Shrooms
Can You Be Addicted to Shrooms?
Psilocybin mushrooms, like any other drugs, can have addiction potential. Although magic mushrooms are much less likely to get addicted to than alcohol, for example, users should be careful so they don’t end up abusing magic mushrooms. Microdosing is an exception, as it requires a regular regimen of microdoses of psilocybin mushrooms.
The Hippie Movement popularized using any hallucinogenic drug to open their mind and create altered perceptions. Unfortunately, repeat usage can make psilocybin mushrooms addictive. We endorse sober living, and magic mushrooms can have many positive effects when used appropriately, such as reducing drug abuse.
Key Takeaways:
- Substance abuse research has shown magic mushrooms can have addictive potential as they cause mind-altering effects.
- Psilocybin can potentially make mushrooms addictive, but it’s not very common.
- Psilocybin mushrooms (psilocin) can be psychologically addictive, leading to psychological dependence.
- You are much more likely to get addicted to alcohol than taking psilocybin mushrooms.
- There are dangers to repeated usage in large doses, such as HPPD (Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder)
- If you begin to crave psilocybin often, you should seek professional treatment.
Can you get addicted to psilocybin mushrooms?
Mushrooms may cause addiction. Many people think mushrooms do not have addictive properties and feel there is no negative impact on their mental health when using them for recreational purposes.
The chemical called psilocybin is what makes magic mushrooms addictive. The response to this question is the same for all other substance use or activities using hallucinogenic drugs. There is always the potential for substance abuse, which can cause addiction.
When we become dependent on substances or activities to have effects and crave them constantly, our priorities are often distorted, and our lives will change. Psilocybin mushrooms can trigger an addiction spiral, especially in people who struggle to escape their lives.
Effects of Psilocybin on Recreational Doses
Indigenous communities in South America have used magic mushrooms for some time without mushroom addiction. These are not the same mushrooms you buy from grocery stores, which, when eaten fresh, are delicious; eating these every day is not considered mushroom addiction, as they are not hallucinogenic drugs. Now, they have a different effect;
- Feeling of warmth
- Changes in visual perceptions
- It lasts three to six hours
- Potential to cause bad trips
- Nausea, dry mouth or other physical effects
Psilocybin Mushroom Addiction
Some have argued that Magic Mushrooms can cause severe addiction. Depending on your condition, a person may be dependent on other substances. As with any drug use in people, their craving for it increases.
Sometimes, a person may prefer using Psilocybin mushrooms to get the hallucinogenic effects. Therefore, people develop an emotional dependence on the Psilocybin mushroom rather than physical dependence, most often affecting their mental health and well-being. The dependency intensity varies greatly depending on the quantity and frequency of mushrooms consumed.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), psilocybin mushrooms and other hallucinogens are much less prone to substance use addiction because of the intensity of the experience and altered perceptions.
Symptoms of mushroom abuse
When someone consumes psilocybin in large doses as a recreational drug, it can cause several often dangerous physical and psychological reactions and other long-term side effects. Magic mushrooms can have many physical and psychological advantages, including the mushroom’s “high,” which is commonly assumed to be the primary psychological effect. Still, other symptoms may affect thinking, feelings, or thoughts. The mental and physical symptoms that occur during mushroom abuse are:
- Bad trips become more frequent.
- Long term psychosis
- Increase in nausea, anxiety and other side effects
- Persistent increase in blood pressure
- An altered sense of reality, if used repeatedly
Demographics of Psilocybin Mushroom Abuse and Addiction
Addiction experts from NIDA (National Institute of Drug Addiction) performed a recent study which found that 42 million Americans use hallucinogenic substances. The hallucinogen usage was the highest among women and men aged 30-34, indicating greater use than for men. This is most likely due to the microdose movement.
Recent studies from Johns Hopkins University showed that Psilocybin use could be safe for medical use and treat addiction to substance abuse such as alcohol or cocaine. In addition, addiction treatment can achieve sober living, where hallucinogenic mushrooms have shown efficacy as one possible solution for drug rehab.
In the United States, over half of those who reported using hallucinogens in their lifetime said they had also used them in some instances in the last year. In addition, some people consuming mushrooms may use other substances, such as marijuana.
Using psilocybin with other recreational drugs can be extremely dangerous, making mushroom addiction more likely.
Are Magic Mushrooms a gateway drug?
Most often, psychedelic mushrooms are not considered a gateway drug; mushroom addiction is rare. Instead, sober living is the best kind of life, which drug rehab and addiction treatment can help.
Several think gateway drugs are the first substance before potentially moving on to more potent drugs. It is much more likely that marijuana, alcohol or nicotine would be gateway drugs, leading to the use of magic mushrooms.
Although a discussion is continuing on the possibility of putting mushrooms in this category, mushrooms have not been widely considered addictive. In addition, arguments for using psilocybin mushrooms are often based on a misunderstanding of the potential risks of these chemicals to older patients, who may experience different side effects based on their physical health.
Most young adults don’t think of drug addiction as a possible result when they consume a drug. Instead, study participants use psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin mushrooms to identify the side effects on mental health.
Is Microdosing Addictive?
Because of the low dose, would microdosing be addictive? Most research indicates that you would not become dependent unless it were through habit rather than chemical effects.
Dangers of Abusing Psilocybin Mushrooms
Many claim that mushrooms are entirely harmless, although they do not always prove the truth. While it is often hard to overdose on this drug, ingesting mushrooms poses associated risks. The most common danger of psilocybin mushrooms is a bad trip.
With no substantial physiological dependence associated with psilocybin, withdrawal is unlikely, though it may take some days for the person to feel normal. However, you may experience lingering ill effects from mushrooms. Artificial methods cannot control the production of mushrooms in the laboratory because the amounts in their soil can be uncontrolled and unsupervised.
Addiction Potential vs Other Drugs
Like many dissociative drugs, mushroom use and its psychedelic effects can lead to addiction. Fortunately, other illegal drugs and alcohol are more likely to lead to substance use disorder. Addiction treatment is available, which may be covered by your insurance benefits. Please consult a medical professional, as sober living is advantageous.
Sources:
https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/hallucinogens/psilocybin-mushrooms/
https://drugpolicy.org/drug-facts/are-psilocybin-mushrooms-addictive
