In this section of the site, an ethnobotanist will find a real treasure trove containing spore prints of psilocybin mushrooms from all over the globe. Here you can find strains of “magic mushrooms” that are easy to cultivate, and for experienced shroomers we have reserved a real exclusive - rare spore prints of “pans” and “cubensis”, which require more experience and knowledge in mycology, as well as significant time and care. But the labor of growing it is more than compensated by the extremely psychoactive end product. The “casts” presented on the display case contain thousands of microscopic spores and, with a rational approach, will help to obtain stunning results.
The impression will help the ethnobotanist make a suspension and give him the opportunity to touch the amazing “Kingdom of the Magic Mushroom.” In our store you can buy spore prints of the rarest strains found by researchers and travelers. Each print is made under sterile conditions and sealed in ziplock.
Content:
- Mechanism of action
- Effects of psilocybin mushrooms
- Consequences of using natural psychodysleptics
- Overdose
- Legal status
- Laboratory studies of psilocybin
The ability of some fungi to influence the sensory parts of the cerebral cortex has been known to mankind for a very long time. Let's look at the effect of psilocybin mushrooms in more detail. How they affect the human psyche, and what are the consequences of their use.
Mushrooms and politics
As you know, our project does not talk about politics in any way. So, every second person on YouTube is already an expert on these topics, but one study is right on topic) When we compared the political beliefs of lovers of mushrooms, cocaine and booze, we found a clear connection with the time of use. The more the subject ate psychedelics, the more he welcomed liberal views and the more he despised the authoritarian regime (17). Interpret this information as you wish, just without arguing, please!
Mechanism of action
The effect of psilocybin mushrooms, manifested by the ability to put a person into a state of altered consciousness, completely changing the perception of the surrounding world, causing visual, auditory, tactile hallucinations, was used by shamans and priests of antiquity during religious rites. The use of psychomimetics for recreational purposes has become especially popular since the middle of the last century. According to some sources, prolonged and uncontrolled use of psychedelics can cause irreparable harm to both mental and physical health. Other researchers do not recognize the existence of a connection between the use of psychomimetics and mental disorders.
Leading clinical laboratories in the USA, England, and Denmark are studying hallucinogenic mushrooms and their effect on the human body.
It was revealed that the composition of the fruiting body of the mushroom, in addition to psilocybin (tryptamine alkaloid), also includes other psychedelics: psilocin, phenylethylamine, lysergic acid, baeocystine.
The chemical structure of these compounds is similar to the structure of serotonin, which allows them to influence the receptors of this neurotransmitter, changing the functioning of brain structures. The effect of psychodysleptics on the central nervous system:
- the activity of the prefrontal areas of the brain, which are responsible for higher cognitive functions, increases;
- the activity of the areas of the brain responsible for sensory perception increases;
- neural connections between individual brain structures are accelerated;
- The activity of the brain structures responsible for the emotional perception of reality increases.
Under the influence of large doses of tryptamine alkaloids, norepinephrine receptors are also activated.
Harm from Hallucinogenic Mushrooms
Wikipedia provides only one study about the dangers of such mushrooms, and one about the absence of harm. Let's dig deeper!
Psychological dependence
No matter how fans of hallucinogens shout that everything is safe, nevertheless, the risk that you will not limit yourself to just one time is great! Here is a comparison of cocaine and hallucinogens (10), we see that the intake of hallucinogens is one and a half times more than with cocaine. More savvy people can say that coke simply destroys the body and few people are able to take it 100 times in their life, and its price is repulsive. This is true, but it is also true that the likelihood of regularly using hallucinogens is higher than cocaine. There will also be a separate issue on it.
Mental disorders
When we activate hallucinations and a greatly altered state of consciousness, there is a chance that you will open your third eye and begin to communicate with spirits on an ongoing basis (11, 12). The chance is especially high if one of your immediate family suffered from panic attacks or schizophrenia.
And perhaps the main drawback, besides problems with the law, is ignorance ! Yes, after reading information about how to find the treasured mushrooms, you go to the nearest forest and collect some toadstools. Then you get poisoned and, at best, communicate not with spirits, but with a toilet. So all of the above effects, pros and cons are typical only for purebred purebred psilocybin mushrooms (13).
