There are species of mushrooms that are not consumed as food but rather for their psychoactive properties. These species are rich in alkaloids that interact with various pathways in the brain, giving hallucinogenic sensations. Psilocybin mushrooms fall into this category. You can easily buy microdose mushrooms online or in a local store if they are legal in your country.
Mushrooms have been cultivated for human consumption for millennia. Some species are nutrient-rich, providing various vitamins and minerals, including folate, potassium, magnesium, copper, and zinc. They are also rich in antioxidants such as selenium and glutathione, which is critical in preventing damage to cellular components and reducing the risk of inflammation and chronic diseases.
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Psilocybin mushrooms, on the other hand, contain the alkaloid psilocybin, which is converted to psilocin in the body and activates certain pathways in the cerebral cortex. This is what gives these mushrooms their psychedelic effect, which has been tapped in the Americas for centuries in for religious and spiritual rituals.
Amazing Facts About Magic Mushrooms
1. Used by Ancient Civilizations
Use of magic mushrooms has been discovered in past civilizations. Archaeological evidence from as far back as 7,000 years suggest that hallucinogenic mushrooms were being used in rituals and religious ceremonies. Aztec and Mayan cultures of the Americas, in Guatemala and Mexico, respectively used them to connect with the gods. In Algeria in the Sahara Desert, Mesolithic rock paintings have shown that mushrooms were central to various rituals.
2. Medicinal Uses
In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) does not consider magic mushrooms to have any medicinal use and is consequently classified as a Schedule 1 drug, despite not being addictive. However, scientific studies are beginning to appreciate that psilocybin’s psychedelic effects could make it beneficial in the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
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3. Smoked Mushrooms
Most people are only familiar with eating mushrooms or infusing them in drinks. There are many ways in which to consume shrooms. One of the less common ways is rolling the dried mushrooms into a joint and smoking like marijuana. Psilocybin mushrooms were actually smoked in ancient societies to treat nicotine addiction.
4. Wide Variety
Psilocybin mushrooms refer to a genus with over 200 species! Yes, there exists that many species of mushrooms with psychedelic effects. However, only a few species such as P. cubensis and P. semilanceata are well-known. However, there are other species outside the genus psilocybin that induce psychedelic effects. These include amanita muscaria and claviceps purpurea.
5. May Change Your Personality
Your brain functions should return back to normal in a few hours after consuming psychedelic mushrooms. Science-backed evidence, however, indicates that the experience can change an individual’s five domains of personality: openness, neuroticism, agreeableness, extroversion, and conscientiousness.
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Studies have shown that users of magic mushrooms have increased ‘openness’, which refers to the attitude towards new experiences. This is amazing since it is believed that personality reaches stagnation at the age of 30 years and cannot change thereafter.
6. Dream-like Hallucinations
Is it possible to dream without sleeping? People who consume magic mushrooms report to having dreamy experiences. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the brain prove that psilocybin opens up areas of the brain that normally are not in use. One study established that subjects under the influence of magic mushrooms had increased brain connectivity.
7. Christmas Mushrooms!
No one seems to know the origin of the Christmas cheer but it could be tied to magic mushrooms. The myth holds that in traditional Siberia, the shamans would distribute gifts of hallucinogenic mushrooms around the community each winter. The shamans considered reindeers to be spirit animals and with the community hallucinating on mushrooms, could have convinced them that the animals could fly.
Conclusion
Have you been curious to take an adventure into the fascinating world of magic mushroom trips? Well, now you know more about shrooms, you can give them a try. Remember to check your country’s laws on psilocybin mushrooms. In some countries such as the United States, they are illegal. However, in most countries like the Czech Republic and Jamaica, they are legal. If you want the best quality products, it is advisable that you grow them at home. You can order a growth kit online and get a manual for cultivating the mushrooms at home. It is quite easy as most of the work just involves watering the plants daily.
Unlike other substances with psychedelic effects, psilocybin mushrooms are safe as they do not have any adverse side effects and are not addictive. However, the dosage should be maintained at a minimum to avoid having an overwhelming magic mushroom experience.
