Using magic mushrooms is not without dangers. You should be aware of these dangers before using them.

Allergies!

My boyfriend has decided (with my consent) to try to experiment growing some sort of mushroom. I don’t know what kind exactly, but I do know that you have to let the ‘mold’ or whatever it is grow over vermiculite(sp?) cakes, and everything has to be sterile during this process yadda yadda. Here’s the problem, I have seasonal allergies which are typically controlled with meds like Claritin D. He is now at the stage of letting the mold cakes develop into mushrooms (in some sort of contraption w/ a humidifier, which is typically closed (foam) but every now and then he opens to let it aerate) and my ‘symptoms’ are of the charts. I’m talkin’ Hay Fever, headaches, congestion, difficulty breathing, weakness, dizziness, plugged ears etc. You name it I’m suffering through it. Is it possible I am having an allergic reaction to the mold and mold spores that the mold gives off in order to grow? I think that is what is causing the trouble but he insists that isn’t the case. That it is still in the beginning stages and isn’t even producing spores yet (even though I researched and that is the way in which it grows, which makes me think he’s a dumb***) Please let me know because it is beginning to become unbearable, if this is what may be causing such an intense reaction I want it out of the house ASAP.

Note* Years ago I passed out because of overexposure to an allergen. A doctor told me that my allergies are caused by the Cottonwood tree, I have Cottonwood trees all around our home and my work. Currently I am at work and my allergies are bearable, a little congestion but that is the worst of it. This is even with my office windows open, which is why I am speculating that it is the mold that is causing my reactions.

A Myers

Poisonous mushrooms

If you are not an expert in identifying wild mushrooms, don't go out and try to pick magic mushrooms in the wild ". You might pick a really poisonous mushroom. Before you go hunting make sure that you are able to identify the magic mushrooms you are looking for, and that you are aware of the poisonous look-al-likes.

Eating magic mushrooms that have gone bad

When you are growing your own magic mushrooms and the become covered with mold DO NOT eat them. When you have bought (fresh) or picked magic mushrooms and they have gone bad (dark brown, black, moldy), DO NOT eat them. Moldy or bad mushrooms may contain poisons and harmful bacteria that could make you very ill.

Bad trip

Magic mushrooms contain psilocin and psilocybin psilocybin. These compounds are psychedelics. They will cause an effect similar to a "trip" on LSD. Loss of reality may be experienced and severe anxiety and paranoia can occur. You may experience a bad trip. The most important rule to prevent a voyage into hell is: START WITH A LOW DOSE.

Avoid Fly agarics ( Amanita Muscaria )

A lot of people trip on Fly Agaric and call them magic mushrooms as well.

However, don't confuse psilocybe mushrooms with Amanita Muscaria (fly agaric). There is no psilocybin nor psilocyn in Fly Agaric and we don't consider it a 'real' magic mushroom.

The (red with white dots) Amanita Muscaria can cause a very unpleasant experience and health problems. Potential symptoms of Muscarine, an active alkaloid of Fly Agaric and other Amanita's, followed after ingestion as described by The Merck Index are: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and bronchospasm. With larger doses: acrimation, incontinence, bracycardia, hypotension and shock. Ibotanic acid, also an active substance of the Amanita's may cause brain damage as described by various authors on Public Medline. Muscimole is another active alkaloid in Amanita Muscaria. Its symptoms after oral intake are described by Richard Schultzes and Albert Hofmann as confusion, disorientation in situation and time perception, disturbance of visual function and hearing, muscle twitching, weariness, fatigue and sleep. Psychic performance and learning are diminished. Jochem Gartz, a well known mushroom specialist warnes in his book 'Magic Mushrooms around the world' that Amatoxins contained in the Amanita's may be lethal!

What's more! Amanita's are legal everywhere, even in the USA. Would the drug tsars keep a drug legal that is really nice?

Magic mushroom dangers Q and A

Question

Would you please set me straight on mushrooms. My 17 year old son has been taking mushrooms and unfortunately he likes them. He has told me that the drugs contained in mushrooms only stays in your system for one day and has no lasting effects . How close to LSD are mushrooms? I have been told that if you have a tendency for depression and if it runs in your family that LSD can trigger a reaction to your depression tendencies. I know this to be very true because my wife's cousin was into LSD and he went into a major breakdown and is still having problems at 35,he was 17 when this happened. Is there any research on the effect of mushrooms having the same reaction to a person with depression tendencies? Any input would be appreciated, my son has to much potential to be wasting it messing around with drugs that could potentially ruin his life, thanks, Dave.

Answer

Hi Dave, Just one day: TRUE. Mushrooms are not so "heavy" as LSD. Mushrooms like other psychedelics may bring psychological problems to the surface: TRUE. All in all he risks are not very great if taken with care (low dose, not more often than once a month, right set and setting). Not addictive. Hope this helps, dick.