Otherwise, yes, indeed, security is high. Psychedelics have no physical consequences like vodka, no physical dependence, no withdrawal symptoms, etc. (14, 15, 16).
Effects of psilocybin mushrooms
Hallucinogenic mushrooms are taken orally in fresh and dried form, as well as in the form of aqueous infusions and sweets. The effect of psychodysleptics is enhanced when consumed on an empty stomach, the average duration of drug intoxication is 4-7 hours.
The effect of psychotomimetics is often difficult to predict; much depends on the mental, physical and emotional state of the user of the surfactant. When taking natural hallucinogens, in some cases, instead of pleasant sensations and positive emotions, the following occur:
- aggressiveness;
- irritability;
- bitterness;
- dysphoria;
- panic attacks.
Some may even experience suicidal thoughts.
However, more often, under the influence of psychotomimetics, the following are observed:
- feeling of ecstasy, bliss (euphoria);
- a feeling of liberation from all depressing thoughts and complexes, the disappearance of internal barriers;
- feeling of high spirituality;
- visual, auditory, tactile hallucinations;
- disturbances in the functioning of all sense organs: synesthesia appears;
- change in the sense of space and time.
Even life principles change. Moral norms, principles of good and evil, legality seem to have no meaning, and at the same time a feeling of belonging to a higher mind appears.
In this case, it is objectively noted:
- mydriasis;
- slurred, incoherent speech;
- impaired coordination of movements;
- dyspepsia (nausea, vomiting);
- tachycardia;
- hyperthermia.
A person experiencing drug intoxication is fully aware of the unreality of what is happening.
Benefits of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms
Less craving for alcohol
This is especially true for the CIS countries. Already a single dose of psilocybin reduced cravings for alcohol for several weeks, and this effect gradually decreased by the 36th week. For reference, the half-life of psilocybin is about 3 hours, so after 2 days there is nothing left in the body. Consequently, changes in cravings come from some kind of mental transformations of the brain (18, 19).
Life is better
Here's some more interesting data: 64% of people reported that taking psilocybin increased their well-being or life satisfaction. Accordingly, 36% either did not change at all, or for the worse. Overall, this is good data! But this does not mean that mushrooms will improve you and make you more creative. Look more objectively! 64% are good, 1-2% have worsened their attitude towards life, the rest are neutral (20).
On the same topic, a large meta-analysis with 445 participants found a positive association in reducing depression, anxiety and fear of death in sick people. Moreover, if everything was taken strictly with the control of active substances and under the supervision of doctors, there were practically no side effects (21)
But why is life better?
Because serotonin is an antidepressant, because there is a sharp rise in creativity of thought and because the electrical activity of the amygdala is weaker, there is less fear, less worry (22).
The EGO dissolves. Your own personality contrasts less with the world around you. A person becomes kinder and identifies himself not as Me, but as We. There are no longer ours and others, left and right, but there is a single whole (23).
Consequences of using natural psychodysleptics
A one-time use of natural psychedelics is unlikely to affect mental or physical health. They act more mildly than synthetic hallucinogens such as LSD; recovery from the state of drug intoxication is not accompanied by unpleasant sensations.
However, for several days the consumer is under the impression of vivid emotional experiences received when taking dysleptics, which is a prerequisite for the next use of the drug and the formation of psychological dependence.
Even long-term use of psilocybin does not lead to the development of physical dependence and the formation of withdrawal symptoms. However, chronic use of natural psychotomimetics leads to serious behavioral disorders and mental disorders. Addiction to psychedelics can cause paranoia and social disorientation.
In animal experiments, it was found that long-term use of psilocybin leads to demyelination and degeneration of hippocampal neurons involved in the formation of emotions, as well as in the process of memory consolidation.
Drug intoxication from natural hallucinogens is accompanied by activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which leads to disruption of the functions of internal organs (heart, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys), as well as the vascular system, and can cause heart or kidney failure.
