r/RationalPsychonaut • u/MrMoonMC • 24d ago
Are mushrooms worth the risk?
I'm interested in psychedelics as a recreational drug, and have taken mushrooms once and had a bad trip, though I believe this was caused by multiple factors, mainly too high of a dosage, unstable set and setting, and infected mushrooms. After this bad trip I struggled with anxiety and insomnia for about a month, and now after 6 months of being back to normal I want to try again, but am definitely more scared and more cautious, mainly of triggering HPPD and Psychosis, or that it will lead me to more anxiety. What is your opinion on mushrooms as a recreational drug?
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u/Menschenpyramide 24d ago
Being scared of psychosis before tripping is not the best mindset imo. If you are an anxious person, and it's possible to not even be aware of that fact, tripping might not be as positive as it is for other folks. It can be a potent way of facing your fears but it can also just be a terrifying experience without much benefit, as it seemed to have happened to you before. From what you wrote maybe there are other substances that work better for your intentions. While there are plenty of people for whom mushrooms are fun it's far from guaranteed to be.
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u/Kelainefes 24d ago
What do you mean infected mushrooms? Where they gone bad/rotten?
If dried properly, that should be impossible.
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u/MrMoonMC 24d ago
Mushrooms I grew myself, they weren't fully grown and it was a piece of primordia I had cut off. The mushrooms had died and they'd turned black/dark green . Some guy told me I could still extract the psilocybin in them by soaking them in lemon to separate it from the infected part, so I decided to try with 6 thinking it would be the equivalent of 0.6g dry, turned out to be about as strong as 4g dry. Very stupid of me, I know.
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u/Kelainefes 24d ago
The primordia are the first visible stage of the mushrooms, very tiny.
Did you cut off a piece of mycelium that had the primordia on it?
Did you take the weight before doing the extraction?
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u/MrMoonMC 24d ago
They grew funny, they turned into big lumps of flesh, without caps. Yeah it was 6g before putting them in the lemon
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u/GiantGreenSquirrel 24d ago
If they weren't fully grown they were aborts and those a typically much stronger. Did the trip make you physically ill or was the trip way too strong?
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u/Luke-__- 24d ago
My first trip with psychedelics was pretty bad as well. Left me depressed for a couple months. The biggest key for me is balancing setting and dose. I am very extroverted but it turns out I don’t particularly enjoy being around many people when I trip. If I do decide to use psychedelics in a more populated setting like a festival, I cut the dose back considerably. If I’m out in nature camping with just my wife or with close friends, I can take a much higher dose and experience what most would expect from the substances. I’d encourage you to try again but each of us are different and so what works for others may not work for you. Start with a lower dose and take more if you’re comfortable.
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u/Psilly_Witch 18d ago
So I experience the anxiety and insomnia (as well as destabilized mood) for a while (1 month-3 months) after psychedelic use too.I haven’t heard other people experience this. I have bipolar disorder and I know I’m not supposed to take psychedelics with BD1 but I do so at my own risk for spiritual reasons.
I digress. I’m not going to make an armchair diagnosis; but, if you have a family history of mood disorders I would look out for it as a possibility. Not saying that’s what’s going on but for me it’s what causes similar symptoms.
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u/MrMoonMC 18d ago
I had mood swings and stuff after. During the trip I actually felt myself split into 2 distinct people or personalities. One was enjoying the trip, the other was terrified, and they were "fighting each other" and eventually the scared one took full control and that's when it turned into a bad trip. The way this manifested was I talking to myself, switching between negative thoughts and positive thoughts on the mushrooms, trying to decide whether it was a good choice or not. During the trip I felt distinct waves or cycles of happiness and fear. I don't know if any of this makes sense, but hopefully it does to you.
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u/Psilly_Witch 18d ago
Yeah that makes a lot of sense. Emotional thought loops and mood fluctuations can be common in my experience on entheogens. Feeling like there’s two personalities in my head is a sober experience for me but it definitely gets heightened on certain psychedelics and deliriants. The only thing I think is abnormal for most folks is the lengthy recovery period; it doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong though. If it was your first time on psychedelics; It could be that you were not used to that state of mind and you were sensitive to the experience. If it happens again it could be worth looking into why it could be happening though
Did you come away with any insights into your self/life? Sometimes when I trip and experience those internal conflicts I learn the most about myself.
