Tips For A Safe Magic Mushroom Trip

Tripping is often enjoyable, but it can sometimes become overwhelming. Creating a safe context and environment in which to trip makes for a much more comfortable experience. Here are some tips on maximising the safety of your shroom or truffle trip.

Tripping on mushrooms isn’t inherently dangerous, but it can be disconcerting and overwhelming if done in the wrong context. Therefore, safe and enjoyable tripping happens in a controlled, safe environment, coupled with adequate knowledge.

In this article, we give you a comprehensive guide on how to trip safely and enjoyably.

ARE MAGIC MUSHROOMS DANGEROUS?

No. Despite what you may have been told, or just passively absorbed from your culture, magic mushrooms are incredibly safe. In fact, they are considered one of the safest drugs on the planet. There are two deaths attributed to the pharmacological effects of psilocybin (meaning the direct effects of the drug compounds on the body), and an uncertain (but small) number linked to inebriated behaviour and accidents involving magic mushrooms.

However, overdose and death, and even negative physical effects, are almost impossible with magic mushrooms. Even so, it is possible to experience negative psychological effects when using this drug. But even these tend to be mild and transient. The infamous “bad trip” is very unlikely with psilocybin, as it is by nature a drug on which users remain aware and sober enough to think fairly rationally.

The main danger with magic mushrooms comes from being disinhibited to partaking in dangerous activities, or attempting to do things like drive. It is necessary to be very careful when on these (or any other) drugs, as motor skills, judgement, and reaction times will be impaired.

WHAT IS A GOOD TRIP LIKE?

A good magic mushroom experience is wonderful, funny, oftentimes profound, and, most importantly, great fun. You are likely to feel more connected to yourself, the wider world, and other people. Patterns of thought will change, becoming freer, and often deeper; visual and auditory stimulation will become richer, as will touch, and your inner-world is likely to become more transparent to you, which can allow you to understand yourself more deeply.

A good trip will be a joyful experience, and the period afterwards will not feel like a harsh comedown, but rather a calm, settled sort of happiness.

Interestingly, a “good trip” needn’t necessarily be “nice”, though they often are. Good trips can sometimes be very challenging, even straying into distressing. However, the qualities of a good trip in these cases centre around personal development and realisations, even if the entire experience isn’t completely pleasant.

A bad trip, in comparison, will be confusing, anxiety inducing, overwhelming, and will not have an inherent sense of value. Truly bad trips are rare, and even when they do occur, they are not usually too overwhelming. Instead, you might find you just have to wait them out.

In the following sections, we will explain how to reduce the chances of a bad trip, what to do if you have one, and, most importantly, how to increase the chances of a good one!

WHEN NOT TO TRIP ON MAGIC MUSHROOMS

There are times when you shouldn’t use magic mushrooms (or any other drugs).

Generally, if you’re struggling with mental health issues, it’s best to keep away from drugs. Taking magic mushrooms can work wonders for some people who are feeling unwell, but it’s generally only recommended under the guidance of an experienced professional.

Moreover, tripping when you feel particularly bad can be very overwhelming and will remove all of your usual defences, which can leave you far too vulnerable.

Other times you should avoid tripping are:

• When you’re busy and stressed

• When you don’t have sufficient time to enjoy it

• In busy, crowded environments where you can’t escape to safe solitude

TIPS FOR A SAFE TRIP ON MAGIC MUSHROOMS

The following section will outline many steps you can take to ensure a safe trip. And the good news is that a safe trip translates into a good trip, as feeling unsafe is often what causes the effects of magic mushrooms to feel unpleasant. If we create a safe context for tripping, then we can enjoy the experience, even when it becomes emotionally challenging.

BEFORE THE TRIP

Having a safe, good trip starts before we take the shrooms. Laying the groundwork helps to create a comfortable environment, and ensures the basics are already prepared for us once we’re high.

BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE

You should source all drugs, including magic mushrooms or truffles, from a trusted source. In the case of shrooms, this could be someone trustworthy who grows them, a reliable in-person vendor, an online source for magic truffles, or from your own grow kit (this is probably the best and cheapest option).

