Magic mushrooms, or “shrooms,” contain a naturally occurring compound called psilocybin — a psychedelic substance that affects the brain in fascinating ways. When you eat these mushrooms, the psilocybin itself isn’t what causes the trip; instead, your body quickly converts it into psilocin, the active compound responsible for the mind-altering effects.
From Ingestion to Absorption
After swallowing mushrooms — whether raw, in capsules, or as tea — psilocybin travels to your stomach and small intestine, where it’s absorbed into your bloodstream. Your liver then breaks it down into psilocin. This conversion happens fairly quickly; most people start to feel effects within 20 to 60 minutes after ingestion.
Psilocin is structurally similar to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, perception, and cognition. Because of this similarity, psilocin binds to serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT2A) in the brain, particularly in areas that control sensory processing, emotional regulation, and self-awareness (Carhart-Harris et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012).
What’s Happening in the Brain
When psilocin activates these receptors, it disrupts normal patterns of brain communication. Instead of operating in separate “networks,” regions that don’t normally interact begin to communicate more freely. This increased global connectivity may explain why users experience vivid visuals, intense emotions, and profound insights. Some describe it as the brain “rebooting” or “resetting.”
A 2014 neuroimaging study published in Human Brain Mapping found that psilocybin decreases activity in the brain’s default mode network (DMN) — a region associated with ego, rumination, and self-talk. This may explain the sense of ego dissolution or unity often reported during a trip.
The Experience and Dosage
The psilocybin experience depends heavily on dose, set (mindset), and setting (environment).
- Microdoses (≈0.1–0.3g) may subtly boost mood, creativity, and focus without hallucinations.
- Moderate doses (1–2g) can cause perceptual shifts, enhanced emotions, and introspection.
- High doses (3g or more) often lead to intense visual experiences and feelings of interconnectedness.
Overall, psilocybin temporarily changes how the brain communicates — opening new pathways of perception, creativity, and emotional understanding.
References:
- Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. (2012). Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(6), 2138–2143.
Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. (2014). The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 20.