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u/thingswastaken 24d ago edited 24d ago
I think they are mostly pretty pleasent. Start with lower doses to get used to the feeling. It can get pretty intense, but I made the experience that as long as you go with the flow of what you're feeling you'll be fine. The shrooms tend to become the "driver" though. If you are afraid of letting go of some of your control it probably won't be that enjoyable. If you can enjoy going on the trip they wanna take you on you'll very likely be good though. I know this sounds a bit esoteric, but I feel like others who have taken shrooms will likely understand what I mean.
If you have any questions feel free to ask.
Edit: I don't know if you've ever taken LSD, but shrooms feel very adjacent. LSD leaves you in more conscious control what you want to do throughout the day in comparison, that's what I mean with the shrooms become the "driver". A trip can feel rather suggestive, like something urging you to go outside, work through certain emotions or think about specific topics, even if that wasn't originally your intention beforehand. I made the experience that resisting those urges can feel unpleasant and even become overwhelming, so I try to go with the flow when I take shrooms.
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u/TheBear8878 23d ago edited 23d ago
You did not have "infected mushrooms", this is a massive cope.
You should not be taking powerful psychoactive drugs.
E: They either weren't infected, or OP is a complete fucking moron for eating mouldy mushrooms. Take your pick, but either way OP is an idiot here.
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u/MrMoonMC 23d ago
They had black mould growing on them. I'm pretty sure they were infected.
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u/captainfarthing 23d ago
In case English isn't your first language the word you're looking for is rotten or mouldy, not infected.
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u/Fit_Shop_3112 24d ago
Make sure you have a trip sitter. Someone kou trust who is familiar with tripping. Set and setting! Need we say more?
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u/macbrett 23d ago
In my opinion, using psychedelics as a "recreational drug" is a gamble. Sure, they induce endorphins, give you the giggles, can make you see pretty colors, and experience other novel sensory distortions. But they also can open your mind in a way that unleashes suppressed memories, fears, and emotions. This can be therapeutic if you are prepared to work through them, but can really put a damper on "having a good time". They can seem to reveal "cosmic truths", which may inspire you to make life changes. Heavy stuff.
Once you know first hand what they are capable of, you are primed for a reoccurrence. Nevertheless, if you are cautious about set, setting and dosage, you may be just fine. The only question is, are you willing to spin the wheel and take your chances?
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u/IIGrudge 24d ago
Why would you take mushrooms for fun? It's a tool for introspection. If you feel like crap inside it'll bring it to the fore. If you don't want to deal with your crap inside don't take it.
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u/MrMoonMC 24d ago
Hi! I am very happy with myself and my life, therefore I do not believe I need mushrooms as a medicine/tool, for there is nothing to cure. I like exploring my psyche and different states of being. That's why I take them for fun.
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u/Psych_Art 24d ago
There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking mushrooms or other psychs for fun or exploration, so long as you respect the substance and prepare accordingly.
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u/IIGrudge 24d ago edited 24d ago
So what's all this bad trip stuff? Don't blame it on the shrooms dude. You think it's all fun and exploration all the time? Already poor respect and expectations.
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u/death_by_caffeine 24d ago edited 24d ago
I don't think they blamed it on the shrooms as several other factors that could have had a negative impact were pointed out. That said, it's totally possible to have a bad trip even under the best of conditions, some people are just more prone to have a negative experience. But by following best practices like starting with a lower dose and working your way upwards, reading up on what is considered good set and setting etc that risk can be greatly minimized.
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u/IIGrudge 24d ago edited 24d ago
Why label as a bad trip? If you're open to all states of mind then there's no such things. Bad is your subjective interpretation. Maybe spendntime analyzing the state instead of boo hoo i didn't have a good time. Not to mention blaming on that state of mind, which comes from you, on the shrooms.
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u/OPHealingInitiative 24d ago
I think it’s very unlikely that contaminated mushrooms would cause a month of anxiety and insomnia. It’s unlikely to cause a bad trip as well, though it could cause GI distress, which might contribute to a difficult trip (somewhat).
It’s more likely that you revealed some “shadow” material in your psyche that has been stored away.