The dangers of hallucinogenic mushrooms
In Russia, hallucinogenic mushrooms began to be actively used as drugs in the 90s. Since some of them resemble edible mushrooms in appearance, it happens that people confuse them and eat poisonous mushrooms, which leads to very serious consequences and even death.
In addition to changes in consciousness and associated changes in the functioning of the nervous system and brain, which with regular use result in serious mental disorders, the harm from consuming psychedelic mushrooms is also associated with the content of other toxic substances in them. Inedible mushrooms contain alkaloids - natural poisons with varying degrees of toxicity. Any excess of the required dosage leads to severe intoxication and even death.
What are hallucinogenic mushrooms?
The group of hallucinogenic mushrooms includes psychodisleptics, entheogens and depersonalizers, containing certain substances that, when ingested, become integrated into the functioning of the nervous system and change it.
They began to be used to change consciousness in ancient times; some cultures used them in their rituals. Today, most countries have banned their distribution and use, however, it is not possible to completely stop this type of drug addiction due to the availability of psychedelics that grow in nature.
In Russia, the collection and storage of hallucinogenic mushrooms is equated to the storage and production of drugs and is regulated by Article 234 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Therefore, any actions with them are strictly prohibited. In the International Convention on Psychotropic Substances, created in 1971, they are listed in the first list.
Effect of hallucinogenic mushrooms: effect on the body
The narcotic effect of mushrooms is associated with its effect on serotonin receptors. Based on the results of an MRI of the brain of a person who has consumed psychedelic mushrooms, one can judge their effect on the body:
- Increased activity in areas responsible for visual and sensory perception.
- Stimulation of areas of the brain that are active only during dreams or experiencing strong emotions.
- Acceleration of connections between departments of the central nervous system.
- Increased activity of the amygdala, due to which emotional lability occurs.
What do hallucinogenic mushrooms look like?
There are several hundred mushrooms in the world that can cause glitches. They all have their own special look. And if most of them look more like toadstools, then some are very similar in appearance to edible ones. Therefore, some inexperienced mushroom pickers can collect them and eat them, exposing themselves and their loved ones to great danger.
Beneficial features
Despite the fact that the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms is a very harmful and even life-threatening activity, modern medicine uses some of the substances contained in them in pharmacology. Thus, psilocin is used in some drugs to treat mental disorders, including those associated with functional changes in personality and self-perception.
Poisons contained in some inedible mushrooms are used in the manufacture of preparations for external use. They can act as antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agents, and also help cope with a number of other diseases.
Overdose
Long-term use of natural psychotomimetics leads to the development of tolerance, when in order to achieve the desired result it is necessary to constantly increase the dose of the drug.
In case of overdose, obvious mental disorders may occur:
- rage, aggression;
- tendency to violence;
- auto-aggression.
In this state, a person is capable of illegal actions and can pose a danger both to himself and to others.
How to cultivate or “What should I do with the imprint”?
With a serious approach to the matter, growing psilocybin mushrooms will become possible even for an inexperienced mycologist. One of the most well-known methods is to sow spores on a grain substrate and then move it into an airtight container.
Psilocybe are prone to whims and “show character” if temperature indicators and humidity levels are not observed. The recommended temperature (range) in which “magic mushrooms” feel best is +22-28 degrees Celsius. More experienced shroomers increase the psychoactivity and productivity of the mycelium by using a substrate based on dry horse manure and hay for cultivation.
The key factor, non-compliance with which provokes the risk of crop loss, is sterility. At each stage (preparation of the suspension, sowing and planting in the container), maximum cleanliness must be maintained. This applies to the room, tools, and the hands of the mycologist himself. The slightest “sneeze” towards an open mycelium can cause disease, mold and other “infections”. On the Ganja live forum, a special selection of articles and instructions has been prepared for the novice botanist, strict adherence to which will lead to the desired result - a harvest of real “guides” to the world of the Subconscious, abstract visions and spiritual discoveries.
Laboratory studies of psilocybin
It must be admitted that the effects of psilocybin mushrooms on the human body are truly unusual. More and more scientists are talking about the need for further research and the high therapeutic potential of natural psychedelics.
There is already evidence of the positive effects of psilocybin in severe depression, in the treatment of cluster cephalgia and chronic alcoholism.
