No matter its name, mushrooms have long been treated with contempt by many. Perhaps it’s because they grow in dim corners or cow dung, or simply cultural prejudice against hallucinogens; whatever the case, we need to end mycophobia and begin respecting mushrooms, an amazing substance that adds another piece to the mind-brain jigsaw puzzle that has fascinated scientists for centuries.

Psilocybe genus mushrooms are among the most frequently consumed psychoactive mushrooms, due to their relatively low-toxicity (tests conducted during the 1950s showed doses up to 200 times human body weight being consumed without lethal side effects) and relative safety compared with other drugs, making them a favorite tool among psychonauts.

One can enjoy mushroom trips for their indescribable pleasures; however, they can also bring unpleasant side effects, including vomiting, nausea, sweating, dilation of pupils, twitching and trembling, involuntary contractions, loss of control over speech and movement, involuntary contractions affecting speech and movement, loss of control over speech/movement control as well as hallucinations of colors/shapes/hallucinations etc. These effects may be further exacerbated by related herb henbane which reduces pain (hence the legend that Berserker warriors could fight without bleeding), contributes to difficulty recognizing faces/causing loss of consciousness/all these effects may further intensified.