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Psilocybin - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
Psilocybin or magic mushrooms are naturally occurring and are consumed for their hallucinogenic effects. They belong to a group of drugs known as psychedelics, because of the changes experienced to perception, mood and thought.
What are magic mushrooms?
Psilocybin or magic mushrooms are naturally occurring and are consumed for their hallucinogenic effects.They are psychedelic drugs, which means they can affect all the senses, altering a person’s thinking, sense of time and emotions. Psychedelics can cause a person to hallucinate, seeing or hearing things that do not exist or are distorted.1
The key ingredient in magic mushrooms is psilocybin. When psilocybin is taken, it’s converted in the body to psilocin, which is the chemical with the psychoactive properties.
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There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries some risk. It’s important to be careful when taking any type of drug.
Magic mushrooms can affect everyone differently, based on:
- size, weight and health
- whether the person is used to taking it
- whether other drugs are taken around the same time
- the amount taken
- the strength of the mushroom (varies depending on the type of mushroom)
- the environment (where the drug is taken)
During this time, the person may experience:
- euphoria and wellbeing
- change in consciousness, mood, thought and perception (commonly called a trip)
- dilation of pupils
- perceptual changes, such as visual and auditory hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, or are distorted)
- stomach discomfort and nausea
- headaches
- fast or irregular heartbeat
- increased body temperature
- breathing quickly
- vomiting
- facial flushes, sweating and chills.1,3
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Bad trips
Sometimes a person may experience the negative effects of magic mushrooms and have a ‘bad trip’.A bad trip might include:
- unpleasant or intense hallucinations
- anxiety
- paranoia
- panic or fear.
Coming down
After taking magic mushrooms, delayed headaches can happen. These usually don’t last longer than a day.A person who has taken mushrooms may experience feelings of:
- exhaustion
- depression
- anxiety.
Flashbacks can happen weeks, months or even years after the drug was last taken. This can be disturbing, especially if a frightening experience or hallucination is recalled. Flashbacks can be brought on by using other drugs, stress, tiredness or exercise and usually last a minute or two.