Shrooms or Magic Mushrooms: How Much is Safe, The Benefits, and Risks

Shrooms or Magic Mushrooms are a part of a mushroom family that contains psilocybin. Psilocybin is a compound found in more than 200 species of mushrooms. It is a natural psychedelic prodrug compound. These species are collectively called psilocybin mushrooms.

Psilocybin found in hallucinogenic mushrooms or shrooms is classified as a “Schedule I” drug. It currently has no accepted official use in medical treatment in the United States, United Kingdom, or other regions. The fear with magic mushrooms is that they have a high probability of misuse because of their mind-altering capabilities, and they might be addictive for some people.

Is It Safe to Eat Shrooms?

You can eat shrooms in a moderate amount, but not everyone has had a good experience with them. They can be mixed with food.

You can brew magic mushrooms like tea for drinking. These are not for everyone; if they do not suit you, you might experience unpleasant bad trips.

One can also mix them with tobacco or cannabis and smoke.

According to U.S. government statistics, shrooms have been used by over 22.8 million American citizens at least once.

Shrooms are constantly being a subject for many medical types of research such as to overcome stress, depression, addictions, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, and overall well-being of an individual.

Psilocybin might be a great help in reducing the pain resulting from social rejection.

How do Shrooms Work in Your Body

Researches have shown that psilocybin increases communication between areas of the brain that generally don’t communicate with each other.

Psilocybin is considered “classic psychedelics” because it can bring changes in perception, thought pattern, and mood swings by mimicking neurotransmitters in your brain similar to other addicting drugs, such as mescaline and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

Once psilocybin found in shrooms enters one’s body, it is broken down into psilocin, a compound known to activate a specific type of serotonin receptor in the brain that triggers its psychedelic effects.

What Can Magic Mushrooms do to a Person

Shroom’s hallucinatory effects can make a person:

• See geometric shapes 
• Hear sounds
• Feel sensations that seem real to the person but are imaginary
• They may feel like they can smell colors
• You may feel euphoric and light as it induces mood swings
• You may feel very relaxed
• You may feel giggly
• You might feel more open

Magic Mushrooms May Have Powerful Long-Term Benefits

Scientific American Griffiths coauthored an article with his fellow Heffter board member, Grob. 

According to the article:

• Most of the participants experienced a greater sense of inner fulfillment
• Increased self-confidence
• Improved social confidence
• An increase in overall well-being
• An increased ability to tolerate problems and frustration
• Decreased nervousness
• Ratings of their behavior by friends, family members, and work colleagues uninformed about the drug experience were consistent with the participants’ self-ratings.

Recognizing Shrooms:

• There are over 200 species of Mushrooms having psilocybin. 
• Shrooms have long, grayish stems.
• They have dark brown caps with light brown or white color in the center.
• Dried mushrooms are rusty brown with isolated areas of off-white.

Potential Risks of Taking Shrooms, “Bad Trips”

A survey consisted of almost 2,000 people who said they had a past negative experience taking shrooms. More than 10 percent said they believed their worst “bad trip” had put themselves or others in bad situations.

Based on the research data that assessed each subject’s absolute worst bad trip:

• 10.7% of the subjects reported that they put themselves or others at risk for physical harm during their bad trip
• 2.6% reported they acted angrily, aggressively, or violently
• 2.7% reported they sought medical help

If you are suffering from anxiety or bipolar disorder, magic mushrooms might worsen their symptoms.

You might experience a bad trip, which includes:

• Negative physical symptoms such as chills, vomiting, nausea, or headaches
• Unpleasant psychological phenomena such as paranoia or anxiety

Fresh Mushrooms Are Highly Popular in The USA

According to the report, the U.S. per capita consumption of fresh mushrooms (not magic mushrooms) amounted to approximately 3.95 pounds in 2018. White mushrooms made up 61.2 percent of U.S. mushroom sales in 2015.

Do They Have Any Withdrawal Symptoms

Shrooms usually do not have any physical symptoms of withdrawal after you stop using them. Some people might experience psychological effects, which may include anxiety and depression. You should consult a physician if you face any withdrawal symptoms.

Are Magic Mushrooms Addictive?

This question is still debatable that whether magic mushrooms or shrooms are addictive or not. Someone can become addicted to any substance or habit if they overdo or overuse it.

Some people may prefer to combine psilocybin mushrooms with another substance such as LSD to increase the effect. If this is the case, individuals have more chances to become psychologically addicted to magic mushrooms than physically addicted.

The severity of addiction to these things often depends on the number of mushrooms someone is taking. People may become addicted to it because of its mind-altering capabilities and power to make you feel relaxed, just like people can become addicted to alcohol or weed.