Magic mushrooms is a slang term for psilocybin mushrooms, a fungus that can produce hallucinogenic effects. If you are familiar with shrooms, you know they can cause an altered perception, altered moods, and visual or auditory hallucinations. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 7.4 million people reported abusing hallucinogens like shrooms in 2021.
Most of the time, magic mushrooms are eaten raw or brewed into a tea to be consumed. However, if you are experimenting with shrooms, you might be wondering if you can smoke them. While it might be physically possible to crush shrooms up into a powder and smoke them, you might not experience the effects you are looking for.
There is no evidence that smoking shrooms will produce a psychedelic effect. That being said, using them in this manner puts you at risk of dangerous adverse effects, including inhaling mold spores into your lungs. Because of this, you should avoid smoking mushrooms.
How Do People Usually Abuse Magic Mushrooms?
Mushrooms are usually ingested by swallowing fresh or dried shrooms. You might also brew mushroom tea to have a psychedelic experience.
It is also possible to create fancy concoctions like mushroom chocolates, soups, smoothies, or even foods like pizzas. All of these methods of administration will result in hallucinogenic effects.
The common effects of eating mushrooms or drinking a tea include:
- Feelings of euphoria and wellbeing
- Increased laughter
- Changes in consciousness, mood, and sensory perception
- Dilated pupils
- Visual and auditory hallucinations
- Stomach aches, nausea, and vomiting
- Headaches
- Heightened body temperature
- Rapid breathing
- Increased blood pressure
- Excessive sweating and chills
When you take mushrooms, you could have a good or bad trip. Bad trips are characterized by feelings of anxiety, fear, and even paranoia. You might experience scary hallucinations and uncomfortable feelings.
Since you could have a bad trip when taking shrooms, it is best to avoid them altogether. This is especially important if you have a mental health condition, as magic mushrooms can increase the risk of severe symptoms.
What Happens When You Smoke Shrooms?
It’s difficult to determine what exactly would happen if you smoked shrooms. It is possible to smoke them, by crushing up the dried fungi and putting them into a bowl or bong. However, you might not experience many effects.
Some people have reported a mild high when smoking shrooms, while others have said they experienced no effects at all.
One of the main reasons shrooms are not effective when smoked is because of the heat. The active ingredient in shrooms (psilocybin) breaks down when it is exposed to high temperatures. In other words, when you smoke shrooms you are burning away the chemical that causes a high.
Is it Dangerous to Smoke Magic Mushrooms?
While smoking magic mushrooms does not produce psychoactive effects, you could experience uncomfortable symptoms. There are also a few risks associated with the effects of smoking shrooms.
The potential dangers of smoking magic mushrooms include:
Mold Spores
Mushrooms are fungi, so they might have mold spores on them. When you smoke shrooms, you could be inhaling mold spores, allowing them to travel into your lungs. This increases your risk of experiencing respiratory issues like inflammation and infection.
The risk of mold spores increases substantially if you have a mold allergy, a lung condition, or are immunocompromised. Depending on the species of mold you are ingesting, the effects could range from mild discomfort to life-threatening.
Physical Side Effects
While you might not hallucinate after smoking shrooms, you could experience some of the physical side effects of psilocybin.
The physical side effects of magic mushrooms include:
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Heightened body temperature
- Muscle weakness
- Problems with coordination
When you are not experiencing the psychoactive effects you are hoping for but dealing with adverse physical reactions, there is no real reward to smoking shrooms.
Mental Health Effects
Consuming shrooms can lead to mental health issues. This is especially true if you have a pre-existing mental health condition. There is no real research on the effects of smoking shrooms, so it is possible that you could experience adverse mental health symptoms.
You could experience anxiety, depression, paranoia, or even symptoms of psychosis. If you are consuming shrooms regularly, you could develop a condition called hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD).
Potential for a Bad Trip
Shrooms have been used for psychedelic experiences for thousands of years. While you could have a positive experience, many people suffer from bad trips when they consume magic mushrooms. Even though it is unlikely to experience a trip when smoking shrooms, you should be aware of the risk of having a negative reaction.
A bad shroom trip could cause the following symptoms:
- Sensations that time is standing still
- Negative thoughts or interpretations of your surroundings
- Extreme feelings of paranoia
- Scary hallucinations
- Sudden mood swings
- Unnerving sensations, sounds, or sights
How to Stay Safe When Using Magic Mushrooms
While you should avoid using shrooms, we understand that sometimes there is no convincing someone to abstain from substance abuse. If you are going to abuse magic mushrooms, you should at least be aware of the tips and tricks that can keep you safe.
If you’re going to use shrooms, consider the following precautions:
- Choose a different method other than smoking, as mold spores and respiratory issues are a real danger
- If you must smoke your shrooms, avoid holding the smoke in, as this exposes your lungs to toxins longer
- Start with the lowest dose to ensure you are going to respond positively to the substance
- Have at least one sober and trustworthy person around to ensure your safety
- Choose the right time and place to trip, as your surroundings and mental state will contribute to having a bad trip
- Make sure you eat something before taking shrooms, as an empty stomach could lead to nausea and vomiting
- Do not mix shrooms with other substances like alcohol, marijuana, or other hallucinogens
If you have been abusing shrooms regularly for a long time, you might be struggling with a substance use disorder. Drug rehab programs can help you overcome an addiction to shrooms with a combination of support, evidence-based therapies, and relapse prevention planning. Get in touch with an addiction treatment program to start your recovery journey on the right foot.
Finding Help for Shroom Abuse
If you or a loved one abuses shrooms, it might be time to consider professional treatment. While there is debate on whether shrooms are physically addictive, you could be psychologically dependent. A drug rehab center can help you overcome the root causes of your shroom abuse, making it easier for you to stay sober long-term.
At Mandala Healing Center, we believe in compassionate and evidence-based treatment methods. Contact us today to learn more about our addiction treatment programs.