FIND A TRIP SITTER

Trip sitters aren’t always necessary, but they may be helpful for those who are anxious and uncertain about what to expect.

If you use a trip sitter, pick them well! An unsuitable person will be worse than nobody at all, and will kill the vibe and make you feel very uncomfortable. A bad trip sitter is one of the easiest ways to have a bad trip.

A good trip sitter should:

• Be familiar with drug experiences, or at least be very open to them

• Expect absolutely nothing from you during your trip

• Understand that they are there for you, and that it is not a day for both of you

• Know when to give you space

• Be absolutely free from judgement

• Be comfortable to sit in quiet for several hours, without occupying themselves with anything that might distract you (this includes looking at their phone)

FEEL GOOD

It really helps if you already feel good going into a trip. Now, you needn’t necessarily feel incredible, but you shouldn’t feel horrible either.

If you feel tired, sick, or have a hangover, then tripping can be quite unpleasant. Sometimes, being super burnt out from smoking a lot of weed can also make a trip feel very trapped inside your head, which can be uncomfortable.

Going into a trip with a clear head makes a huge difference. Taking a walk or doing yoga/exercise, for example, can help to get you in the right space for your trip. If possible, avoid using your phone or doing anything administrative or stressful.

BE IN A RELAXED AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT

If you’re new to tripping, it’s key to be somewhere that feels safe and private. You need to know that you can close the door and be alone, without the risk of having to interact with the world. The obvious choice is to do it in your own, or someone else’s, home. Otherwise, natural environments such as forests are also wonderful for tripping. Just make sure you take warm clothes, food, and water with you.

Privacy can also be increased by switching phones off. A text or phone call can be just as bad as someone knocking at the door!

PREPARE SOME FOOD AND DRINKS

Having food and drink around will be helpful. You’ll want to hydrate throughout the whole experience, and you’ll probably get very hungry at the end. Generally, healthy foods and drinks are preferable when tripping. Everyone is different, but unhealthy foods can be quite repulsive when on shrooms.

Water, tea, and juice can be great to drink. In terms of food, vegetable-based dishes and dark chocolate can be wonderful once you start to come down and suddenly feel hungry.

Note: Avoid caffeine! It can make trips overwhelming and give them a strange quality.

TAKE MAGIC MUSHROOMS ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

On that note, take shrooms on an empty stomach. If you trip on a full stomach, you won’t feel very much. If you can avoid eating for at least three hours before you take the shrooms, you will have a much more potent experience.

Some like to avoid eating for as many as eight hours before taking shrooms. However, it’s advised to at least have a small breakfast on the day you trip, otherwise hunger can permeate the whole experience and take away from it.

TAKE THE RIGHT DOSE

Taking the right amount requires a little luck and good judgement at first.

If you take too much, then the experience can be overwhelming. However, taking too little has its own downsides. Not only can it be unsatisfying, but a low-level trip can actually be more anxiety-inducing than a stronger one. If your mind can’t figure out why it feels so weird, then the experience can just be uncomfortable.

In general, an advisable dose for novices is between 1 and 3 grams of dried shrooms. For fresh magic truffles, 7.5–15 grams is advisable, depending on the strain.

DURING THE TRIP

Once you’re tripping, you need to look after yourself (and others) to ensure that the trip remains safe. If you’ve prepared well, then you should intuitively know what will be good for you once you start tripping—just as you do on most normal days. Most people retain rationality and cognisance when they trip.

Nevertheless, here are some tips.

STAY COMFORTABLE

You don’t want to overstimulate yourself when tripping, nor do you want to engage in the wrong activities.

Just sitting and being is one of the most recommended activities. The subtleties of your mind and senses can be endlessly fascinating while high, and you should give yourself the space to notice them. You can do this in your home or in nature.

Listening to music can also be magnificent, as can talking to friends.

Some suggest watching films or cartoons while tripping, but we would actually advise against this recommendation. These stimuli will take you out of the experience, and there are better ways to engage with the world than this. However, watching something can be helpful if you’re having an uncomfortable experience and want a gentle distraction.

DO NOT COMBINE SHROOMS WITH OTHER MIND-ALTERING SUBSTANCES

If you’re new to tripping, don’t mix shrooms with other drugs.

