Short-Term Side Effects of Shrooms: Visuals, Nausea, Bad Trips

Short-Term Side Effects of Shrooms

Psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as "shrooms" or "magic mushrooms", are a type of fungi that contain the hallucinogenic compounds psilocybin and psilocin. When ingested, these compounds can produce powerful mind-altering effects. While some people find the psychedelic experience pleasant and insightful, shrooms do come with potential short-term side effects to be aware of.

Common Short-Term Side Effects

During the psychedelic "trip" after taking shrooms, which typically lasts 4-6 hours, some common side effects include:

• Visual hallucinations - seeing geometric patterns, distorted shapes and colors, movements
• Auditory hallucinations - hearing sounds or music that aren't real
• Synesthesia - blending of the senses, like "seeing" sounds as colors
• Euphoria - feelings of joy, bliss, wonder, amusement
• Relaxation - pleasant calming sensations in the body and mind
• Insight - new ways of thinking about yourself, others, or life situations
• Creativity - imaginative, metaphorical, or abstract thinking

However, less favorable reactions can also occur:

• Nausea - feeling sick to your stomach
• Dizziness - feeling unsteady, spinning sensations
• Nervousness - jittery, rapid heart rate, sweatiness
• Paranoia - irrational suspiciousness or fear
• Confusion - disorientation, inability to focus thoughts
• Drowsiness - sedation, sleepiness
• Headache - pain or throbbing sensations in the head
• Chills - feeling cold, shivering
• Muscle weakness - heavy, slow feelings in the arms or legs

Factors Affecting Short-Term Effects

Several factors contribute to the short-term effects experienced with shrooms, including:

Dose Taken

Higher psilocybin doses produce more intense trips, while lower doses provide gentler experiences. Taking 3.5 grams dried shrooms or more substantially increases the chances of negative reactions.

Previous Use

Those with little or no prior experience tripping on shrooms are more prone to side effects like anxiety during the intense psychedelic experience.

Set and Setting

Being in an uncomfortable environment or mindset can lead to paranoid thoughts or bad trips. Calm settings and positive headspaces help promote good experiences.

Method of Ingestion

Eating shrooms mixed with food, brewed in tea, or taken via lemon tek can affect how quickly effects come on and influence potential stomach upset.

Individual Variation

Response to psilocybin varies substantially between individuals based on factors like metabolism, brain chemistry, and tolerance.

Unpleasant Effects and Bad Trips

While many find tripping on shrooms highly enjoyable and meaningful, others experience intensely unpleasant effects that are commonly referred to as a "bad trip." What defines a bad trip can vary between individuals, but may include:

• Feelings of panic, fear, dread, or terror
• Paranoid or irrational thoughts
• Loss of control over emotions or actions
• Distressing visual or auditory hallucinations
• Detachment from reality
• Thoughts of harming oneself or others
• Feeling trapped and unable to escape the experience

Having a bad trip can be highly unsettling. While the majority of physical side effects resolve once the drug wears off, a traumatic psychedelic experience can potentially cause lasting psychological issues in some cases.

Why Bad Trips Happen

A number of factors make having a bad trip more likely:

• Taking too large of a dose
• Ingesting shrooms with other substances like alcohol or marijuana
• Pre-existing mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia
• Tripping in an uncontrolled setting or unsafe environment
• Being stressed, tired, or emotionally unprepared
• Not having proper guidance from an experienced trip sitter

Dealing With a Bad Trip

If you or someone you're with starts having a bad trip reaction to shrooms, these tips can help mitigate the situation:

• Remain calm and reassuring, reminding them the experience is temporary.
• Move to a quiet, familiar environment if possible.
• Reduce sensory stimulation by turning off music, lights, or electronics.
• Try breathing techniques or guided meditation to relieve anxiety.
• Avoid restraining them unless they pose a threat of self-harm.
• Have them sip water slowly to stay hydrated.
• Consider administering a benzodiazepine like Xanax to relieve panic (if medically advised).
• Contact emergency services if their reactions seem dangerous or uncontrolled.

With supportive care and reminders of safety, most people can ride out a bad trip until the shroom effects wear off. But seek immediate medical help if severe vomiting, seizures, chest pain, or suicidal behavior occurs.

Physical Side Effects and Health Risks

Ingesting psilocybin mushrooms can produce both short-lived unpleasant physical side effects as well as potentially dangerous health risks in some cases.

Common Temporary Side Effects

During the trip, shrooms can induce temporary physical effects like:

• Dilated pupils
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Dizziness, disorientation
• Sweating or chills
• Trouble regulating body temperature
• Loss of appetite
• Drooling or runny nose
• Tremors or muscle twitches
• Fatigue after the trip

These symptoms tend to resolve once the psychedelic effects wear off within 4-8 hours. Having a tripsitter on hand to provide water, comfort, and reminders of safety can help minimize adverse physical reactions.

Potential Health Dangers

Rare, but more hazardous effects requiring emergency care may include:

• Respiratory failure - life-threatening slowing of breathing
• Seizures - uncontrolled convulsions
• Hyperthermia - dangerously high body temperature
• Liver damage
- elevated liver enzymes signaling injury
• Kidney failure - impaired waste excretion
• Cardiac events - fast heart rate, chest pain, heart attack
• Psychotic reactions - detached from reality, agitated