Magic mushrooms, as they’re known, are an illegal psychedelic substance in Canada; the sale or possession can lead to large fines or even imprisonment. However, these laws do not stop many from procuring this funky fungus.
Despite the legal implications, individuals are opting to take small doses of psilocybin — the scientific term for ‘magic mushrooms’ — over a long-term period, so as not to impede normal functioning; this is known as microdosing.
“I would say that I noticed probably the first [psilocybin supplement] that I did, I noticed benefits,” said Tim Flurry, who has been microdosing for three years.
“I do find it very helpful for symptoms that are probably more classically related to depression and anxiety. I quickly noticed that it was the emotional aspect of microdosing that I found beneficial.”
Studies have shown that the ingestion of a smaller dose of psilocybin shares a link with helping manage mental health issues and disorders. Anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsiveness all show positive improvements over the long term when microdosing with psilocybin.
A joint study conducted at the University of British Columbia and the University of Maastricht found that individuals who microdose on psilocybin mushrooms experienced improved mood and a noticeable decrease in depression and stress among the majority of participants.
This was also the case for Flurry as well.
“There’s been a lot of research happening that [psilocybin] mushrooms have a lot of potential for helping people,” Flurry said. “I started trying microdosing in the interest of that pursuit, I guess.”
Some users report psilocybin doesn’t significantly alter their daily life, while others say the overall outcome was more negative than positive.
“I’ve been told that they’re good for anxiety and depression,” said Lee Swinson, another psilocybin user. “I’m on other medications for anxiety and depression, so I thought it’d be an interesting alternative.”
Swinson says he felt like the psilocybin was more of “a placebo” while taking it, and after a short time, he noticed other negative side effects, such as lightheadedness.
Horatio Bean, a former psilocybin user, found that the mushrooms worsened his anxiety.
“My stomach would just feel bad for like six hours straight,” he said.
Read more about the state of psilocybin in Canada on the Government of Canada website:
