The “magic” in “magic mushrooms” comes from psilocybin, the hallucinogenic chemical in the mushroom. Shortly after a person consumes this magic mushrooms – either raw or by mixing them with food or tea – the “come-up” begins. Your perception of color, sound, and light are slightly altered. Surfaces may seem to move or ripple, and objects in motion may leave visible trails behind them. You may experience nausea, muscle weakness, or other physical changes.
Changes in perception – the alluring side of psychedelic drugs – can hit suddenly or build slowly. The altered state of consciousness lasts between three and eight hours and typically “peaks” about halfway through the experience.
Advocates of psychedelics remind us that these drugs have been both medicinally and recreationally used for thousands of years, all over the world. They grow across wide sections of Mexico, South America, Malaysia, India and Indonesia. They can also be found in the southern US, where they were made illegal in the 1960s, after a few LSD-focused experiments turned up scary results. Human test subjects were suffering from panic attacks. Their altered-state trailed off in an ugly, frightening direction – what the psychedelic community calls “a bad trip.”
Today, we know the powerful hallucinogenic effects of psychedelics can be minimized, controlled, or even utilized through careful dosage and specialized counseling. Since 2008, researchers have been testing their potential for the treatment of depression – a practice which millions of recreational users advocate. There are, however, considerable risks to put into practice.
Although the mind-altering properties can be useful – namely as a way of forcing suppressed thoughts and memories to the surface – there’s definitely a limit. For some people, even a little bit is too much. The experience can be extremely unpleasant, or even dangerous. Psilocybin isn’t toxic, but it can cause unpredictable, risky behavior. Users have been known to get into the same types of accidents as alcoholics. Adding psilocybin to the market could mean adding onto its illicit trade. Hallucinogens, especially the pure, clean kind you get with a prescription, are heavily sought out. Addictions to hallucinogens aren’t all that uncommon, either. Teenagers in particular are using them more than ever.
If you have questions about hallucinogenic drugs or substance abuse, contact the experts at Hired Power today at 800-910-9299.
