you’re tripping on shrooms.

In psilocybin psychotherapy, patients are encouraged to eat a light, low-fat breakfast 1 or 2 hours before taking the substance.

Eating before you trip on shrooms has some advantages as well as a few disadvantages.

One reason you’d want to eat before your trip is because people sometimes lose appetite on psychedelics.

Preparing and eating food can also be a distraction.

If you don’t eat anything and become hungry during your trip, it can make you feel fatigued and irritated.

However, eating before taking the psychedelic can cause nausea and even make you vomit.

The substance will also take longer to kick in, sometimes up to 2 hours.

So the best way to go about food is to eat a little bit 1-2 hours before the trip and have some snacks prepared next to you.

Yes.

Watching yourself in the mirror can give you many insights about your life and the self.

Do not, however, stare at yourself when you’re going through a bad trip.

Both of these are amazing for beginners.

If you are not sure whether or not your LSD is pure, psilocybin mushrooms are a way to go.

LSD allows for clearer thoughts and is less likely to make you confused but the duration of LSD is much longer. This can be unpleasant if you’re unfamiliar with the psychedelic state or if you get into a challenging trip.

If you will take the substance in nature, go for mushrooms. Even if you take it indoors, magic mushrooms are still likely to bring more benefits into your life.

Keep in mind that the difference is not that big and what is way more important is your dose and that you take the substance in a safe environment.

Immature people who are not willing to follow the safety guidelines
People who suffer from psychosis
People who have a familial history of schizophrenia
Those who suffer from HPPD
People who are going through a manic phase of bipolar disorder
If you’re going through extremely challenging times, you can take psychedelics but the trips might be unpleasant, beware of that

One dried gram of shrooms usually costs $5-$10 but the street price for psilocybes is not stable.

It depends on where you live, who you get them from, what species they are, and in what season you buy them.

In the summer, mushrooms can cost 2 times more than in the autumn.

P. azurescens: 1.78% psilocybin
P. bohemica: 1.34% psilocybin
P. semilianceata: 0.98% psilocybin
P. baeocystis: 0.85 % psilocybin
P. cyanescens: 0.85% psilocybin
P. tampanensis: 0.68% psilocybin
P. cubensis: 0.63% psilocybin
P. weilii: 0.61% psilocybin
(1% = 10 mg per one gram of dried mushrooms)

“I learned more about psychology in the five hours after taking these mushrooms than in the preceding 15 years of studying and doing research in psychology.“

TABLE OF CONTENTS