Psilocybin mushrooms are a hallucinogenic fungus that people consume to experience a “trip.” During these trips, side effects occur such as changes in sensory perception, mood, and auditory or visual hallucinations. Shrooms can also cause physical symptoms like dilated pupils, fast heartbeat, sweating, nausea, and more.
In recent years, mushroom chocolate bars have become popular in the United States. While magic mushrooms remain illegal federally, they have been legalized in two states. Additionally, because of some gray areas in certain state laws, some gas stations, bodegas, and smoke shops have been able to sell magic mushroom chocolate bars.[1]
Unfortunately, many of these chocolate bars have been recalled for containing dangerous additives that have led to illnesses in consumers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that 158 illnesses have been reported from 32 states and 63 of these cases ended in hospitalization.[2]
There are other risks to consuming psychedelic mushroom chocolate bars that you should be aware of. You could experience adverse effects that are referred to as a “bad trip.” Your mental health symptoms could worsen and the potency of these mushroom edibles is often unreliable.
In this article, you will learn:
- What are mushroom chocolate bars
- What are the side effects of shroom chocolate
- What are the risks of consuming mushroom chocolate bars
What are Shroom Chocolate Bars?
Mushroom chocolate bars contain psilocybin mushrooms. These are a type of fungi that can cause mind-altering and hallucinogenic effects. They are sold in stores, typically with small amounts of psilocybin.
While most stores sell these chocolate bars for microdosing mushrooms, some might include a potent level of psilocin. Psilocin is the active ingredient in psilocybin mushrooms that causes you to hallucinate. Mushroom chocolate bars are also sold on the street by people making them in their homes.
Even though shroom chocolate bars are sold in stores, that does not mean they are safe to consume. There is no way to ensure that the potency is being accurately displayed. Additionally, some contain various additives like acetyl psilocin, pregabalin, kavalactones found in the kava plant, Ibotenic acid, and muscimol.[1]
What are the Effects of Mushroom Chocolate Bars?
Mushroom products like chocolates contain psilocybin. When you consume psilocybin, your body metabolizes it into psilocin. The effects of psilocin might include hallucinations, changes in sensory perception, shifts in mood, and more.
The side effects of shroom chocolate could include:[3]
- Shifts in the way you perceive reality
- Seeing colors, shapes, or scenes that are not real
- Losing your sense of time and space
- A dreamlike or euphoric state of mind
- Feelings of fear, anxiety, or panic
- Dilated pupils
- Increased body temperature and sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fast heart rate and increased blood pressure
It is believed that your state of mind before consuming psilocybin mushrooms can influence the experience you have. If you take them when you are feeling anxious, you might experience a “bad trip.” Bad trips often involve scary hallucinations, feelings of panic, and confusion or paranoia.
Additionally, taking any type of psilocybin mushroom extract can worsen pre-existing mental health conditions. For example, if you have a mental illness that can cause psychosis, taking shrooms can trigger those symptoms.[4]
Dangers of Mushroom Chocolate
The dangers of chocolate infused with shrooms are consistent with the risks of consuming any type of psilocybin. You could experience adverse effects, worsened mental health symptoms, and have an increase in risk of injuries. The main danger that is unique to mushroom chocolate is its unreliable potency, as there is no way to ensure that you are not taking a large dose.
The risks of consuming shroom chocolate include:
Adverse Effects
Psilocybin might be enjoyable to some users, however, it is known to cause adverse effects. You could have a bad trip, which would lead to scary hallucinations, mental confusion, as well as feelings of fear, panic, and paranoia. You might also experience adverse physical effects like vomiting, fast or irregular heartbeat, increased heartbeat, sweating, chills, and hyperventilation.
While psilocybin is not usually associated with life-threatening symptoms, you could experience dangerous effects if you take a large dose. Examples of the dangerous effects of shrooms include:[5]
- Panic and paranoia
- Agitation and violent behavior
- Psychosis
- Seizures
- Coma
Unreliable Potency
Mushroom chocolates can range from a microdose to highly potent depending on who made it.
The potency of your chocolate can depend on a variety of factors, including:
- Site or origin of the mushrooms
- The type and species of the mushrooms the chocolate contains
- The growing conditions of the mushroom
- How the mushrooms were dried, processed, and added to the chocolate
- How long the mushrooms were dried
- The recipe for the chocolate and the dose of mushrooms added
If you receive a potent version of mushroom chocolate, you could experience a variety of adverse effects, including substance-induced psychosis.
Worsened Mental Health
Psilocybin can worsen mental health conditions. While it is being researched for its benefits on specific mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, it can also cause harm. If you have a mental illness like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder, consuming mushroom chocolate could trigger a psychotic episode.
Increased Risk of Injuries and Impulsiveness
According to a study, “Psilocybin produces a non-ordinary state of consciousness characterized by changes in emotional state and perception, including experiences of self, space, and time.”[6]
Because your emotions are altered and your perception of space and time is off, you are at risk of experiencing injuries. You could become disoriented and experience a fall or try to drive a car while you are hallucinating. There have also been extreme cases where people high on shrooms believe they can fly, causing them to jump off of buildings.[7]
Find Help for Shroom Chocolate Abuse
While you cannot become addicted to psilocybin in the traditional manner, you could become psychologically dependent. Using shrooms long-term can lead to a variety of health concerns, including worsened mental illness. As a result, you should always seek help from a drug rehab center to overcome psilocybin mushroom abuse.
Contact the Mandala Healing Center today for more information on how we can help you recover from shroom chocolate abuse.
References:
- The Guardian: Cartoon packaging and an ‘inconsolable’ high: when magic mushroom chocolate gets into the wrong hands
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Investigation of Illnesses: Diamond Shruumz-Brand Chocolate Bars, Cones, & Gummies (June 2024)
- The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms)
- Neuro Report: Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action
- The Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF): Psilocybin
- Sage Journals: The effects of psilocybin on cognitive and emotional functions in healthy participants
- The Boston Globe: Brookline Youth Jumps Out of Sixth Story Window After Eating “Magic Mushrooms”