Hallucinogenic mushrooms

Humans, from time immemorial, have used certain organisms to experience what we call "spiritual journeys." In the past, each tribe had a shaman, a guru or a 'sorcerer', who was in charge of contacting the 'gods' or deceased loved ones to request something, such as the end of the drought, and of course hallucinogenic mushrooms played a very important role at that time.

And also now, but the truth is that nowadays they are usually consumed not for spiritual reasons, but rather for pure fun ... with all the problems that this can entail, because everyone knows that what does not kill ... usually becomes addictive. Do not play with something that can ruin your life. That's why we're going to talk to you at length about hallucinogenic mushrooms below.

what are the "hallucinogenic mushrooms"

Called psilocybin mushrooms, hallucinogenic mushrooms, fungi or guendozi, it is a set of mushrooms containing psychedelic substances, among which psilocybin, psilocin and to a lesser degree baeocystin stand out. It is known that they were among the first drugs consumed by humans; in fact, archaeological remains in India show that as early as 1600 BC. C. consumed Amanita muscaria, which is a species that was associated with the drug of immortality of the Indo-Iranian tribes, and even with the origins of Christianity.

In America, before the Spanish arrived, they were also consumed, specifically those of the genus Psilocybe, known as "magic mushrooms".

Where do they originate from?

It is estimated that there are more than 200 species of hallucinogenic mushrooms, of which 53 are found in Mexico, 22 between the United States and Canada, 19 in Australia and surrounding islands, 16 in Europe, 15 in Asia, and 4 in Africa.

We will see them always in forests and meadows where the climate is mild and warm all year round, in soils rich in humus and plant debris.

What are its effects?

Effects are classified into two types:

Physicists

There are several effects that they cause to the body, and consist of:

• vomiting
• nausea
• Diarrhea
• stomach cramps
• increased heart rate and blood pressure
• drowsiness
• dilated pupils
• lack of coordination
• muscular weakness

In extreme cases, they could even cause death.

Neurological

As their name suggests, hallucinogenic mushrooms cause hallucinations. When the person consumes them, you will see things that only exist in your mind, things that you can feel -very- fear with. If you are sensitive, you may even panic. But also, days or months later you will have flashbacks, or recurring memories, of something that you lived during that particular trip.

Types of hallucinogenic mushrooms

The best known are:

Amanita muscaria

It is known as a fly swatter or false pompom, and it is a species native to Europe that reaches a height of 10 to 20 centimeters, with the white foot and the red hat.

Gymnopilus junonius

Known as the laughing mushroom, it is a species native to much of the world, such as the northern half of Africa, Australia, India and all of Southeast Asia, France, Germany and Russia. Reaches a height of up to 25 centimeters by 2,5 centimeters thick, with the convex hat once adult, measuring up to 20 centimeters in diameter. It is light brown in color.

Panaeolus cyanescens

It is a species native to the tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions of the world. It reaches a size of 7 to 12 centimeters by 2-3mm thick. The hat is 1,5 to 4 centimeters wide, light gray when ripe.

Pholiotina smithii

It is a native of North America, little one, with a size of up to 8 centimeters in height, with a dark brown conical to convex cap and whitish foot.

Pluteus cyanopus

It is a species native to Africa, Europe and North America, which reaches a height of about 8 centimeters, with the dark beige hat.

Psilocybe cubensis

Known as monguis or gotzi, it is a mushroom native to Central America, South America, India and eastern Australia. It sprouts in ruminant manure, in places exposed to the sun. They measure between 2 and 8 centimeters in diameter, of color that goes from the bank to light brown, always with a light spot in the center.

Are they illegal?

Magic mushrooms are considered illegal drugs in many countries including the United States and Spain. In the latter country, it is only allowed to buy spores if it is shown that it is for self-consumption. Buying for other people is considered a public health crime and is punishable by fines ranging from 300 to 30 thousand euros, and / or jail.

In any case, and taking into account that they can be very dangerous for your own health and for your own life, it is best not to consume them.

We hope you have learned a lot about magic mushrooms 🙂.