Psilocybin mushrooms are not necessarily for everyone. Some people who use them will experience profound relief from anxiety and stress, while others may consume the same amount and have a dysphoric or difficult experience. A good approach is to start low and go slow when initially consuming psilocybin mushrooms.
It’s crucial to honestly assess your psychological health and mental state prior to consuming these mushrooms in order to ensure your “set,” or mindset, is prepared to handle the psychedelic terrain. It is also important to choose a situation and environment where you feel supported in the event that you experience a challenging journey.
Contraindications
It’s generally not recommended to consume psilocybin mushrooms, even in a clinical context with a therapist, if you have certain mental health conditions,1 including bipolar disorder,2 schizophrenia,3 or borderline personality disorder.4 The use of psilocybin has been known to exacerbate symptoms for these conditions.
Consuming psilocybin while on SSRIs generally poses minimal risk, according to researchers.5 Due to the fact that both SSRIs and psilocybin act on the 5-HT2A receptors in the brain, researchers suggest that antidepressants may cause a blunted response to psilocybin. Consuming other psychedelics while on SSRIs may cause serotonin toxicity, or serotonin syndrome.
Psychological
The risks associated with psychedelics are primarily psychological. With psilocybin mushrooms, challenging trips are possible, and they can be scary. These experiences can sometimes trigger anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia, especially when consumed in higher doses. People who are already prone to these symptoms may be more likely to experience them in an altered state. The best way to minimize these potential issues is to spend adequate time curating your set and setting.
Because of the unpredictability of a psychedelic journey, it is widely recommended that people with limited experience using psilocybin embark on their journey in the company of at least one other person. This could be a friend who acts as a sitter, a guide, or a trained therapist. It could also be a group of people you trust. It is also important not to drive while under the influence of psilocybin or other psychedelics.
Symptoms While on Mushrooms
Nausea and vomiting or other gastrointestinal issues after consumption is common during the mushroom experience. Psilocybin mushrooms can cause dehydration, sweating, numbness, and tremors. It can also exacerbate psychological symptoms like anxiety, panic attacks, paranoia, and mood swings.
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)
HPPD6 is a condition unique to psychedelics, involving perceptual changes lasting weeks or months following the use of a substance such as psilocybin or LSD. Research on this condition has been limited to date, and there is debate about whether HPPD is caused by psychedelics in themselves, or is a result of latent psychological conditions.
The effects of HPPD7 are anecdotally described as geometric hallucinations, false perceptions of movement in the peripheral visual fields, flashes of color, intensified colors, trails of images of moving objects, the perception of entire hallucinated objects, and halos around objects. Though the exact prevalence is unknown, HPPD is considered relatively rare, but it’s difficult to confirm the numbers since little research on the condition has been done. However, it is recognized as a condition in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Is Psilocybin Addictive?
Substance Use Disorders are different for everyone, but generally, psilocybin is not considered addictive.8 The intense experience, which can be physically and mentally challenging, may deter people from consuming psilocybin frequently. Researchers also cite that the human body quickly builds a tolerance to psilocybin. As a result, people often require higher doses after a day or two of repeated use.
