Beyond the Buzz: What Influences Our Decision to Use Magic Mushrooms
In my 10 years of psychedelic use and education, I have come to understand that the decision to use magic mushrooms is not based only on the buzz happening. Rather, many factors influence one's decision to use psilocybin-containing mushrooms, also called magic mushrooms. By understanding these factors, we can make more informed and conscious decisions. Since there are many factors at stake, in this post, I will choose the most important 6 factors.
By Milica Radovic-Mandic
#1 Psychology
Judging by my personal experience and extensive academic research in the field, I would say that psychological factors are the most important.
Potential therapeutic benefits
One of the hot topics regarding magic mushrooms is certainly the amount of research showing that magic mushrooms can help alleviate depression (Carhart-Harris et al., 2018), anxiety (Griffiths et al., 2016) (especially present in end-of-life distress patience), treatment of addiction such as nicotine and alcohol (Bogenschutz et al., 2016), increase neural connectivity (Carhart-Harris & Nutt, 2017), OCD (Pittenger & Bloch, 2014). And some less researched, such as PTSD, anorexia, methamphetamine addiction, early Alzheimer's disease, phantom limb pain and many other ongoing trials happening right now!
Psychonaut Exploration
One psychological factor that is most of the time present in decision-making when it comes to magic mushrooms is the desire to explore the inner world that magic mushroom trips can provide. I know that was my main reason for starting. This can come from a desire to gain some personal insights and explore the inner world by inducing altered states of consciousness that can happen using magic mushrooms. Some people are also interested in potential spiritual or mystical experiences that can occur. Others want to escape reality by enjoying the euphoric effects and enhancing creativity. At the end of the day, all these people are just curious about the effects of psilocybin on their minds and soul.
Personality traits
One of the psychological factors that are less explored is the influence of personality traits on decision-making when it comes to magic mushrooms. This was my personal interest and the topic of the research study I did for my dissertation for my master of Psychology. The results of this research study showed that some personality traits are directly involved in decision-making when it comes to magic mushroom use. Several more studies have been done on the topic, and one of them showed that Openness is significantly related to attitudes towards psilocybin and lower levels of Extraversion and weakly related to Conscientiousness (Molumby et al., 2022).
#2 Society
Another important set of factors that are part of complex decision-making when it comes to magic mushroom use is social factors.
Peer pressure
We have all been there. If you were not influenced, at least you were in a situation where someone tried to influence you to take magic mushrooms. This is especially present at a younger age when we want to fit in and be cool, so we do what others are doing.
Media influence
We are aware of how social media can influence people. If you are exposed to social media contempt that promotes magic mushrooms as something acceptable, you will be more inclined to try it yourself since they are slowly being normalized into your value systems by constant exposure. There are other media, such as internet articles, TV and especially the entertainment and movie industry.
Rebelling society
If you want to be a rebel and go against society, a part of your identity will be to try illegal substances and go against social norms, telling you that taking magic mushrooms is a bad thing.
#3 Culture
Cultural factors also play an active role in magic mushroom use. Indigenous people in some cultures have been using magic mushrooms for thousands of years as a part of their religious and spiritual rituals (Nichols, 2016). If you come from these traditions where magic mushroom use was transferred from generation to generation, you are more likely to perceive their use as something that is normalized and acceptable. In contrast to those cultures, many worldwide have stigmatized the use of magic mushrooms due to a lack of tradition and cultural use. Also, magic mushrooms may be more socially acceptable in some urban places with a vibrant drug culture than in rural areas.
#4 Economics and Legality
If you live in an environment where obtaining magic mushrooms is hard, you will be less inclined to try them due to reduced availability. Also, if you can find it and they are expensive and out of your current budget, you will be discouraged from trying them. And one very important factor is the legal status of magic mushroom use worldwide. If you live in a place where magic mushroom use is considered illegal, the fear of legal consequences may discourage you from trying them. When I travelled to Malaysia, they stamped my passport with a sentence stating that drug possession is punishable by death. They removed that stamp in 2017, but still, 35 countries use death as punishment for drug offences (Amnesty International, 2021). Will you be open to trying magic mushrooms, then? I am quite certain that you would not.
#5 Education
If a person decides to create an independent opinion about magic mushroom use, they will start the journey of further exploration by article reading, courses and workshops, examining research studies etc. This path will lead to greater acceptance of magic mushroom use due to its proven effect and acceptable level of risk (Studerus, 2011). Magic mushrooms are known to have non-addictive properties; with proper use and harm reduction strategies, they do not expose a person to physical harm. Those who perceive the risk to be low are more inclined to try them. Taking psychedelic drugs does not come with a risk, especially if you have a history of mental health issues, so please inform yourself before you embark on a journey.
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#6 Previous experiences
If you have tried magic mushrooms or any other substance before, that can also influence an individual's decision to use them again if the experience was positive. If you had a bad trip due to a lack of preparation or previous mental health history, you would be less inclined to try them again.
To conclude, the decision to use magic mushrooms is composed of complex factors and cannot be attributed to one thing. Psychology, society, culture, economy, legality, education and previous mushroom experience define your next decision regarding magic mushroom use. Whatever your next decision regarding magic mushroom use is, I suggest you educate yourself first about potential risks and benefits so that you can make informed choices that will benefit you.
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Amnesty International. (2021). Death Sentences and Executions 2020. https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/ACT5032962021ENGLISH.PDF
Bogenschutz, M.P., & Johnson, M.W. (2016). Classic hallucinogens in the treatment of addictions. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 64, 250-258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.03.002
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Bolstridge, M., Day, C. M. J., Rucker, J., Watts, R., Erritzoe, D. E., Kaelen, M., Giribaldi, B., Bloomfield, M., Pilling, S., Rickard, J. A., Forbes, B., Feilding, A., Taylor, D., Curran, H. V., & Nutt, D. J. (2018). Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology, 235(2), 399–408. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-017-4771-x
Carhart-Harris, R.L., & Nutt, D.J. (2017). Serotonin and brain function: A tale of two receptors. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 31(9), 1091-1120. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881117725915
Griffiths, R.R., Johnson, M.W., Carducci, M.A., Umbricht, A., Richards, W.A., Richards, B.D., Cosimano, M.P., & Klinedinst, M.A. (2016). Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12), 1181-1197. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881116675512
Griffiths, R.R., Johnson, M.W., Richards, W.A., Richards, B.D., McCann, U., & Jesse, R. (2016). Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: Immediate and persisting dose-related effects. Psychopharmacology, 225(3), 583-593. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2912-9
Molumby, M., Gaynor, K., Guerin, S., & McNamara, R. (2022). Examining Attitudes to Psilocybin: Should Candidates for Medical Psilocybin be Required to Pass a Contextual Suitability Test? Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678221110331
Nichols, D.E. (2016). Psychedelics. Pharmacological Reviews, 68(2), 264-355. https://doi.org/10.1124/pr.115.011478
Pittenger, C., & Bloch, M. H. (2014). Pharmacological treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Psychiatric clinics of North America, 37(3), 375–391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2014.05.006
Studerus, E., Kometer, M., Hasler, F., & Vollenweider, F. X. (2011). Acute, subacute and long-term subjective effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a pooled analysis of experimental studies. Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 25(11), 1434–1452. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881110382466
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