Magic mushrooms is the umbrella term for hallucinogenic mushroom species indigenous to tropical regions of central and South America.
The psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms is psilocybin. When ingested, people may have a powerful psychedelic experience that includes hallucinations and changes in perception.
While shrooms are not addictive, there are risks involved with hallucinogenic drug abuse.
How Do People Use Psilocybin Mushrooms?
Magic mushrooms are typically used by eating the stems and caps of the dried mushroom. This can be done by eating the mushrooms by themselves or mixing the shrooms into other foods.
Some people prefer to steep the dried shrooms in hot water and drink the mixture in tea.
What It Feels Like To Use Psilocybin Mushrooms
The chemical name for psilocybin is 4-phosphoryloxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine. The substance is considered a sacred ceremonial drug used by people in Mexico and Central America.
The effects of the shrooms will begin approximately an hour after ingesting the substance and may last up to six hours, depending on dosage and other factors.
Physical Effects
The physical effects of shrooms commonly include blood pressure changes, high heart rate, poor motor coordination, shakiness or tremors, and pupil dilation.
People often report nausea, vomiting, headaches, sweating, and fever before the onset of the hallucinations and perceptual changes.
Psychological Effects
Once psilocybin is in full effect, people may feel the euphoria that includes vivid hallucinations, changes in the perception of time and place, and significantly slowed thinking processes.
Shrooms may also cause dramatic mood swings, memory loss, anxiety, depression, and delusions.
Risks Of Magic Mushroom Abuse
Shrooms are not known to have a high potential for abuse or addiction, despite their status as a Schedule I drug, meaning there’s no known medical use of the drug.
There are, however, a number of risks associated with magic mushroom use.
Psilocybin Mushroom Tolerance
Using mushrooms on a regular basis can quickly lead to psilocybin tolerance. This means that people will need to take more mushrooms to get the desired hallucinogenic effect.
Learn more about psilocybin mushroom tolerance.
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)
HPPD is characterized by the random recurrence of perceptual and visual disturbances such as flashbacks similar to those experienced while high on shrooms.
While rare, HPPD is known to occur more often in people who use hallucinogens such as psilocybin regularly and in high doses. Effects of HPPD are potentially permanent.
Psychotic Reactions
Some people who use psilocybin experience psychosis and schizophrenia-like symptoms. These effects are more common in people with pre-existing mental health disorders.
When a psychotic episode happens while using shrooms, people are typically taken to the emergency room and treated with medications such as benzodiazepines.
Accidental Poisoning
Due to the unregulated nature of psychedelic mushrooms, there is a small risk of accidentally eating a poisonous mushroom.
Symptoms of mushroom poisoning usually include confusion, delirium, muscle spasms, and seizures.
Having A Bad Trip
A “bad trip” can result from psilocybin drug use and may include symptoms such as extreme paranoia, nightmarish hallucinations, and more.
It’s impossible to know what may trigger a bad trip, but mixing shrooms with other substances such as peyote, DMT, or alcohol may contribute to the possibility of an adverse reaction.
What Are The Street Names For Psilocybin?
When sold on the street, psilocybin mushrooms may be referred to by a number of names.
Street names for magic mushrooms include:
- purple passion
- boomers
- buttons
- magic
- blue meanies
- caps
- alice
- hongos
- mushies
- tweezers
- pizza toppings
Read about street names for psilocybin mushrooms.
How Much Do Magic Mushrooms Cost On The Street?
The cost of a single dose of mushrooms is around $30 per eighth of an ounce. A microdose of psilocybin will cost a few dollars.
Factors that influence the price of shrooms include where it was grown, local laws, current availability, type of mushroom, and potency.
Learn more about the street cost of magic mushrooms.
Treatment Programs For Substance Use Disorders
Magic mushroom addiction is unheard of, but other psychedelic drugs such as ecstasy, LSD, or stimulants can cause serious health problems and physical dependence.
If you or a loved one is battling substance abuse, a drug rehab center can provide the evidence-based and holistic treatment services necessary to recover.
Addiction treatment options may include:
- medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
- group therapy for people with opioid drug addiction
- cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- medical detox
- support groups
- short-term or long-term inpatient treatment
- outpatient treatment
- aftercare services
- relapse prevention
- dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders
FAQs For Psilocybin Mushroom Abuse
The useful information below may help answer your additional questions about psilocybin mushroom use.
Can Shrooms Cure Alcoholism?
Currently, there is no known cure for alcohol use disorder.
However, recent medical studies have pointed to a reduction of heavy drinking among people receiving behavioral therapy in combination with the use of magic mushrooms for alcoholism.
Can Magic Mushrooms Lead To Withdrawal Symptoms?
While shrooms are not physically addictive, some people may develop psychological dependence and experience cravings and mental distress when they’re not high.
In rare cases, people may need to receive medical detox for hallucinogenic drug use.
Is It Dangerous To Use Psilocybin (Shrooms) And Opioids At The Same Time?
Yes, opioids may antagonize or enhance the effects of hallucinogens such as LSD, DMT, and magic mushrooms.
Additionally, people mixing hallucinogens and opioid drugs may lose track of how much they’ve already taken, which heightens the risk of overdose.
Find A Substance Use Treatment Center Today
For more information on magic mushroom addiction, browse our website to find a treatment center to contact today.
Addiction Resource aims to provide only the most current, accurate information in regards to addiction and addiction treatment, which means we only reference the most credible sources available.
These include peer-reviewed journals, government entities and academic institutions, and leaders in addiction healthcare and advocacy. Learn more about how we safeguard our content by viewing our editorial policy.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) — Hallucinogens DrugFacts
https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/hallucinogens - National Institute of Health (NIH) — Analysis of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Medicine: A Narrative Review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8901083/ - National Institute of Health (NIH) — The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8156539/