In an animal study, researchers found that low doses of psilocybin helped condition the fear response in mice. This might mean that magic mushrooms can help treat PTSD and related conditions. In a 2022 study, researchers analyzed the effects of psilocybin — the psychedelic compound found in shrooms — in 27 folks with a long history of depression. Participants were given two doses of psilocybin every 2 weeks between August 2017 and April 2019. Individuals may sometimes require medical detoxification to manage withdrawal symptoms safely. While not as common as other drugs, psilocybin mushroom withdrawal can occur 24 to 48 hours after stopping use.

People often call these experiences a "bad trip." If someone experiences a "bad trip," they may have flashbacks (feeling like they’re reliving an experience) that continue for days, months or years afterward. Epic Healing Eugene — America’s first licensed psilocybin service center — opened in June, marking Oregon’s unprecedented step in offering the mind-bending drug to the public. The center now has a waitlist of more than 3,000 names, including people with depression, PTSD or Golden Teacher Chocolate Bar end-of-life dread. Anyone dealing with psychological problems or mood disorders should think twice before taking magic mushrooms. Because of the way psilocybin works on the brain, taking mushrooms might have negative consequences for someone whose mental health is already compromised.

Thirty-three and 55 species of Psilocybe have been shown to be positive for psilocybin using physico-chemical methods (Wurst et al., 2002; Andersson et al., 2009). Allen (2012) reported 146 species that either had bluing reactions or confirmed the presence of psilocybin and psilocin using physico-chemical methods. The most frequently sequenced region of DNA used for these genera is the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region (approximately 500–800 bp), which forms a part of the ribosomal operon (Schoch et al., 2012; Badotti et al., 2017). The ITS region is used due to its efficacy at identification across fungal lineages, and represents the primary barcoding region (Schoch et al., 2012).

Additionally, there is some evidence that psychedelics can enhance creative task performance and encourage the growth of new neural connections in the brain. Licensing is not the only obstacle to the drug becoming a common medicine. Taken over multiple hours in clinical settings with expert guides, psilocybin therapy does not come cheap.

This section will discuss the mental and physical effects of shrooms and the influential factors contributing to their wide range of experiences. By gaining a deeper understanding of psilocybin factors, you can better prepare yourself. However, it’s not safe to consume a mushroom just because it has all of these visual characteristics. It’s typically not safe to make a decision simply based on looking at mushrooms, especially if you don’t have experience identifying them.

If your use of psilocybin is affecting your health, family, relationships, work, school, financial or other life situations, or you’re concerned about a loved one, you can find help and support. If you or someone else needs urgent help after taking drugs or drinking, call 999 for an ambulance. Magic mushrooms are not addictive, but as with LSD, you can become tolerant to the effects quite quickly – and that means you’ll need to take more to get the same effect as before.