Do not use psilocybin if you have an existing predisposition to psychotic or bipolar episodes, or if a first-degree relative has bipolar, schizophrenic, or schizotypal issues, as it can trigger such episodes.
Individuals 25 years old or younger should avoid psilocybin because their brains are still undergoing significant developmental neuroplasticity, and most clinical studies focus on adults 25 and older.
Be aware that psilocybin is a Schedule I drug and generally illegal in the United States, with rare exceptions in clinical studies or decriminalized areas, making possession or sale unlawful. This is critical for personal safety and legal protection.
If currently taking antidepressants, do not cease them to use psilocybin without consulting your physician or psychiatrist, as stopping medication abruptly can be very dangerous. Clinical studies typically require abstinence from antidepressants prior to psilocybin use.
The physical setting for a psilocybin journey must be absolutely safe, free from hazards like open windows, moving traffic, or bodies of water, to prevent harm to the individual.
Always have at least one, and ideally two or more, sober individuals present during a psilocybin journey to ensure the safety of the person under the influence and prevent self-harm or harm to others.
For a therapeutically beneficial psilocybin journey and to avoid a ‘bad trip,’ it is crucial to prioritize ‘set’ (mindset) and ‘setting’ (environment and people present), as these bias the probability of a positive outcome.
For major depressive disorder, combining psilocybin therapy with supportive psychotherapy (talk therapy) is significantly more efficacious than either intervention alone, producing large, rapid, and sustained antidepressant effects.
For pronounced therapeutic outcomes in clinical studies, a dosage of 25 to 30 milligrams of psilocybin, taken once or twice, has been shown most effective, compared to microdosing (1-3mg daily) or lower single doses (10mg).
To ensure a psilocybin journey is therapeutically adaptive and leads to long-term positive changes, pay close attention to conditions such as eyes closed vs. open, the presence and type of music, dosage, and who is present or not.
Wear an eye mask or keep eyes covered for most, if not all, of the psilocybin session to limit focus on external visual hallucinations and encourage an inward journey of thoughts, memories, and emotions for therapeutic benefit.
Music is a critical driver of the cognitive and emotional experience during a psilocybin journey, profoundly influencing whether it is perceived as beneficial and one of life’s most important positive experiences.
Select music that matches the journey’s contour: start with low-volume, non-vocal classical music, transition to intense, percussive music during the peak (45-90 minutes), and conclude with softer, melodic music or nature sounds.
Do not eat for at least four hours prior to a psilocybin journey, especially if consuming mushrooms, as food in the gut can impact the conversion of psilocybin to psilocin and affect the journey’s duration and intensity.
During the peak of a psilocybin journey, embrace the anxiety and ’ego dissolution’ by letting go and moving through the experience, understanding that this intense phase is temporary and crucial for therapeutic benefit, with guides providing support.
If anxiety becomes too high during a psilocybin session, use the physiological sigh (two inhales through the nose, followed by a long exhale through the mouth) as a real-time tool to rapidly and significantly reduce stress and regain calm.
Understand that much of the therapeutic benefit and neuroplasticity from psilocybin occurs after the session; actively use your conscious brain to guide this plasticity in adaptive ways, clearing paths through old, ineffective thought patterns.
Psilocybin shows the strongest evidence for positive therapeutic outcomes in treating cancer-related depression, cancer-related anxiety, and treatment-resistant depression when administered with appropriate dosage, set, and setting.
There is some evidence supporting the use of psilocybin journeys for improving outcomes in alcohol use disorder and tobacco addiction, typically involving one or two sessions with proper support.
Minimal clinical trial support exists for psilocybin providing relief or partial relief for obsessive-compulsive disorder, cluster headaches, migraines, and demoralization due to an AIDS diagnosis.
To estimate psilocybin content from mushrooms, remember that one gram of mushrooms (1000mg) typically contains approximately 10 milligrams of psilocybin, based on an average 1% psilocybin concentration.
The actual concentration of psilocybin in mushrooms can vary significantly (0.5% to 2%) depending on strain, age, and storage, meaning a gram of mushrooms might contain anywhere from 5 to 20 milligrams of psilocybin.
To maintain optimal brain and body function and prevent diminished cognitive/physical performance, ensure adequate hydration and electrolyte intake (sodium, magnesium, potassium) by drinking an electrolyte mix like Element, especially upon waking and during exercise.
Engage in meditation, mindfulness training, or yoga nidra/non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) sessions, even for just 10 minutes, to restore cognitive and physical energy and explore different states of consciousness.
Take a vitamin, mineral, and probiotic drink like AG1 daily to support gut health with probiotics, which are vital for microbiota communication with the brain and immune system, and to meet foundational nutritional needs with adaptogens, vitamins, and minerals.