Many types of mushrooms exist in this world. Some are well-loved in the culinary world for their amazing flavors, while others are left alone for a good reason as they are poisonous. That said, there are a few mushrooms that are said to transport people to magical worlds. These magic mushrooms, also known as shrooms, have been used by countless individuals to trigger psychedelic effects and other experiences.
Medically, these types of mushrooms have been used to treat various mental health problems, like depression and anxiety. However, there are also those who take shrooms as a recreational activity, enjoying the weird and crazy trips they have to offer.
If you want to know more about shrooms, this article can serve as a crash-course guide to the topic. We will tackle what exactly they are, whether you can smoke them, and how they compare against acid.
Can you smoke shrooms?
What are shrooms?
First things first, it is crucial to understand what shrooms are before discussing whether you should smoke shrooms. Some mushrooms that are generally grown in Central America and Mexico contain hallucinogenic compounds known as psilocybin and psilocin. Psilocybin has an extremely similar chemical structure to serotonin, a compound naturally produced by the brain that is also known as the “feel-good” chemical. More specifically, this chemical is responsible for stabilizing a person’s mood and contributes to their happiness.
When these magic mushrooms are taken in, the psilocybin compound starts to do its magic, causing whoever ingested the shrooms to see, hear, and feel things that seem to be real but are actually not. This effect will typically begin after twenty minutes to an hour after consumption, and the effects can last up to twelve hours.
The effects of the psilocybin are quite unpredictable, as they can differ from one person to another. However, these trips are generally characterized by enhanced feelings of empathy, euphoria, synesthesia, unity, and, in really high doses, ego death. The effects are also associated with a reverence for nature or the divine, which is something that many individuals who have taken the drug seem to experience and share.
Can You Smoke Mushrooms
If you are wondering if you can smoke shrooms, the short answer is yes. You can smoke shrooms, but there is a catch. Psilocybin burns at around 180 degrees Celsius (356 Fahrenheit). This means that if the psilocybin reaches this temperature, the compound will essentially be destroyed. For reference, tobacco can burn at 932 degrees Celsius (1652 Fahrenheit) and still be totally fine.
This might lead you to believe that you should smoke shrooms at a lower temperature, but doing so will only mean that the effects will not last as long as they would if you had simply ingested it. If you want to smoke mushrooms, remember that it is generally treated similarly to smoking a joint. You will have to grind the shrooms, wrap them in tobacco paper, and glue the roll shut.
In some cases, people mix in some weed with the shrooms to enhance the overall experience. However, keep in mind that this can sometimes lead to a horrible trip that will ruin the experience, especially if you are not used to mixing different substances. In other cases, people ingest mushrooms and smoke them at the same time to reach their desired results. Regardless, how you go about enjoying them will depend entirely on your preferences.
Now, when it comes to whether you should smoke shrooms in the first place, it is highly recommended that you do not. The problem lies in the spores inside the mushrooms. When you smoke these spores, they can potentially get stuck in your lungs. This can cause various problems, such as inflammation, choking, and other respiratory-related issues that can be difficult to treat. As such, ingestion might be the better route if you want to experience the psychedelic feelings, especially if you intend to take mushrooms to improve your mental health.
Additionally, another good reason you should eat shrooms is that their effects are much more powerful when eaten. As mentioned earlier, the hit can last quite long if ingested. This, however, does not eliminate the chances of running into a bad trip. Fortunately, the likelihood of that happening is not as high compared to smoking it. In other words, for the sake of your health and sanity, eat your shrooms instead of smoking them.
With the proper dosage, mushrooms can produce various positive effects. They can enhance your mood, induce general feelings of happiness, increase your sense of creativity, and decrease any feelings of depression you might have. Just keep in mind that if you want to take mushrooms, it is generally better to eat them than to smoke them.
Also, remember to keep your dosages in check. Keeping to the proper dose can lead to noticeable improvements in your mental health, such as an increase in your happiness and a decrease in anxiety levels. On the other hand, taking too much will lead to unwanted experiences that can, in some cases, be life-altering in a bad way.
In addition, these experiences tend to depend on your mindset and expectations before going on the trip. This means that if you want to enjoy a positive and uplifting experience when taking shrooms, you will need to have the right mindset for it in the first place. Otherwise, you may be in for an unpleasant ride.
Shrooms vs Acid
From the above effects, you might think that shrooms and acid share the same effects. That is somewhat true because acid affects the serotonin system similarly to psilocybin. They can both lead to therapeutic effects to address certain conditions and, at high dosages, lead to out-of-body experiences. They also have a chance to lead to a bad trip if done improperly, which will utterly ruin the experience.
That said, there are differences between acid and shrooms. Acid tends to make moving your body much easier, which is why many people end up dancing when they are on LSD. Also, LSD trips are generally more controllable. People usually have some form of control over what they experience when taking acid, unlike with shrooms, where the effects are often random. Finally, LSD tends to leave individuals with clearer mindsets. They tend to be more alert and brighter. For the above reasons, LSD has been used in therapeutic settings to improve a person’s cognitive health.
On that note, LSD is a vasoconstrictor. This can cause an individual to experience unwanted side-effects like muscle tension, headaches, and even cramps.
Conclusion
In summary, shrooms have been used to improve mental health, leading to an improvement in sense of well-being and an increase in your overall happiness and satisfaction.
With that in mind, always be careful when handling such a drug or any other drugs you might encounter. If prescribed, remember to stick to the recommended dosages. That way, you will only enjoy the positive effects of shrooms on improving your mental health.
Otherwise, overdoing it can lead to horrible experiences that can lead to the worsening of your mental state. As such, self-control and a sense of responsibility are extremely important when handling shrooms. Remember all the information above to enjoy your mushrooms responsibly!
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