There are tons of mushroom species in the world, some being edible, others being poisonous, and a few being psychedelic. Psilocybin mushrooms, otherwise known as shrooms, are a type of mushroom that people consume to experience a psychedelic trip.
All species of psilocybin mushrooms contain psilocin, the psychoactive substance that can produce hallucinations and a distorted perception of time and one’s surroundings.[1]
If you or a loved one frequently abuses shrooms, you might be wondering how long they stay in your system. Exactly how long shrooms remain in your body will depend on various facts, including the dose you take, how fast your metabolism is, and how much food you consume before taking them.
However, most people begin experiencing the effects within an hour of consuming shrooms, with symptoms lasting between 4 to 6 hours.
What are the Effects of Shrooms?
Each person who takes psilocybin mushrooms can experience different effects. Because it is a hallucinogenic drug, the environment and mindset you take it in can influence the symptoms you develop. For example, someone in a comforting environment might have a good experience, while a person who is already stressed might deal with frightening hallucinations.
With that being said, the possible effects of shrooms can include:[2]
- Feelings of well-being and euphoria
- Changes in consciousness, mood, thought, and sensory perception
- Dilated or enlarged pupils
- Visual and auditory hallucinations
- Stomach aches and nausea
- Headaches
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Increased body temperature
- Fast breathing
- Vomiting
- Flushing of the face
- Sweating and chills
- Feelings of anxiety, fear, or panic
If you have a mental health condition like bipolar disorder or a psychotic disorder, you could experience a worsening of psychiatric symptoms when using shrooms. As a result, it is best to avoid psilocybin mushrooms altogether.
How Long Do the Effects of Shrooms Last?
When you consume shrooms, the effects will begin to take place sometime between 20 to 60 minutes after eating or drinking them. Exactly how long the effects last will depend on a variety of personal factors, however, most people experience symptoms for 4 to 6 hours.
The factors that can play a role in the severity and duration of the effects of shrooms include:
- The dose of shrooms you consume
- The species of psilocybin mushrooms you take
- Whether you eat them or brew them into a tea
- Whether you consume dried or fresh shrooms
- Your age and overall health
- How frequently do you consume shrooms
- Whether you consume additional substances such as marijuana
- Your state of mind when you consume the shrooms
While most people stop experiencing effects after 6 hours, you can continue to feel lasting symptoms for up to 24 hours like slight traces of light or changes in mood. Unfortunately, individuals with mental health conditions might develop worsened psychiatric symptoms as a result of consuming psilocybin.
How Long Do Shrooms Stay in Your System?
The half-life of psilocin (the active ingredient in shrooms) is about 3 hours.[3] It takes between 4 to 5 half-lives for your body to eliminate a substance. This means that shrooms stay in your system for up to 15 hours.
However, magic mushrooms can leave behind metabolites in your system for a longer period, allowing drug tests to determine if you have consumed them. Each type of drug test has a different window of detection when it comes to psilocybin mushrooms.
Urine
Psilocybin is detectable in urine for up to 24 hours after your last dose. However, specialized drug panels must be used to test for shrooms, as they are not included on basic panels.
Saliva
Like urine tests, saliva drug tests can detect psilocybin in your system for up to 24 hours. Shrooms will begin to show up on saliva tests just 30 minutes after you ingest them.
Blood
Blood tests are not used as commonly as urine or saliva drug tests, because they are invasive and provide a shorter window of detection. However, they may be used in a hospital setting to determine if shrooms are contributing to your symptoms. With that being said, blood tests can detect psilocybin in your system for up to 12 hours after you last consumed them.
Hair
Hair tests are the most reliable form of drug test, however, they are not used frequently because they can be expensive. With that being said, a hair test can detect any substance in your system for up to 90 days after you consume it, including shrooms.
Find Help for Psilocybin Mushroom Abuse
If you or a loved one abuse psilocybin mushrooms, it might be time to consider professional rehab. Long-term abuse of psilocybin mushrooms can lead to mental health emergencies like psychosis. Thankfully, rehab programs like Mandala Healing Center can provide you with the tools and skills you need to recover from shroom addiction.
To learn more about our rehab program for psilocybin mushrooms, contact Mandala Healing Center today.
References:
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): Psilocybin Fast Facts, Retrieved November 2023 From https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs6/6038/index.htm
- The Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF): Psilocybin, Retrieved November 2023 From https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/psilocybin/
- The National Library of Medicine (NLM): Pharmacokinetics of Escalating Doses of Oral Psilocybin in Healthy Adults, Retrieved November 2023 From https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28353056/