However, these studies are still limited and do not have an evidence base, and the data from laboratory studies are not clearly interpreted and accepted by everyone.
How to store mushrooms and spores?
Psilocybin mushroom spore prints should be stored in a warm, dry area away from direct sunlight. You can use a bedside table, box or refrigerator. Storing dried mushrooms involves certain rules. Most often they are stored in a cold and dark place and consumed as needed. Connoisseurs of “unusual travel” through the boundless expanses of the Spiritual World have learned to make tablets from dry raw materials, and also manage to keep mushroom bodies fresh by filling them with honey.
Symptoms of using hallucinogenic mushrooms
Symptoms of consumption, as well as the effect of mushrooms, are very subjective and depend on the characteristics of the psyche and general condition of the person. When taken on a full stomach, all psychedelic effects are weakened.
When taken orally, mushrooms begin to act within 4-8 hours, since the main active ingredient is distributed throughout the body only through the intestines. A person falls into a state of “chattering”: delirium begins, awareness of reality changes, vision and hearing become sharper, paranoia, anxiety, and a feeling of restlessness appear.
Types of hallucinogenic mushrooms with photos
Types of psychotropic mushrooms are divided according to their active substances. In Russia you can find the following types of psychedelics:
- Agaricus containing psilocybin or psilocin.
- Amanitaceae, which contain hyoxyamine, muscazone, muscarine, tryptamines, bufotenine or ibotenic acid.
- Lycoperdaceae. This group includes unclassified types of psychomimetics.
fly agaric
Amanitas are very toxic because they contain ibotenic acid and muscimol. Some types of fly agaric contain muscarine, the consumption of even the smallest dose of which leads to death. The leader in the amount of this poison is the red fly agaric, the muscarine content in it reaches 0.18%. Therefore, drug addicts choose only certain fly agarics. Old mushrooms are the most dangerous because they accumulate ibotenic acid as they grow.
Panther fly agarics contain a large amount of muscimol. Poisoning with them strongly resembles severe alcohol intoxication.
Hallucinations and loss of consciousness are provoked by the royal fly agaric.
LSD mushroom
Psilocybes are also called LSD mushrooms because they have similar narcotic effects. They contain toxic substances psilocin and psilocin. When consumed, they are destroyed in the intestines, from where toxic substances are carried throughout the body.
Mushroom pickers are accustomed to calling these mushrooms toadstools. The narcotic and poisonous properties of psilocybes were known to many peoples, so in different places they have names that characterize themselves. In some cultures, decoctions of these mushrooms were used by shamans and sorcerers to enter a state of trance and “communicate with spirits.”
Magic
Magics are the name given to hay dung beetles, which are distributed throughout the world. It can be found not only in the forest, but also in pastures, on river banks and even in flower beds. The mushroom has a light brown cone-shaped cap.
Magicians have a lot of psilocybin in their bodies. Unlike other psychedelics, the effects of this mushroom can occur within 20 minutes, especially if consumed on an empty stomach. The effect is very similar to that of LSD. Physical dependence on the drug does not occur, but a psychological attachment quickly forms. Long-term use leads to personality disintegration and the development of mental illness.
Stropharia green
These are small mushrooms with a thin stem, whose favorite place to grow is manure and very acidic soils. For its properties, appearance and place of growth, it received a very figurative name among the people - “poop bald spot”. The cap of the mushroom is quite large, shiny, with small scales along the edges. There are also drug mushrooms - brown stropharia and hemispherical staropharia
Some peoples made ritual potions from it. The mushroom contains psilocybin, which leads to changes in consciousness and hallucinations.
Acidic mushrooms
All hallucinogenic mushrooms containing psilocybin are called acidic, since this substance causes a change in consciousness. The effect they produce is very similar to LSD and the drug “acid”. These are xylophagous, psilocybe and hygric varieties of mushrooms
smoking mushroom
Some types of fly agaric can be used by drug addicts for smoking, which is why they are called “smoking mushrooms.” This method of use is extremely toxic, but at the same time it allows you to accelerate the narcotic effect of the fly agaric.
