Psilocybin-containing mushrooms, commonly known as “shrooms” or “magic mushrooms,” are hallucinogens that people often use for their mind-altering effects, like intense hallucinations and euphoria. Knowing how long these effects can last is key to staying safe and managing the experience responsibly.
To Begin With – What Are Shrooms?
Shrooms are mushrooms containing psychedelic compounds known as psilocin or psilocybin. They are hallucinogens, which means they induce intense hallucinations wherein you experience things that are not present. For instance, you begin to sense and perceive vivid colors, shapes, and other patterns. Shrooms can also lead to psychedelic experiences and distortions in your thoughts, emotions, and sense of time.
Shrooms can be consumed in different ways, such as:
- Eaten raw or cooked.
- Dried shrooms can be consumed via injection, capsules, or by adding them to juices and other beverages.
- Dried shrooms can also be added to tea.
Shrooms have become very popular of late, as they are used for recreational purposes by young adults. While they are not physically addictive, it is possible to become psychologically addicted and dependent on them.
How Long Do Shrooms Last?
Shroom’s effects can kick in as quickly as 20 minutes and peak within 3 hours after consumption. These effects last for 6 hours, after which they begin to wear off. However, it can take nearly 24 hours for your body to return to normal.
Onset of Effects – How Soon Do Shrooms Begin to Work?
Shrooms are fast-acting hallucinogens. The effects kick in within 20 to 40 minutes of consumption. During the first 20 minutes, you may not feel much of a difference. However, after 40 minutes, you begin to notice the effects. You experience a shift in your mood while you also feel the sights and sounds around you becoming brighter and louder.
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Peak Experience – When Are the Effects Most Intense?
Peak experience is when you find that the shroom effects are at their strongest. This happens between 1 to 3 hours after consumption.
You feel the shroom effects building up as you begin to see vivid colors, shapes, and patterns. You can experience a distortion in time – it either moves too quickly or too slowly. You also find your mood shifting, as you feel extremely happy. Emotions during shroom trips can feel overwhelming, which is why it is crucial to use shrooms only in a safe and controlled environment.
How Long It Lasts – What’s the Duration of a Shroom Trip?
You can experience shrooms’ effects up to 6 hours after consumption, after which they begin to wear off. However, residual effects can linger on for a day. After 24 hours, you find that your body is returning to its normal state.
How Much Is Too Much – The Dosage Guidelines
| Dose Type | Amount | Effects |
| Microdose | 0.1 – 0.5g | Subtle mood shifts, focused mind, boosted creativity. |
| Low | 0.5 – 1.5g | Changes in thinking patterns, visual and auditory changes, and emotional sensitivity. |
| Moderate (Standard) | 1.5 – 3g | Sensory distortions, brighter sights and louder sounds, and heightened emotional sensitivity. |
| High | 3 – 5g | Intense hallucinations, warped sense of time, and mystical experiences. |
| Heroic | > 5g | Intense and unpredictable effects; unsafe. |
Why Does Every Trip Vary – Factors Influencing Shroom Effects
There are different factors that affect the duration of a shroom trip – how long it lasts and how strong it is:
Potency – Different kinds of mushrooms contain different levels of psilocybin. The levels of psilocybin affect the length of time shrooms remain in your system. Higher levels of psilocybin mean that shrooms will remain in your system for a longer time.
Dosage – When you consume shrooms in higher doses, it takes longer for your body to clear it out. On the other hand, a lower dosage helps the body clear it out quickly.
Method of Consumption – The method of consumption affects how long shrooms last in your system. For instance, when shrooms are consumed as tea, they act quickly and leave the body quickly as well. Meanwhile, if shrooms are eaten raw, they do not act as quickly but stay in your system for a longer time.
Age – As the body tends to age, metabolism becomes slower. This means that it takes longer for the body to clear out the shrooms.
Body Composition – Psilocybin tends to get stored in fatty tissues for a longer period of time. So, if the body contains more fatty tissue, it takes longer for the body to eliminate shrooms from its system.
Mindset and the Environment – Commonly referred to as the “set and setting,” the mindset indicates the frame of mind you are in before consuming shrooms. As shrooms can lead to a distortion of time, your mind can perceive that the shroom trip lasted longer than it did. Meanwhile, a safe setting can enhance its effects, and an uncomfortable setting can lead to a negative experience.
Shrooms and Drug Tests – How Long Are They Detectable?
There are specific tests that can detect shrooms in your system. However, most tests can detect shrooms only within a few hours after consumption.
| Drug Test | Window of Detection |
| Urine test | Up to 24 hours after consumption |
| Blood test | Up to 24 hours after consumption |
| Saliva test | Unclear; not commonly used |
| Hair test | 90 days; not commonly used |
Recognize the Signs – How to Tell If You’re Having a Bad Trip?
Bad trips are an unfortunate risk with psychedelics like shrooms. The main indicators that you might be having a bad trip are:
- Feeling like you are losing it.
- Losing yourself.
- Ego dissolution, or when you lose first-person experiences and your sense of self.
While bad trips pose significant risks, some users also report that they can lead to positive experiences like existential and life-altering insights.
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Before You Try Shrooms – Understanding the Risks
Shrooms have been used for ceremonial and medicinal purposes for ages. However, they can lead to certain unwanted effects and risks that you need to be aware of:
- Headaches
- Lightheadedness
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Bad trips
- Anxiety
- Psychosis refers to a break from reality. The common symptoms are hallucinations and delusions.
- Seizures
- Coma
- Overdose (rare).
Safety First – What Are the Safety and Harm Reduction Strategies?
Using shrooms does come with its risks, just as with any other psychoactive substance. Therefore, prioritizing your safety and engaging in harm-reduction strategies can go a long way in reducing negative experiences with shrooms.
Dosage – Stick to lower doses. While the effects are milder, it is also safer.
Nutrition – Before consuming shrooms, keep your diet light so as to reduce the chances of vomiting and other digestive troubles.
Hydration – Keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after a shroom trip.
Setting – Ensure you only consume shrooms in a safe, comfortable setting and have a trusted, sober person around you who can ensure your safety and offer you support.
Drug Interactions – Psilocybin can interact with other substances, like prescription medication, alcohol, stimulants, and other psychedelics. This can lead to severe adverse reactions, so it is strongly advised not to mix psilocybin with any other substances.
The Bottom Line
Shrooms are quickly eliminated by your body, but certain factors can delay this process. So, you need to follow a nutritious diet, keep your body hydrated, and engage in regular exercise.
While shrooms are not exactly physically addictive or fatal, overusing shrooms can be extremely dangerous. Therefore, it is crucial that you take shrooms only in low doses and in safe, comfortable settings.