Mushrooms are naturally growing food, easily found throughout the world. It is widely believed that humans discovered tripping before they even discovered fire!
Some even support the theory of the stoned ape, one based on the idea that Psilocybin was the very catalyst of human evolution. After consuming the fungi and expanding their consciousness, those early Homo-Sapiens began to think outside the box, outside of hunting and survival and onto a more elevated level.
This open-mindedness would’ve given them new interests that would later become the very foundation of many facades in human culture like language, projective imagination, the arts, religion, philosophy and science.
Hillside Pharms is now a proud member of the psychedelic revolution, offering mushrooms to those who wish to try.
Read on to find out more about the basics of tripping on mushrooms.
What is Tripping?
Tripping refers to taking a large dose of psilocybin mushrooms to alter your state of mind and experience hallucinogenic effects. The process is not for the faint-hearted, as tripping can be too intense without precautions which could lead to paranoia or extreme anxiety if taken in high doses.
How Much Mushrooms Do I Need to Trip?
The usual consensus for first-timers is anywhere from 1.5-3.5g. We recommend going even lower than that, but there is a possibility of your trip being underwhelming.
For context, 3.5g of Golden Teachers for a first-timer is a relatively huge dose, and they should definitely feel it. Two grams will be more manageable, all while giving you a taste of the experience.
What do I need to think about before tripping?
Dosage:
Dosage is extremely important when it comes to tripping. Psilocybin is a potent substance, and a single gram can make all the difference between a good trip and a bad trip. To view a full breakdown of different dosages of psilocybin, and their effects, read our blog post here.
Set and Setting
“Set” is short for the mindset you will be in when tripping. Psychedelics feed into your emotions and amplify them, so you want to make sure you haven’t recently been through something traumatic(grief, a bad breakup, etc.)
“Setting refers to the location where you will be tripping. Your senses are overstimulated when you ingest psilocybin, so crowded areas with many strangers are to be avoided for first-timers. Instead, opt for somewhere that brings you comfort!
Find out more about set and setting in this blog post.
Trip-Sitters
A trip-sitter is defined as a close friend or family member who will accompany you on your trip. They should be lucid enough to handle everything you’ll be too high to handle and comfort you if things get too intense.
We’ve written up a short blog post on how to choose your trip-sitter in this blog post.
Intent
Many people claim psilocybin produces optimal results for personal growth and healing when an intent is set beforehand. Knowing the psychedelic will eliminate any filters you have in your mind; you can select your goal accordingly.
For example, some people want to deal with repressed memories; others want to feel closer to nature or think about the meaning of life.
What is the Aftermath of a Mushroom Trip?
Provided you took the correct steps to a good trip, this experience could be so magical it may change your fundamental character forever. Some report feeling like a kid again after the trip, like the world is full of wonders.
Deep insight is also possible on this level with thoughts of the past, the future, death, breakups. All subjects you would generally avoid thinking about, or on the flip side obsess about, are now just a regular, harmless thought to explore and understand better.
There is usually no “hangover” feeling after a mushroom trip. You may experience a bit of brain fog but nothing depressing or painful.
PRO TIPS / WARNINGS
- DO start a stopwatch when you begin your trip. If ever you find yourself totally out of this world and forget how you got there, a quick peek at the timer on your phone will help ground you back to reality by reminding yourself how many more hours you will be this high before going back to normal.
- AVOID using your cell phone if you don’t need to. Watching TV is fine at a distance, but any other screen can cause sensory overload and heighten your anxiety level.
- Optional: Keep a killswitch nearby. If you desperately want to end a bad trip, keeping a Xanax or sleeping pills nearby can help you sober up reasonably quickly. You’ll want to take half a dose at a time and see how you feel after 40 mins on your timer before redosing. IF that does not work, redose ONCE and just ride it out; you’ll fall asleep like a baby in no more than 2 hours.
- DON’T take too much. You can always take more but never less.
- Do avoid smoking weed on the come up. It can lead to increased paranoia. Save it for the comedown.
- Do stay hydrated.
- Do wait 3-4 months before tripping again.
- Do practice focused breathing throughout your trip.
- Don’t drive or use public transportation, especially if you don’t have shades on. Nobody wants your oversized pupils staring at their frightened child.
- Mirrors! A powerful experience for most, be careful not to get lost in the confusion of seeing yourself in the mirror. It can be very scary for some people.
More on How to Stay Safe and Avoid a Bad Trip
We’re hoping psilocybin mushrooms will be fully legal soon and that everyone will be able to experience this one-of-a-kind feeling. The more mainstream tripping becomes, it will be important that people be informed about this substance before consuming it.
We’ve started a series of small informative blog posts on the topic of mushrooms. You can find more information about dosage, trip sitters, bad trips, and much more!
If you feel like you’re ready to explore the depths of your mind, it’s important to be prepared. Better safe than sorry!
