Magic Mushroom
Effects of Shrooms vs Weed When Taken Separately and Together
Oct
Magic mushrooms and marijuana are often compared to each other when talking about recreational drugs. They are often used and consumed together due to their similar qualities. But what are the effects of combining cannabis and other drugs like magic mushrooms?
Since many people are interested in using hallucinogenic drugs and combining shrooms with cannabis, we wanted to explain the difference between the two substances and discuss the risks that come with each.
How Are Weed and Mushrooms Similar to Each Other?
Cannabis and magic mushrooms have been linked with each other for a long time. Even before smoking cannabis and using psilocybin mushrooms were decriminalized and made legal in some states, they already had a significant influence on music, art, and movies.
Thus, a lot of people who have tried consuming cannabis have also tried other classic psychedelics like Penis Envy Shrooms. The recent legalization of cannabis use in a number of states has brought hallucinogenic mushrooms to the attention of medical and recreational drug users.
In the following sections, we will explain the differences between cannabis and magic mushrooms when it comes to their effects. Moreover, we will also explain the potential outcomes when you combine cannabis with other psychoactive substances like psilocybin mushrooms. Let’s start with cannabis:
What Is Cannabis?
Cannabis, also known as marijuana or weed, is a psychoactive drug derived from the Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica plants. It can be smoked, brewed as tea, taken as a pill, cooked into food, or absorbed through the skin through topical application.
Even though marijuana grows in its natural environment does not mean it is entirely safe to use. Long-term marijuana use can affect your brain, especially your memory. Although the substance is not highly addictive, it is still possible to become physically dependent on marijuana. Improper use of cannabis can even worsen mental health symptoms.
Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis
You probably already know that cannabis has a lot of different effects based on clinical trials and anecdotal reports. Some of these effects are good, and some might even be useful for alleviating symptoms of physical and mental health issues. Here are a few of the potential therapeutic effects of using cannabis:
- Pain relief
- Elevated mood
- Nausea relief
- Relaxation
- Improved sleep and energy levels
- Deceased muscle stiffness or tightness
Side Effects of Cannabis
Despite its potential medicinal benefits, cannabis is also known to have a number of short-term adverse effects. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the main part of marijuana that makes you feel high. It does its job by attaching to cannabinoid receptors in the brain. From there, it affects your thinking, memory, coordination, perception of time, and other human body functions. Some side effects of using cannabis include the following:
- Heightened senses
- Movement and coordination issues
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Memory issues
- Changes in perception of time
- Delusions
- Altered mood
- Trouble concentrating
Like psychedelic drugs, cannabis changes the way you think and makes you feel relaxed. Even though there is not much research on the topic, anecdotal evidence suggests that large doses of cannabis products can cause spiritual or mystical experiences similar to psychedelic trips. This brings us to why this substance is often linked to another drug that induces psychoactive effects, magic mushrooms.
What Are Magic Mushrooms?
Magic mushrooms, also called shrooms, are any of the various types of mushrooms that contain the hallucinogen psilocybin. It is similar to other psychedelics like LSD and ayahuasca, or peyote in a way that it can completely change the way you perceive reality and even give you powerful mystical experiences.
When you consume psilocybin mushrooms, you will experience a mushroom trip that can range from happiness to paranoia. Positive and negative effects may vary depending on what kind of mushroom you eat, how much you eat, and where you eat it. Find out how long it takes for magic mushrooms to take effect by reading here.
Therapeutic Potential of Shrooms
Magic mushrooms have the potential to cause profound mystical experiences. These experiences can include feelings of unity, holiness, and other positive emotional states. Psilocybin research state that some of the psychedelic effects of shrooms include the following:
- Synesthesia
- Enhanced introspection and empathy
- Better sociality
- Feelings of bliss and boundlessness
- Deeper access to emotions
- Intensified feelings
- Relaxation
- Mystical experiences
- Perceptual intensification
Side Effects of Shrooms
Since shrooms are hallucinogens, they can adversely affect your mind and emotions. When mixed with other substances, like alcohol or high doses of cannabis, these harmful effects are much more likely to happen. Some side effects of shrooms include:
- Drowsiness
- Headache
- Nausea
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Numbness
- Fear
- Psychosis
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Keep in mind that psychedelic drugs like mushrooms can lead to drug abuse when misused. Thus, it is crucial that you time your highs and only use them in moderation.
