Top 5 Tips for a Therapeutic Mushroom Trip
So you think you’re ready for a therapeutic mushroom trip? Read this list of my top five tips for a mushroom trip before you do. These tips all come from my own personal experience, some may work for you and some may not, but these tips are all designed to at least get you thinking about what you can do to maximize your experience and avoid mishaps.
1. Know What and How Much You’re Taking
Mushrooms come in all shapes and sizes, e.g., species, variety, potency. Eating an eighth of Golden Teachers is not the same as eating an eighth of Penis Envy. If you don’t have any intel on the variety of mushrooms you have, then at least a week before you want to trip, try an extremely small amount (anywhere between .3g to 1g) before you dive right in.
I once took a microdose of a cubensis variety called Clockwork Orange, which ended up being way more potent than I expected, so instead of tackling my to-do list for the day, I had to lay down and ride it out. Thankfully, it was only a microdose, so if I ever decide to take that variety again, I can dose accordingly.
Also, buy a scale. Reddit is littered with people asking for visual weight identification on their random bags of mushrooms before they trip. Don’t do this. You can’t weigh a mushroom just by looking at it. I’ve had mushrooms that looked like they weighed nothing, yet they were secretly chonkers; on the flip side, I’ve had mushrooms that I thought would weigh a lot, and they weighed very little.
Taking mushrooms isn’t something you should do haphazardly. Know what and how much you’re taking. Doing so will help you understand your tolerance and inform any future trips you may take.
2. Choose a Safe Space
I’m generally a cautious person, so maybe my desire to choose a safe space for tripping is rooted in that; however, I think it is important to be conscious of where you trip. For instance, tripping at concerts and social events isn’t for me; there are too many variables for me for that to be a safe space, but maybe that is a safe space for you.
Therapeutic mushroom trips can take you on a wild ride, so I like to be somewhere I feel safe. If I’m doing mushrooms at home, I clean my house, put away anything dangerous, and make sure I have plenty of water. If I’m doing mushrooms in nature, I like to familiarize myself with the trail and have a tripping partner. If I’m doing mushrooms with others, I only do them with people I trust.
There aren’t many elements you can control about a therapeutic mushroom trip, but you can choose your tripping environment, so you may as well make it a good one.
3. Tell Someone What You’re Doing
I put my phone on “do not disturb” while I’m tripping. If you have family or friends that contact you daily and expect replies, then hopefully someone in that circle is ok with mushrooms and you can let them know that you’re going to be unavailable for several hours. If no one in your inner circle is ok with mushrooms, find another reason for being unavailable (hiking, exercising, studying, personal project, etc.) for several hours and share that with the safest person.
Also, if you hit a point in your mushroom trip where you need to talk to someone, it helps if that person already knows that you’re tripping so they have context for the call. And if you don’t have anyone to talk to, but you need to talk to someone, you can call or text 62-FIRESIDE. The Fireside Project is a psychedelic peer support line open everyday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. PT.
4. Set Intentions, Not Expectations
Why do you want to take a therapeutic mushroom trip? Write down your intentions before you get started, including the specific things you want to focus on (starting or quitting habits, changing attitude, etc) or do during your trip to aid your therapeutic process (meditate, listen to music, paint, etc).
Regardless of your intentions, it’s crucial to understand that just because you intend to have a certain type of trip, it doesn’t mean that you’re going to have that type of trip. And yes, it’s hard not to have expectations for a therapeutic mushroom trip, but when it ends, don’t be disappointed you didn’t have the trip you wanted because there is still so much value in the trip you had. The trip is a journey not a destination.
Also, understand that a therapeutic mushroom trip isn’t a magic panacea. One trip may not solve or even address whatever it is you’re working through, you may need to talk to someone after your trip to integrate the experience into your life, or you may need to trip again at a later date to continue the work, or you may need to find another therapeutic avenue.
5. Have a Playlist Ready
Have a long playlist ready to go for your trip, anywhere from three to six hours. The last thing I want to do while tripping is to look at my phone. It’s visually distracting and interrupts my focus. When I start my trip, I hit play, lay down, close my eyes, and let the music guide me.
Everyone’s musical tastes are different, but your playlist should complement the type of trip you’re trying to have. My playlist is a mix of electronic, classical, acoustic, and meditative music, with the occasional inspirational anthem. Ultimately, mushrooms paired with the right music can be the ultimate medicine, so choose your soundtrack wisely.