Harms of magic mushrooms to the body and mind

12Short-term harms of magic mushrooms

These harms appear during the hours of the effect, and can happen from the first time:

• Sometimes nausea and vomiting, a racing heartbeat and raised blood pressure.
• Poor coordination and difficulty judging distances and speeds.
• Confused thinking and sense of time, and difficulty communicating.
• Anxiety, panic or severe paranoia in some people.
• Impaired judgment, which raises the risk of falls, accidents and impulsive behavior.

13Toxic mushroom poisoning: the biggest danger

Magic mushrooms look like many inedible or poisonous species, including ones containing "amatoxin" toxins, which are responsible for the vast majority of mushroom poisoning deaths worldwide. These toxins are not destroyed by cooking or drying.

1. After about 6 to 12 hours
   A silent period, then digestive symptoms

   Nothing at first, then nausea, cramps, severe watery diarrhea and dehydration.

2. Days 2-3
   False improvement

   The digestive symptoms settle and everyone thinks the danger has passed, while the liver is silently being damaged.

3. Days 3 to 7
   Organ failure

   Yellowing of the skin and eyes, clotting disorder, liver and kidney failure, and death may occur.

References indicate that deaths from this poisoning have become less common where treatment starts early, but they still occur. There is no home method or "folk sign" that tells a safe mushroom from a deadly one.

14Panic attacks and the "bad trip"

The experience can suddenly turn into intense fear, a feeling of dying, going mad or losing control, terrifying hallucinations, and paranoia toward those around. This is more likely with prior anxiety, an uncomfortable setting, being with strangers, or mixing mushrooms with other substances.

Panic may push the person to run away or act violently to defend himself from an imagined danger, and this is where many injuries happen. The right response is to stay with him in a calm, safe place, speak in a reassuring voice, and call an ambulance if he does not settle or is putting himself or others at risk.

15Accidents and risky behavior

16Do magic mushrooms cause psychosis?

NIDA evidence indicates that hallucinogens may trigger a schizophrenia-like state in people with predisposing factors, such as a personal or family history of psychosis or bipolar disorder. Psychosis may last days, weeks or longer after the effect ends, and needs specialized psychiatric treatment.

This is why scientific research on psilocybin excludes these people entirely, because their risk is clearly higher. Someone who uses randomly has no one screening him before the experience. Also read about drug-induced psychosis.

17Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder

Some people who have used hallucinogens experience a return of visual disturbances after the effect ends, such as halos around objects, trails behind moving objects, or a rippling in vision. NIDA describes what is known as a recurrence or "flashback" as usually mild, brief, and occurring within a week.

But in a few people these disturbances recur and last a long time, may come back after years, and cause real distress. This is called "hallucinogen persisting perception disorder." Research on it is still limited, and it needs assessment by a psychiatrist.

18Harms of mixing magic mushrooms with other substances

19Who is most vulnerable to the harms of magic mushrooms?

• People with a personal or family history of psychosis or bipolar disorder.
• Teenagers: because the brain is still developing and impulsivity is higher.
• People with heart disease or high blood pressure.
• People with anxiety or depression: because of the chance of a terrifying experience or a worsening of the condition.
• Children: they may eat foods mixed with mushrooms without knowing, which is an emergency.
• Pregnant women: there is no information proving safety, and they must see a doctor immediately after any use.

20Tolerance and repeated use

Tolerance to psilocybin develops very quickly, so the effect weakens with closely spaced repeated use. This may push some people to increase the amount or mix it with other substances, which raises the risks. Although physical dependence is rare, repeated use may be linked to declining school or work performance, withdrawal from relationships, and excessive preoccupation with the experiences, which are signs of a pattern that needs assessment.

21Social and legal harms

Magic mushrooms may seem far from the well-known social harms of addiction, but repeated use may be linked to declining school or work performance, isolation in narrow circles, and reckless decisions while under the effect. The substance is also prohibited in Egypt, and possessing it can carry serious legal consequences that affect a young person's future.

22Do the harms of magic mushrooms go away?

Most acute effects pass when the effect ends, and most people who go through a panic experience recover from it, although some continue to have anxiety for a while. Persistent psychosis and prolonged perceptual disorder need psychological treatment, and recovery from them may take long. Liver damage from a toxic mushroom may be permanent or fatal. That is why prevention and early intervention are the foundation.