While some choose to combine shrooms with other substances, this can also be a bad idea, and quite dangerous. Once you combine drugs, the psychological and physiological effects become unpredictable.

Many people like to smoke weed with shrooms, but it can deaden the effects and introduce a considerable dose of paranoia and anxiety to an otherwise enjoyable experience. It’s pretty common for people to only start to feel uncomfortable on shrooms once they’ve decided to smoke a joint.

GO WITH THE FLOW

The number-one thing you can do to have a safe and enjoyable psychedelic experience is go with the flow. It may sound like some meaningless phrase, but it’s actually very important.

If you can accept a trip, you will enjoy it, even if it is challenging. Bad thoughts, overwhelming feelings, strong stimuli, fear; all of these things will pass if you choose to accept them, rather than fight them. If you resist them, they’ll stick around and become stronger and stronger.

Take a breath, go for a walk, lie in bed, talk to a friend—any of these can help you to pass through an uncomfortable patch. Just remember: you’re not trying to escape the experience, you’re just giving it the space to evolve.

DRINK SOME WATER

Hydration is really important when using drugs. It can be easy to forget to drink, and you may start to feel unpleasant and wonder why. Often, we’ve just become dehydrated.

The good news is that shrooms don't dangerously dehydrate you, so you don’t need to pay any special attention to hydration when using them. But you should remember to drink a normal amount.

DON’T REDOSE

Redosing shrooms doesn’t work, so don’t try it. You can redose within the first half hour or so after you come up, but after this point you’ll experience diminishing returns.

As soon as the psilocin starts flowing through you, your body quickly gets to work forming a tolerance. To demonstrate just how quickly this tolerance forms, one gram taken after you’re already high will be worth but a fraction of what it would be to a sober person.

So get your dose right the first time. To a degree, this means that if you want a strong trip, you have to dive in right at the beginning—you can’t work your way up to it. For this reason, do your research thoroughly and take a sensible amount.

AFTER THE TRIP

Once the trip is over, there’s little that can go wrong. However, there are still steps we can take to make the experience more comfortable and valuable.

EVALUATE

It’s possible the trip may have been one long experience of evaluation, in which case you might want to just relax afterwards. Still, it can be useful to reflect upon your trip at some point afterwards. Often, this is better in the days after, rather than immediately after, when you’ll probably feel quite tired.

EAT AND DRINK

Eat some food and drink something comforting. Food will revitalise you and make it easier to sleep, as will refreshing drinks. Plus, you probably won’t have consumed much for many hours, so your body might be hungry and parched.

STAY RELAXED

After tripping, you’ll probably be very tired and quite subdued. Ensure that you have nothing to do and nowhere to go after you’ve tripped, as the slightest effort can be far too much. Get comfy and chill out!

WHAT TO DO WHEN HAVING A BAD TRIP

If you find yourself having a bad trip, fear not! There are steps you can take to make it better:

• Know it will end. Bad shroom trips last a maximum of a few hours, and often much less. This can seem a long time while you’re in it, but it will be over before you know it. And they shouldn’t cause any lasting damage.

• Remind yourself that shrooms are among the safest drugs in the world! Tell yourself this several times until it sinks in.

• Drink a sugary drink and eat food. Food and sugar will help you sober up much quicker, and may even bring an immediate end to the strongest effects.

• Tell someone how you’re feeling. If you’re alone, say it out loud or write it down. Allowing the negative thoughts that are circling around your head some way out can help to calm you down.

• Walk or stretch. Movement will help to release energy, making you more relaxed. Staying still can make you feel trapped, so move.

• Refer to the section above: go with the flow.

PREPARE WELL AND ENJOY YOUR MAGIC MUSHROOM TRIP

Knowing how to prepare a suitable environment and context for tripping makes it safer and much more enjoyable. Once we’re tripping, it can really help to know what’s going and that we have everything we need at hand. Most importantly, remember to allow the experience to move through you, no matter what it’s like. If you can do this, you’ll never have a truly bad trip.

Stay cosy, make your environment comfortable, minimise distractions, and put on some good music. Tripping can be quite safe, and you can make this more likely by creating the best set and setting.