What Makes Magic Mushrooms Different From Weed?
In some ways, the effects of shrooms and cannabis, like hallucinations and psychedelic experiences, are the same. However, the chemical properties of each drug and how they affect the brain as a whole are different.
The main difference between weed and mushrooms is that more research has been done on the possible health benefits of using cannabis under the care of trained medical professionals. Moreover, the effects of cannabis can also be different depending on the strain and dosage used.
It is harder to predict how shrooms will affect you compared to cannabis. The sure thing is long-term and regular use of both substances can worsen physical and mental health conditions, or worse, drug addiction.
How Are Magic Mushrooms Different From Cannabis in Terms of Hallucinogenic Effects?
The euphoric effects of magic mushrooms are a lot stronger than those of cannabis. When mushrooms are eaten in large amounts, they can cause significant changes in how you perceive the world around you. The psilocybin in magic mushrooms stimulates the 5HT2A receptor, one of the many serotonin receptors in the body. This causes the usual psychedelic effects, like seeing patterns and having a different sense of time and space.
On the other hand, cannabis rarely causes hallucinations in healthy people. People with a family history of psychosis or who have been diagnosed with psychosis themselves are more likely to have a negative psychedelic experience. Hallucinations can also happen when you use the most psychoactive component of cannabis, THC.
How Are Shrooms Similar to Cannabis When It Comes to the Psychedelic Experience?
Even though cannabis and mushrooms work and affect users in various ways, there are some similarities between the two. Both shrooms and cannabis can induce strong, psychoactive effects. But if you compare mushrooms to cannabis in terms of their hallucinogenic effects, it is clear that shrooms win.
Another similarity between shrooms and weed is that they can change your sense of time and reality, as well as your thinking and coordination. They also have similar side effects like anxiety, paranoia, and faster heart rate.
Lastly, both shrooms and weeds are produced in similar types of products. For instance, you can now also buy Shroom Gummies online, just like how easy it is to find cannabis edibles on the web. You can also purchase dried shrooms in selected shops located around states and countries where magic mushrooms are available.
What Happens When You Use Cannabis and Shrooms Together?
You can use either cannabis or magic mushrooms separately, but many people like to mix the effects of these two to get a more potent high. In fact, a study was done in 2006 to look at polysubstance use among college students and found that about 60% used cannabis and shrooms together.
This could be because cannabis can reduce the likelihood of common side effects of shrooms, like nausea and vomiting. For others, it could be seen as a way to boost the high that shrooms produce. Notably, the researchers also found that about 65% of the people who used mushrooms also used tobacco, and about 40% of those who used mushrooms also used alcohol.
Is It Safe to Mix Cannabis and Mushrooms?
A 2007 study found that magic mushrooms are mostly safe to eat. Per the 2017 Global Medicine Survey results, psilocybin was the drug that sent the fewest people to the emergency room. THC is also considered a relatively safe drug because no one has ever died from taking too much of it.
However, not enough research has been done on using cannabis and shrooms together. Even though we don’t have much information about how they work together, some researchers say that if this were a very dangerous combination, we would probably see case studies with bad results.
Still, there is a case study in which the participants’ use of cannabis and shrooms led to bad things happening to them. In this case, however, a participant was also taking other medicines. Because of how these drugs worked together, the patient had to spend two days in the ICU. It is possible that using cannabis and mushrooms together is not that dangerous, but using them with other drugs and medications can be.
How Does Combining Shrooms and Weed Alter the Experience?
