A naturally occurring psychedelic substance produced by more than 200 species of mushrooms, collectively known as psilocybin (magic) mushrooms. Psilocybin with accompanying psychological support can be used safely to treat a range of psychiatric conditions including: end-of-life anxiety and depression, alcohol and tobacco addiction, obsessive compulsive disorder, and treatment-resistant major depression.        

The use of psilocybin mushrooms can be traced back thousands of years. These magic mushrooms were used by ancient tribes and civilizations as a means for entering the spiritual world and healing from various physical and psychological ailments. In general, the effects include euphoria, visual and mental hallucinations, changes in perception, a distorted sense of time, spiritual experiences, and can include possible adverse reactions such as nausea and panic attacks. 

The intensity and duration of the effects of psilocybin vary, depending on species of mushrooms, dosage, individual physiology, and set and setting. Once ingested, psilocybin is rapidly metabolized to psilocin, which then acts on serotonin receptors in the brain. The mind-altering effects of psilocybin typically last from two to six hours, although to individuals under the influence of psilocybin, the effects may seem to last much longer, since the drug can distort the perception of time. Psilocybin has a low toxicity and a low harm potential. Imagery found on prehistoric artwork of modern-day Spain and Algeria suggests that human usage of psilocybin mushrooms predates recorded history. In Mesoamerica and Egypt, mushrooms had long been consumed in spiritual and divinatory ceremonies before colonization erased many indigenous practices.

References:

• Psilocybin on Wikipedia

• Magic mushrooms might help depression by resetting the brain

• Psilocybin Mushrooms Fact Sheet

DMT, or N,N-Dimethyltryptamine, is a naturally occurring chemical found in both plants and animals. It is the active hallucinogenic compound in ayahuasca, the Quechua name for a tea brewed from the shrub Psychotria viridis, which is used for ritual purposes by the indigenous people in the Amazon. 

The most popular route of administration is inhalation, but it’s also frequently taken orally in ayahuasca-like preparations. DMT is generally ingested by vaporizing the drug which can produce powerful hallucinations for a short time (usually less than half an hour), as the DMT reaches the brain before it can be metabolized by the body's natural monoamine oxidase. Taken in this manner, it produces a powerful but short-lasting hallucinogenic state that is considered one of the most intense psychedelic experiences in existence. When smoked, it’s a very fast-acting substance with peak subjective experience occurring around 2 minutes after ingestion, and completely resolving within 15 to 20 minutes.

When taken as an ayahuasca brew, the effects can take up to an hour to appear, and may last for several hours. Out-of-body experiences, or a dissociation of awareness from the physical body, is very common with DMT (at higher doses) to the point that many consider it a hallmark of the experience. DMT can cause intense open-eyed hallucinations, which can completely alter perception of the environment. This can result in heavy confusion, which may escalate into anxiety or panic. The closed-eyed visualizations can also be quite wild and overwhelming, and may cause a feeling of discomfort or fear or, more extremely, psychological trauma. In some users, DMT induces a feeling of separation between the mind/soul and the body. Losing this connection can catalyze an incredibly powerful and profound shift in consciousness, but it can also produce symptoms of depersonalization. 

References:

• N,N-Dimethyltryptamine on Wikipedia

• The Ultimate Guide to DMT by The Third Wave

Mescaline is the primary psychoactive alkaloid in a range of psychedelic cacti native to the Americas. In its natural state, mescaline has been used for thousands of years in Native American religious ceremonies. Some of the most popular mescaline containing cacti are: Peyote, San Pedro and Peruvian Torch. The most popular way to take mescaline is to weigh out your dose and pack it into capsules, then swallow on an empty stomach. You could also dissolve the powder in bitter fruit juice, such as grapefruit, to mask the taste. Mescaline effects are generally felt within 45-90 minutes of consumption,  peaking at two to four hours and lasting for up to eight.

During this time, you are likely to see closed-eye visuals of colors and patterns, such as mosaics, arabesques, and spirals transforming into visions of more definite objects like architecture, animals, and humans. At the same time, ordinary objects in your surroundings may appear more interesting, beautiful, and amazingly mystical—qualities that define the mescaline experience. Your physical environment, as well as your own body, may distort in size and form. Some have reported the apparent loss of limbs, for instance, or the sense that hard objects like stones or walls have become soft and malleable to the touch. Other senses are also affected, sometimes to the point of synesthesia, whereby, sights may be “heard” and thoughts may be “smelled.” Beautiful perfumes and music, or voices speaking strange languages, have also been reported. For many, mescaline produces an experience of depersonalization or the dissolution of the ego; everything, including oneself, can therefore feel unified. Accompanying this may be clear and connected thought, self-realization, empathy, and euphoria. However, “bad trips” and dysphoric symptoms may be more common among people who don’t pay attention to set and setting and/or have histories of mental illness.

References:

• The Ultimate Guide to Mescaline by The Third Wave

Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly referred to as LSD, or “acid,” is considered the best known and most researched psychedelic drug. LSD is active at exceptionally small doses (around 20 micrograms) and is taken orally, sometimes as droplets or more commonly on blotter paper and absorbed on the tongue and then swallowed. LSD was discovered in 1938 by Albert Hofmann, a Swiss chemist. The effects Hofmann reported included, “restlessness,  dizziness, a dreamlike state and an extremely stimulated imagination.” For the next two decades, thousands of experiments with LSD led to a better understanding of how LSD affected consciousness by interacting with the brain’s serotonin neurotransmitter system. Scientists considered psychedelics to be promising treatments as an aid to therapy for a broad range of psychiatric diagnoses, including alcoholism, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, and depression. Recent results from epidemiological studies have shown lower rates of mental health disorders and suicide among people who have used psychedelics like LSD. The effects of psychedelic drugs like LSD are difficult to categorize – they affect different people, at different places, and at different times, with incredible variability. However, LSD and other psychedelics are known for their profound changes in consciousness and perception. LSD’s effects last around 8-10 hours, with peak effects occurring 4-6 hours after ingestion. These effects include sensory enhancement, sense of time changing (minutes can feel like hours), real or imagined objects appear to be moving (flowing patterns and shapes) both with eyes open or closed, unusual thoughts and speech, personal insight and reflection, and excited mood. Individual reactions to these perceptual changes are very much based on set and setting. Set (or “mindset”) refers to the psychological state and the beliefs of the person taking the drug. Setting is the external circumstances they’re in – the people around them and their environmental surroundings.

References:

• LSD Fact Sheet

MDMA is a synthetic drug that acts as a stimulant and hallucinogen. It produces an energizing effect, distortions in time and perception, and enhanced enjoyment from sensory experiences. People who use MDMA describe themselves as feeling euphoric, open, accepting, unafraid, and connected to those around them. MDMA’s effects are stimulated by visuals, sounds, smells and touch, leading to heightened sensations and a desire to intensify these feelings by dancing, talking and touching. A typical dose lasts three to six hours. Some people experience nausea at the outset, but after about 45 minutes, report feelings of relaxation and clarity. MDMA also causes dilation of the pupils and, often, sensitivity to light, as well as possible jaw-clenching, tooth-grinding, muscle tension, faintness, and chills or sweating. Ecstasy is often used to refer to MDMA in the tablet or capsule form, which is the most common way people take the drug.Researchers have determined that many ecstasy tablets contain not only MDMA at different concentrations, but also a number of other drugs or drug combinations that can be harmful. Adulterants found in ecstasy tablets purchased on the street have included methamphetamine, ketamine, caffeine,  ephedrine, heroin, phencyclidine (PCP), and cocaine.

References:

• 10 Facts About MDMA

• MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse Research Report