How Long Do Shrooms Last & Stay in Your System?

How Long Do the Effects of Shrooms (Psilocybin) Last?

Psilocybin (shrooms) is a hallucinogen derived from specific kinds of mushrooms. They can be ingested or brewed into teas. Physical effects generally emerge within 20 minutes, last about 6 hours, and may include excitement, muscle weakness, drowsiness, and distortion from reality. Larger doses may trigger a sense of paranoia or panic,¹ but some people can have these effects even at very small doses.

Effects of Magic Mushrooms (Psilocybin)

Magic mushrooms grow in the wild and can be swallowed or brewed into teas. They take approximately 30 minutes to work, but the effects can last about five hours. People may feel excitement, happiness, confusion, or anxiety while on magic mushrooms. Serious effects can include nausea, vomiting, and scary hallucinations.²

Magic mushrooms lead to a wide range of effects:

• Physical effects: Mushrooms can cause gastrointestinal distress, such as nausea or vomiting, and they may also cause appetite changes.
• Mental effects: Mushrooms can make people feel energized, excited, and giggly. But it can also cause feelings of anxiety, paranoia, and irritability.
• Long-term effects: In some cases, chronic, long-term use of mushrooms is associated with flashbacks, hallucinations, and bad trips that last for extended periods.³

How Long Does it Take to Feel the Effects of Psilocybin?

It generally takes about 20-30 minutes after ingesting psilocybin to begin feeling the drug’s effects. The high lasts about 5-6 hours, and the full effects may emerge within 1-2 hours.³ It’s essential to be mindful of dosing, as using too much of any drug can cause unintentional side effects that can be highly distressing. Some people may have distressing effects at any dose.

How Long Do Shrooms or Magic Mushrooms Stay in Your System?

Your age, body chemistry, history of drug use, and the quantity of shrooms used will determine how long the drug stays in your system. It can be challenging to tell if shrooms are still in the system because most drug tests don’t check for psychedelics. However, drug tests for employment or other screenings may detect a variety of substances, including psilocybin or other substances that it is mixed with. Likewise, psilocybin has a short half-life, and the body metabolizes the drug quickly.

Urine Tests

The detection window for shrooms is fairly short compared to other drugs. When it can be detected, positive results typically will show for 1-3 days. However, most standard urine tests do not test for shrooms and will not detect their presence.

Blood Tests

Blood tests will generally only show the presence of shrooms for a couple of hours. Like urine tests, most blood tests won’t test for psilocybin. Instead, blood tests tend to be given when it’s important to determine a specific level of impairment (like when someone is driving under the influence of alcohol). Therefore, these tests are not generally used.

Hair Tests

Hair tests are rarely used in drug testing but can help determine long-term drug use (up to 90 days). Individual factors can affect hair testing results. That said, most standard hair tests don’t include testing for psilocybin. Instead, they focus on detecting marijuana, cocaine, and opioids.

What Factors Affect How Long Mushrooms Are Detectable?

The time that mushrooms stay in your system depends on many factors that are generally outside your control. Age, body mass, genetics, and metabolism all affect how the body metabolizes drugs. Likewise, the type of shrooms, how it is used, and how frequently it’s used will all impact detection windows.

Age

Metabolism and kidney function slow down with age, affecting how long a drug remains in the system. Typically, people with liver or kidney disease test positive for certain drugs longer than younger people or those without liver or kidney disease. People with these conditions are more susceptible to the drug’s effects, and the body does not break them down as quickly or efficiently as it once did.⁴

Body Mass

Someone’s weight will generally impact how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes psilocybin. Someone smaller will generally have stronger reactions to smaller amounts of drugs. That said, tolerance and other health variables come into play, so body mass alone is not inherently a reliable predictor for detection windows.

Mushroom Species

There are thousands of types of mushrooms, although most of them are not psychoactive. Psychedelic mushrooms also vary in potency, and stronger shrooms create stronger effects. This can affect how the body absorbs and metabolizes the drugs and how long they stay in the system.⁵

Method of Use

There are different ways shrooms are prepared and ingested, including by eating or brewing them in tea. Sometimes, people mix them into foods to conceal the bitter taste. It is unknown which method of use results in the drug staying in the body longer.

Dose

The actual dose of the mushroom will also impact how long the drug stays in the system. Higher doses are associated with stronger effects, and a higher dose will take longer to leave the bloodstream. Most people take fairly small doses of shrooms.

Can You Flush Magic Mushrooms From Your System?

People often panic when they need to take a drug test. There may be a desire to try to flush drugs from the system. However, no ‘flushing’ method is foolproof, and detox pills, drinking excessive water, or taking fake urine tests produce inconsistent results. The best way to flush shrooms from the system is to stop taking them and to allow your body to break it down and eliminate it.

Can Shrooms Be Addictive?

Compared to other drugs, the risk of getting addicted to shrooms is low. It is generally not considered an addictive drug. However, it is still possible to abuse any mood-altering substance and develop a tolerance to it. Becoming dependent on shrooms or other drugs can lead to addiction. Long-term abuse is associated with risks like drug-induced psychosis.

When to Seek Help for Psilocybin Use

It is possible to use mushrooms problematically. A substance use disorder is a chronic pattern of drug use resulting in legal, financial, health, and relationship problems. People who engage in polysubstance services or have previous histories of addiction or mental health issues may be more predisposed to developing psilocybin addiction.

Treatment can be multifaceted and may consist of therapy, support groups, rehab, and healthy lifestyle changes. Addiction is not curable, but it is treatable, and people can live meaningful lives in recovery. If you’re struggling, it’s important to reach out for support. You can look for an addiction specialist through our online therapy directory or online therapy options.

In My Experience

Psilocybin use is not always problematic, but it’s important to be aware of the risks. In addition, even though some states have made exceptions about decriminalizing drug use, mushrooms are still classified as an illegal drug on the federal level. If your drug use feels chronic, challenging to stop, or has become a profound source of shame, it may be helpful to seek professional guidance. Addiction often worsens progressively over time, and getting treatment can help you better care for yourself.