Psilocybin Mushroom Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, & Treatment

What Are Magic Mushrooms (Psilocybin)?

Magic mushrooms (a.k.a., shrooms) are naturally-occurring fungi whose primary compound, psilocybin, is converted into the mind-altering substance psilocin after ingestion.¹ Psilocybin is a classic hallucinogen that has long been known to induce perceptual alterations that can be mind-expanding but also disorienting.

As a classic psychedelic alongside LSD, mescaline (peyote), and DMT (ayahuasca), psilocybin is a serotonin 2A receptor agonist.² Unlike other dissociative drugs, like PCP (which is addictive), these classic psychedelics are not considered addictive since discontinuing use does not seem to lead to craving and drug-seeking behavior for most people.^{2, 3, 4, 5, 6} As such, psilocybin has recently received much attention for its potential medicinal and psychotherapeutic use via psilocybin therapy.

Though people take magic mushrooms with different goals in mind, the main effect is a series of alterations in mood, sensory perception, and psychological perspective, along with a dissociative trance state leading to the separation of a person from their ego. Indeed, researchers believe that the therapeutic effects of psilocybin and other psychedelics are largely absent when this dissociative trance is not achieved.⁸

Psilocybin mushrooms are commonly referred to as:⁷

• Shrooms
• Hallucinogenic mushrooms
• Magic mushrooms
• Psychedelic mushrooms
• Mush
• Penis Envy
• Silly putty
• Simple Simon
• Sacred mushroom
• Boomers
• Musk
• God’s flesh
• Hombrecitos
• Las mujercitas
• Flower flipping (combined with MDMA)
• Hippieflip (combined with MDMA)

Are Magic Mushrooms Legal?

Since 1970, psilocybin has been classified as a Schedule I drug with other drugs, like heroin, that are deemed to have no recognized medicinal uses and a high potential for abuse. Legally, however, things began to change in 2018 when the FDA granted breakthrough therapy status to psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. Since 2020, the entire states of Oregon and Colorado have decriminalized psilocybin, and Washington, California, Michigan, and Massachusetts have cities or municipalities that have decriminalized it.

Side Effects of Magic Mushrooms

The side effects of shrooms, positive and negative, vary between individuals. The same specimen and dose can invoke euphoria in one person and distress in another. While side effects of psilocybin itself tend to be less life-threatening than other more addictive drugs like opioids, each person should be aware of what contraindications they are bringing into the experience and speak with a healthcare professional in advance about whether it is safe to use.

Positive effects associated with the use of magic mushrooms:

• Feelings of euphoria
• Altered thoughts
• Seeing issues from a different perspective
• Synethesia (blending of senses like tasting colors or seeing sounds)
• Improved cognition
• Reduced suicidality
• Reduced anxiety
• Spiritual connectedness
• Relief of existential distress
• Mystical feelings
• A cutting of the cord between one’s thoughts and emotions
• Altered perception of space and time
• Dissociation
• Dilated pupils
• Anti-inflammatory effects

Negative effects associated with the use of magic mushrooms:

• Nausea
• Transient hypertension
• Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
• Mild headache
• Physical discomfort
• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Vomiting
• Hallucinations, sometimes leading to hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD)
• Nervousness
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Paranoia
• Intense fear
• Mental discomfort
• Prolonged psychosis

How Addictive Are Shrooms?

In contrast to other hallucinogens, like PCP (and, to a lesser degree, LSD, ketamine, and mescaline), psilocybin is not considered physically addictive. On the contrary, research suggests that psilocybin can be beneficial in treating other addictions (e.g., nicotine and alcohol).

However, though psilocybin may not be physically addictive, the pleasant dissociative state it induces can cause psychological dependence, similar to other chemically benign pleasurable things, like chocolate. Tolerance often develops quickly to magic mushrooms but, similar to marijuana misuse, withdrawal and chemical dependence are extraordinarily rare.

Psilocybin Addiction Statistics

Addiction to psilocybin is extremely low. The 2021 National Survey on Drug Use estimated that 2.6% of people in the U.S. (12+ years old) have used hallucinogens in the past year, but only 0.2% have been diagnosed with hallucinogen use disorder, and LSD, PCP, and Ecstasy are responsible for the majority of that estimate.⁹

Psychedelic use is highest among adults aged 18-25 (7.1%) and multiracial individuals (5.5%) as compared to White (2.9%), LatinX (2.4%), Black (1.7%) or Asian (1.4%) people.⁹ Psilocybin use comprises only a small fraction of these estimates.

Impacts of Shroom Misuse

Unlike other hallucinogens like PCP, isolated psilocybin use is fairly safe for most people and usually has a positive or no impact on daily life and functioning.² One exception, however, is for individuals who have or are at risk for, a psychotic disorder, as psilocybin can trigger a psychotic episode.

Misuse can also occur when a person is unaware that a delay of 20-40 minutes precedes the desired effect and impatiently ingests more, resulting in a higher dose that is more likely to lead to negative effects. Alternatively, if a person underestimates how high they are, they can cause physical injury because psilocybin impairs one’s judgment and perception (e.g., driving or using machinery while under the influence).