Cannabis and mushrooms might have a synergistic effect that strengthens the psychedelic effects of both substances when used together. Researchers found that when cannabis was mixed with shrooms, the mystical and visual experiences were more intense.
Psychedelics cause an increase in serotonin. On the other hand, cannabis blocks the enzymes that would typically get rid of serotonin. Thus, it makes sense that more cannabis leads to more intense experiences. Cannabis is also linked to making the shrooms experience less challenging.
However, in rare cases, those who use cannabis and mushrooms together experience “flashbacks” of hallucinogenic effects when they use cannabis again in the future.
How to Mix Mushrooms and Weed Safely
Very little research has been done on how to mix shrooms and cannabis in the best way. Some people take cannabis before and during the shroom trip to prevent nausea. Others try to time their high so they can get the most out of the effects and experiences from shrooms.
Some people think it is best only to use cannabis when you are coming off of a mushroom trip. This is done to make the effects last longer or to get back to normal after a psychedelic trip. Nevertheless, it is vital to keep your dose small or moderate.
Potential Dangers of Combining Weed and Psilocybin Mushrooms
We have discussed the potential effects of weed and mushrooms and what can happen when you combine the two. Combining marijuana and mushrooms seems not to pose any serious health risks.
However, it is worth noting that not much research has been done on how they work together. The most dangerous risk is that you will have a bad trip, especially if you have not tried either substance in the past. Thus, it is best to pick one or the other and stick with it until you know how you react to each substance.
How to Deal With a Bad Trip
A bad trip often includes feelings of anxiety and paranoia, both of which can be made worse by hallucinations. Often, all you need to lessen these effects is to have a “trip-sitter” or a sober companion during your trip.
A trip-sitter with a lot of experience will be able to tell you calmly that the reaction is caused by the drugs you took and will go away in time. They can also assist you in moving to a more quiet place with soothing colors, sounds, and smells.
It has been found that getting rid of mirrors in a room can make scary hallucinations less likely. If the person having the bad reaction can eat and drink, giving them a small amount of food and water to drink can make the symptoms less severe.
Best Practices When Taking Shrooms
The best way to lessen the chance of getting hurt during a psychedelic experience is to be aware of your set and setting. Set refers to your mental state before you take shrooms, while setting can mean either the place you are in or the people around you.
For example, if you are already sad and you take psychedelics in a place you don’t know well or with people you do not trust completely, you might experience a bad trip. Thus, before you start, make sure you are not only physically ready but also mentally stable. You might want to ask a trusted friend to stay sober and sit with you in case something unexpected happens.
The effects of taking shrooms can range from 6 to 15 hours. Check out more details on how long psychedelic mushrooms stay in your body here. Here are a few more tips that will help you stay safe and comfortable:
- Do not drive until all of the effects have worn off (at least 15 hours)
- Do not add any more chemicals to shrooms, especially alcohol.
- Move slowly and carefully
- Give enough time to experience the effects of the substance before taking more
How to Know When to Ask For Help
In case you are the trip sitter, you should be aware of the following symptoms that can indicate that your friend needs medical help:
- When they have a fever
- When they are no longer conscious
- When they keep throwing up
- When they act violently
Call the emergency hotline if you notice any of the symptoms above. If you don’t want the police to get involved when you call for help, you don’t have to say what chemicals were used over the phone. Just make sure to tell the operator exactly what symptoms your friend is having so they can give you the proper response.
While you’re waiting, have your friend lie on their side a little bit. It will be easier for you to keep an eye on them. Tell them that if they can, they should bend their top knee. This position will keep their airways open so they can breathe normally in case they vomit.
Conclusion
Cannabis and mushrooms are two drugs that almost never cause physical addiction. But, people may become mentally dependent on them. As these substances are becoming increasingly accessible, there are more chances for young adults to use these drugs irresponsibly.
Thus, it is essential to let everyone know the pros and cons of using these products separately or together. Mushrooms and cannabis can either make or break your psychedelic experience. Both of them can be dangerous if used in the wrong way.