Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, has been used for medicinal purpose for thousands of years. It might have gotten a bit of a bad rap from those who have turned to it for recreational use, but research is proving what ancient tribes knew for so long: Psilocybin can do a lot to help people.

The Basics

There’s plenty of ways psilocybin can be ingested. You could eat magic mushrooms, but you might find them more pleasurable if mixed into a tea, food, or in a tablet form.

Although experiences can differ a lot between people, the “trip” you get from psilocybin is generally in the form of a hallucination. You might relive past experiences, feel something like a euphoric dream-like state, or have something of a nightmare. Taking it in a controlled setting surrounded with friends is generally recommended.