Hallucinogenic mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are types of fungi that grow on the soil and that have psychoactive substances capable of promoting changes in regions of the brain and change the perception of the person about the things that are around him.
This type of natural drug can be consumed in its natural form, cooked, dried or in the form of tea, this being the most used form. The effects of this drug vary according to the general state of the person and the form of consumption of the mushroom, and may be visual distortions, increased self-confidence and feelings of euphoria, for example. Get to know other natural drugs and their effects.
Effects of hallucinogenic mushrooms
Despite the name, mushrooms rarely cause hallucinations, only when consumed in large quantities. What happens when magic mushrooms are consumed is the change in the perception of what is around the person, and it may be difficult to differentiate fantasy and reality.
The effects may vary according to the general health of the person, if the person is making use of other drugs at the same time and the amount of mushroom consumed, the main effects being:
- Increased perceptual sensitivity;
- Feeling of well-being;
- Increased self-confidence;
- Increased blood pressure and body temperature;
- Increased heart rate;
- Change of consciousness, mood and thoughts, being popularly known as "journey";
- Dilatation of the pupils;
- Dizziness;
- Somnolence;
- Muscle weakness;
- Visual and sensory distortions, such as halos of light and bright colors.
Sometimes people can experience the negative effects of magic mushrooms, being called a "bad trip", which is characterized by the presence of hallucinations, panic, fear, paranoia and anxiety.
As with all drugs, frequent or large amounts of mushrooms can cause some health risks, such as restlessness, loss of muscle control, seizures, paranoia, psychosis, cardiac arrest and coma. Find out what the effects and consequences of drugs are for health.
How to consume
Mushrooms can be eaten in their natural form, cooked, dried or tea-shaped. After consumption of the mushroom tea, the effects appear after 25 to 30 minutes and last between 4 and 6 hours. In the case of consumption of the raw mushroom, the effects are more intense and faster, appearing after about 5 to 10 minutes, because the psychoactive substances of the mushrooms do not change with the temperature used to make the tea.
The main genera of hallucinogenic mushrooms found in Brazil are Psilocybe and Panaeolus, although the species Amanita muscaria is the most popularly consumed.
How They Work
Mushrooms have a psychoactive substance called psilocybin, which is converted into the body into psilocin, which is primarily responsible for the hallucinogenic effects of mushrooms, as it acts directly on the brain by binding regions that do not normally communicate and blocking the effects of serotonin, resulting in effects similar to those of LSD, but lighter and of shorter duration. Understand what serotonin is and what serotonin is for.
