Psilocybin
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms, commonly known as
magic mushroomsorshrooms. It is a prodrug that converts to the active substance psilocin in the body, causing hallucinogenic effects by interacting with serotonin receptors in the brain, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in mood and perception. The effects include altered perception, mood changes, and a distorted sense of time, and can last for several hours.Psilocybin is found in more than 200 species of mushrooms, the most well-known genus being Psilocybe.
(From AI Overview, by Google)
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Users having a pleasant experience can feel a sense of connection to others, nature, and the universe; other perceptions and emotions are also often intensified. Users having an unpleasant experience (a
bad trip) describe a reaction accompanied by fear, other unpleasant feelings, and occasionally by dangerous behavior. The termbad tripis generally used to describe a reaction characterized primarily by fear or other unpleasant emotions, not just a transitory experience of such feelings. A variety of factors may contribute to a bad trip, includingtrippingduring an emotional or physical low or in a non-supportive environment. Ingesting psilocybin in combination with other drugs, including alcohol, can also increase the likelihood of a bad trip. Other than the duration of the experience, the effects of psilocybin are similar to comparable doses of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or mescaline. But in the Psychedelics Encyclopedia, author Peter Stafford writes:The psilocybin experience seems to be warmer, not as forceful and less isolating. It tends to build connections between people, who are generally much more in communication than when they use LSD.(From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin)
Set and Setting and Moderating Factors
The effects of psilocybin are highly variable and depend on the mindset and environment in which the user has the experience, factors commonly called set and setting. In the early 1960s, Timothy Leary and his Harvard colleagues investigated the role of set and setting in psilocybin's effects. They administered the drug to 175 volunteers (from various backgrounds) in an environment intended to be similar to a comfortable living room. 98 of the subjects were given questionnaires to assess their experiences and the contribution of background and situational factors. Those who had prior experience with psilocybin reported more pleasant experiences than those for whom the drug was novel. Group size, dose, preparation, and expectancy were important determinants of the drug response. In general, those in groups of more than eight felt that the groups were less supportive and their experiences less pleasant. Conversely, smaller groups (fewer than six) were seen as more supportive and reported more positive reactions to the drug in those groups. Leary and colleagues proposed that psilocybin heightens suggestibility, making a user more receptive to interpersonal interactions and environmental stimuli. These findings were affirmed in a later review by Jos ten Berge (1999), who concluded that dose, set, and setting are fundamental factors in determining the outcome of experiments that tested the effects of psychedelic drugs on artists' creativity.
Further studies demonstrate that supportive settings significantly reduce the likelihood of adverse reactions, including panic, paranoia, or psychological distress. Positive therapeutic outcomes are strongly correlated with the participant's trust in the environment and the facilitators.
(From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin)