Psychoactive Amanitas
Effects
DURATION #
Caution : Reactions and experiences may vary dramatically from person to person. [see below]
EFFECTS LIST #
POSITIVE
- euphoria: feelings of peace and well being
- marked analgesia (pain relief)
- physical relaxation / dream state: (during the sedative effects) can be highly detailed, colorful, and have a great sense of clarity and lucidity. Some people describe these as being similar to Lucid Dreaming. Some describe them as Out of Body Experiences (OOBEs). As with normal dreams, the Amanita Dream State can consist of a wide variety of experiences.
- internal dialogue: some people report a strong sense of an internal discussion, a feeling of being able to think through personal issues. Others report a significant reduction of internal dialogue, sense of peacefulness, and internal quiet.
- synesthesia: is somewhat common, smelling words, tasting colors, etc.
- clarity: Often no interference with memory or logic: many report strong "clarity of thought" and "stillness of mind". Others report mild to strong confusion.
- internal focus: Difficulty in focusing concentration on external tasks. Increased focus on internal imagination, imagery, day dreams.
- sociability: Group interaction can become incoherent: "conversational weirdness", frequent changes in topic, "non-linear conversations"
- sexual feelings: Some people report increased sexual feelings, others report very unsexual emotional and sensual distance / coldness.
NEUTRAL
- sedative or sleepy effects. others report excitation and extreme energy bursts.
- changes in body perception: effects may include dramatic shifts in body perception and motor skills including perceived changes in size of body parts, increased strength, dizziness, clumsiness, change in proprioception.
- slightly blurred vision, watery eyes, runny nose.
- loss of Equilibrium
- pupil dilation, glassy eyed stare
NEGATIVE
- Mild to moderate to extreme nausea or stomach discomfort/cramps, increases with dosage.
- muscle twitching and trembling (not convulsions)
- increased salivation and perspiration.
- strong dissociation and delirium at high doses
Stages: Some people describe three stages of effects: first the nausea / body effects stage, the second sedated / dreamy state, and the third stage during which the active psychedelic effects predominate.
DESCRIPTION #
It should be noted that there is a significant difference in quality, potency, and effects between mushrooms found in different seasons and different areas, as well as different varieties of psychoactive amanitas (ie different ratio of nausea/body effects to mental / entheogenic effects).
As with other entheogens, everyone reacts individually to Amanita muscaria intoxication. Amanitas may be more variable based on the way one's body metabolizes ibotenic acid into muscimol. Many people do not enjoy the effects of A. muscaria or pantherina. Warning: there are deadly poisonous species of Amanitas. If you don't know what you are doing, don't ingest Amanitas.
As with other entheogens, everyone reacts individually to Amanita muscaria intoxication. Amanitas may be more variable based on the way one's body metabolizes ibotenic acid into muscimol. Many people do not enjoy the effects of A. muscaria or pantherina. Warning: there are deadly poisonous species of Amanitas. If you don't know what you are doing, don't ingest Amanitas.
Precautions
- As with other entheogens, eating lightly beforehand may reduce nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort.
- Starting low with dosage and work up as you become familiar with the potency of the mushrooms and your individual reaction may help reduce the chance of unpleasant effects/overdose.
- Some people recommend using cannabis to offset possible nausea.
- Many people recommend planning to lie back and relax during the Onset and Early phases of Amanita muscaria intoxication to reduce nausea.
- A. muscaria should be dried completely before ingestion, many people recommend heating / toasting the mushroom to dry it. The drying/heating process probably reduces or converts (decarboxylates) the ibotenic acid in the mushroom into muscimol, making it less toxic-feeling and more psychoactive (consider lowering your dosage if you heat the A. muscaria first).
- Many recommend using only the skin and the thin yellow layer under the skin and avoiding the majority of the body, gills, and stalk.
- Many people like to take milk thistle with the Amanita muscaria because of the fact that other species of Amanitas contain liver toxins...though we have seen no evidence that A. muscaria is toxic to the liver. (one person recommends milk thistle because of the possibility that its mycelial networks might intermingle with that of nearby toxic amanitas.)
CAUTION & DISCLAIMER #
Erowid's effects information is a summary of data gathered from users, research, and other resources. This information is intended to describe the range of effects people report experiencing. Effects may vary dramatically from one person to another or one experience to another based on a variety of factors such as body chemistry, age, gender, physical health, dose, form of material, etc.