Question

Hi. First like to congratulate you on your well informing website, very didactic. I am quite a small girl and my mates want me to go camping with them to do shrooms, does the amount you should take depend on your weight? What should I do if I have a bad trip? I think everybody is going to be on them so I really can't count on them for help in casa anything goes wrong. Is is ok to smoke hash ? Thank you. Lucy

Answer

Smoking hash is ok. Just take at most 1 gram dry and wait for 90 minutes If everything goes nicely, take more. What you could do is have a downer at hand if things go nasty. For example: some (1) valium (diazepam 30-40 mg), or (2) temesta (7.5 mg) or (3) seresta (oxazepam 50 mg). BTW: if you really are afraid of taking MM's, don't do it. I mean, don't be pushed in it if you actually don't feel like it. hope this helps, dikkie

Question

My name is Nicole and i had a terrible experience yesterday on shrooms. i had eaten shrooms twice before with no problem and can say i really enjoyed it. i am 5'2 and about 115 lbs. this time, when i ate the 8th, i didn't even finish them all. i felt fine at first. we were going to go to the beach to "people watch." I got up to go to the bathroom first and all of a sudden i felt extreme anxiety. i have never been so scared in my life. i felt like i was fighting with my self. i started screaming at my boyfriend. everything i saw was changing and i didn't know where i was. i was being really mean to him one sec and the next second i was apologizing trying to tell him i didn't mean it. i could not understand anything that was going on. i had no concept of anything. even time. i kept asking what time it was. literally a min felt like it should have been 2 or 3 hours. (we ate the shrooms at 9 am). he tried to put on some soothing music and i made him take it out. i couldn't even watch commercials with music on tv
Now 24 hours later i feel extremely sad and not quite myself. i know you will answer this email on your website, but i would appreciate it if you could email me back and tell me what happened. how can i get myself feeling normal again? thank you

Answer

Hi Nicole, Sorry to read your story. Really nasty.
What exactly happened, i don't know. But the confusion and extreme visuals points to a (to) high dose. Probably the magic mushrooms really started to take effect in the bathroom and you were not up to the intensity of the rapid take off. ( "oh, oh this is going out of hand" ). A natural reaction is trying to keep full control, and because this is impossible, you get frightened. The same happened to me a few times.
What Now? First. You will feel better in the future, but it will take some time. A bad experience always make people feel bad. Try to make the best of of it by figuring out what was the source of your anxiety.
Making another pleasant trip will also make you feel better. But for you take again, give yourself time, and start with a low dose. !!! If you're really afraid, don't do it at all. !!!
All the best and feel free to email me again. Bye, Dick

Question

REALLY BAD EXPERIENCE - I had a really bad experience on mushrooms when I took them for my 2nd time. The first time it was incredible I had uncontrollable laughter and fun visuals. The 2nd time was completely diff in every way. About 20 mins after taking them my tongue started to vibrate inside my mouth. About 20 minutes after that I felt as though I was going to faint and I drooped to the floor. For the next 5 or 6 hrs I was lying down feeling as though my brain was being squeezed and the maddest things were coming out. I was quite literally in another realm rolling about and acting insane. 2 weeks after the incident I started getting panic attacks which lasted for about a week. 3 months on and I still feel very out of sorts. I often feel faint, sick and paranoid with a racing heart beat. I have stopped drinking and smoking weed completely which breaks my heart and I don't feel well enough to go out and enjoy myself with my friends. Is this unusual unheard of? If not what can I do to help and how long does it usually take to go away? Any help would be very much appreciated, thanks.

Answer

FIRST: this is really shit man; sorry to hear. SECOND: are you sure that you were taking psilocybin mushrooms and not some other kind (for example Amanita's?) THIRD: I ask this because, i never heard about such a intensely physical response. Lots of people -- including -- myself (on LSD) have had nasty experiences on psychedelics. And it is not uncommon (as with me) that they can echo for some time. But as I said, your case looks quite extreme to me. WHAT NOW? I'm afraid I cant come up with an instant solution. Have you talked over your problems with other people (friends, your doctor)? Do you have any idea what may cause / have caused your panic attacks? Is there something bothering you deep down.

Question

VERY BAD EXPERIENCE - I took mushrooms at the age of 20 and had a very bad experience. I became suicidal and for about 4 days I was totally wasted. Today at the age of 47 I suffer from severe depression and phobias and have had to have Shock Treatment for a breakdown. Could this be related to that bad experience all those years ago and if so what help could I get, if there is a cure available.

Answer

Hi Allen, Sorry to hear this. It's possible that your experience have deepened your problems. I'm afraid there is no out-of-the-box cure. Sorry i cant help you more, all the best, dick

Question

ALLERGY / ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO LIBERTY CAPS - Dick I had my first experience of shrooms last Sunday, and it was absolutely amazing (after I got my head round the fact that I could not trust anything I was seeing, hearing or feeling). However, while coming up on them, I got cramps in both my forearms and was plagued by pins and needles in both my right arm (which actually swelled up a bit) and my right foot which stayed for some time after the trip had finished. I had a wonderful trip and would like to do it again, however I am worried about the physical reaction to them. Am I alergic or could it be something else. Please tell me its not serious, as I am really looking forward to another go.

Answer

Strange. I've never heard of allergic reactions before, but that does not mean that it is impossible. general speaking allergies 'build up'. The more contact with the 'allergen' the more severe the reaction. so, be carefull. If the next time you have the same phenomena you had better stay away from liberty caps. Maybe it is an idea to try another variety next time (eg cubensis). Maybe the reaction is caused by substances unique to lc's.

Question

LONG TERM EFFECTS - Hi, Ummm..my name's Maria and my friend takes Shroom, I just wanted to know if there are any long term affects, as I really care about him and don't want to see him in trouble. I've been reading up on bad trips, so I know about that, I'm talking mental problems, thanks very much, Maria.

Answer

No body problems whatsoever. If he takes them once in a while in a responsible way there is nothing to worry about. If he takes daily / weekly in all kind of circumstances, you have reason to worry.