There are several varieties of magic mushrooms: "golden tops", "blue meanies" and "liberty caps" found in Australia that have the active hallucinogenic ingredient psilocybin.
Magic mushrooms look much like ordinary dried mushrooms, or they come as a powdered material in capsules. Synthetic psilocybin appears as a white crystalline powder that may be formulated into tablets or capsules, or dissolved in a liquid. Magic mushrooms are usually eaten fresh, cooked or brewed into a "tea". Occasionally, they may be mixed with tobacco or cannabis and smoked.
It is easy to mistake poisonous mushrooms for those containing psilocybin. Certain kinds of poisonous mushrooms can cause death or permanent liver damage within hours of ingestion.
Effects
The effects of hallucinogens can last several hours and vary considerably depending on the specific type of hallucinogen. The effects of magic mushrooms and other hallucinogens also depend on the environment in which the drug is taken and the mood and expectations of the person taking it. Some of the typical effects of hallucinogens include:
- blurred vision
- increased breathing rate
- euphoria
- sense of relaxation and well-being
- hallucinations and distorted sensory processing, including visual, auditory, body, time and space perception
- disorganised thoughts, confusion and difficulty concentrating, thinking or maintaining attention
- anxiety, agitation, paranoia and feelings of panic
- dizziness
Treatment options
Treatment is more effective if tailored to suit a person's circumstances, and usually involves a combination of counselling, group therapy, pharmacotherapy and withdrawal programs.
Source of information: DrugInfo Clearinghouse - Australian Drug Foundation
Worried About Someone Else?
If someone is having a "bad trip" they need to be reassured and calmed until the immediate effects have passed, although this can take many hours.
Move and speak calmly and in a confident manner, address the person by name and tell them who you are. Make sure the person and all the people around them are safe and, if possible, don't leave them alone.
What to do in a crisis
If someone has an adverse reaction while using hallucinogens, it is very important that they receive professional help as soon as possible. A quick response can save their life.
Call an ambulance by dialling 000. Don't delay because you think you or your friend might get into trouble. Ambulance officers are not obliged to involve the police.
Stay with the person until the ambulance arrives.
Reference: DrugInfo Clearinghouse - Australian Drug Foundation
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