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Magic mushrooms are a type of fungus that contains a natural chemical called psilocybin. When people eat these mushrooms, their body turns psilocybin into psilocin. This chemical affects the brain and can change how a person sees, hears, or feels things. Some people describe the experience as a “trip.”
There’s growing interest in magic mushrooms in science, especially for studying mental health. But they also carry serious risks, especially if used in the wrong way.
When people hear “overdose,” they often think of taking too much of a drug and dying. But with magic mushrooms, it’s different. A fatal overdose from psilocybin is extremely rare. Instead, people are more likely to suffer from something called acute toxicity. This means taking too much and having a very bad reaction, usually in the mind, not the body.
Psilocybin has what scientists call a high therapeutic index. This means the amount it would take to cause death is much, much higher than the amount most people ever take. According to animal studies, a person would need to eat hundreds or thousands of doses to reach a lethal level. So, while it is technically possible to overdose and die from magic mushrooms, it’s extremely unlikely.
Even though the body can usually handle a high dose, the mind may not. Taking too much psilocybin can cause a “bad trip”, which is a strong, unpleasant, and scary experience.
People might feel:
These symptoms can last 4 to 12 hours, depending on the dose and the person. For some, the effects can feel overwhelming and hard to escape.
Most of the time, physical effects aren’t life-threatening, but they can be uncomfortable or scary. These may include:
Even though psilocybin itself is not very toxic, magic mushrooms still come with serious risks, mostly from indirect harm.
Some mushrooms look like psilocybin mushrooms but are actually poisonous. Eating the wrong kind can cause liver or kidney failure, and in some cases, death. This is one of the most dangerous risks, especially for people who pick mushrooms in the wild without expert knowledge.
People on a bad trip might become confused or scared. This can lead to risky actions, like falling, walking into traffic, or even hurting themselves. These accidents are the main cause of death connected to magic mushrooms, not the drug itself.
Combining psilocybin with alcohol or other drugs, especially antidepressants or MAOIs, can cause serious problems. One rare but dangerous reaction is Serotonin Syndrome, which happens when there’s too much serotonin in the brain.
Magic mushrooms can make mental health issues worse, especially for people with conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In some cases, people may experience flashbacks or long-lasting changes in how they see things, even weeks or months later.
Several things can make a bad trip more likely:
While we don’t encourage the use of magic mushrooms, it’s important to understand how to reduce harm if someone does choose to use them. Experts suggest the following:
To sum it up: Magic mushrooms rarely cause death from overdose, but that doesn’t mean they are safe. A “mushroom overdose” usually means a bad trip, a deeply upsetting and sometimes dangerous experience.
More importantly, the greatest dangers come from what happens during the trip, not from the chemical itself. Accidents, poisonings, and mental health crises are real risks that can be avoided with caution, awareness, and legal responsibility.
If someone is having a strong negative reaction or physical symptoms after taking mushrooms, call emergency services right away.