Fatal intoxication from shrooms is rare but is usually due to combined use with other drugs, most notably mixing psilocybin with alcohol, which intensifies both the psychotropic and adverse effects. When not combined with other substances, the lethal dose of shrooms is very high. Based on animal studies, a lethal human dose is projected to require 17kg of fresh mushrooms.¹⁰

Shrooms misuse may lead to:

• Feeling anxious and/or experiencing panic attacks
• Flashbacks to prior psychedelic experiences, which can occur days to years after ingestion without having taken more of the substance.
• Unintentional ingestion of other substances laced into product (more common with powder forms of psilocybin)
• Ingesting a misidentified mushroom species, which can lead to accidental poisoning, which is potentially fatal.
• Side effects from phenylethylamine, a compound found in shrooms that is functionally similar to amphetamines and can cause cardiovascular effects like tachycardia, nausea, and anxiety.¹⁰
• Sleep problems for 12 hours after use
• A gateway drug to other more addictive or harmful drugs

Can You Overdose on Shrooms?

Overdosing on shrooms is extremely rare, and too high a dose will trigger vomiting to rid the body of the substance. When psilocybin use does lead to harm, it is usually when combined with alcohol use, ingested by someone with a psychotic disorder (e.g., schizophrenia), and/or taken in an unsafe environment (e.g., open window to fly out of).^{9, 10}

Someone should seek immediate medical attention if they show signs of a shroom overdose, such as:

• Panic attacks
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations that persist beyond intoxication
• Suicidal thoughts
• Cardiac symptoms
• Respiratory symptoms
• Excessive vomiting

Psilocybin Shroom Withdrawal

Psilocybin use does not lead to dependence or withdrawal. However, the experience may extend beyond the trip, sometimes in good ways and others in undesirable ways. An estimated 9% of psychedelic users (slightly lower for psilocybin) will have a distressing experience leading to functional impairment lasting more than a day.¹¹ As psilocybin affects serotonin levels, it can lead to mild sleep changes (REM and slow-wave sleep suppression) for one night after ingestion.¹²

Risk Factors Leading to Magic Mushroom Addiction

Although psilocybin has an extremely low potential for chemical dependence, psychological addiction is nonetheless possible with psilocybin, as it is with virtually anything pleasurable, like video games, masturbation, and even chocolate. As such, the risk factors for psychological addiction to psilocybin are consistent with any other psychological addiction (e.g., gambling addiction).

Risk factors contributing to shroom misuse include:

• Genetics: There are genetic factors that put some people at greater risk for addiction. These individuals often have a dysregulated neural reward system and neurotransmitter levels that render them more susceptible to addiction.^{13, 14}
• Young age: The developing brain of a teen is particularly susceptible to the effects of psychotropic drugs, which theoretically could be helpful or harmful. The long-term effects of psilocybin in children have not been adequately studied to determine its efficacy and safety for this age group. But teen drug abuse is always something to be aware of.
• Trauma: Individuals who have experienced trauma may seek relief through dissociative experiences.
• Environment: Greater availability and easy access within a person’s household or social circles increases the likelihood of frequent use.
• Co-use with other substances: A study examining polydrug use in college students found that 66% of psilocybin users simultaneously used alcohol, 83% co-used cannabis, and 62% co-used tobacco.¹⁵ While cross-addiction of these substances with psilocybin is unlikely, co-use can increase the intensity and side effects of psilocybin.^{16, 17, 18}
• Mental health symptoms: Individuals with severe depression may be more susceptible to overusing psilocybin for the temporary blissful, connected state it induces; however, they are also the most likely to be successfully treated by it.
• Stress: Those with chronic stress can overuse mushrooms, not being mindful of, or caring about their usage patterns, as they may look to “check out” their stressful life patterns.
• Poverty: Indigence, while correlated with depression, can also be a condition from which people want to regularly “drop out” and, thus, overuse psilocybin.

Treatment for Polydrug Addiction and Shroom Misuse

While shrooms themselves are not addictive, they are often used recreationally in conjunction with other drugs of misuse that are addictive. Magic mushrooms are not usually ‘craved,’ as they lack addictive qualities. However, for individuals who struggle with polysubstance abuse, any drug-related item (e.g., a mushroom) can serve as a cue to trigger craving and relapse.

If you’re concerned about a loved one’s substance use, including shrooms, there are effective ways to get them help. You can help them find a therapist by using an online therapist directory, where you can search for therapists in your area who specialize in polysubstance abuse. Addiction recovery apps are a great add-on to therapy that can help quicken and sustain an individual’s recovery process.

Therapeutic Uses for Psilocybin

Psilocybin is becoming increasingly popular as a psychedelic therapy for treating mental health conditions (e.g., using psilocybin for anxiety, depression, or substance misuse).¹⁹ As its legality for use in medical settings gradually shifts across the United States, the public attitude towards this alternative treatment is also becoming more favorable.

Psilocybin itself may actually help resolve addiction to other substances like nicotine or alcohol.  While some people might attempt to microdose on their own as a way of self-medicating, it’s recommended that such interventions should be done under medical supervision in a controlled setting. Recovery from other addictions will likely require concurrent psychotherapy and other support services.

When used to treat mental health disorders and/or addiction, psilocybin is done at a dosing of weekly to every two to three weeks. This dosing is similar to other hallucinogen treatments, such as ketamine for depression. It contrasts with antidepressants or other psych medication, which are taken daily or multiple times per day)

In My Experience

While psilocybin mushrooms may not have the same potential for overdose or chemical dependence as other hallucinogenics or hard drugs, they hold the same potential as any other pleasurable activity for psychological addiction.  As such, it is important to stay mindful and even check in with friends and family members about whether you are overusing shrooms or using them in unhealthy ways – e.g., to avoid important responsibilities or confronting important issues.

Individuals with preexisting psychiatric disorders – especially psychotic disorders, but also depression and bipolar disorder – should be especially careful not to misuse/overuse psilocybin, as they may be more susceptible to a panoply of unintended consequences, like psychosis and psychological addiction.