The Effects, Toxicity, and Legal Status of Amanita Muscaria

Subjective Effects
1.1 Physical Effects
1.2 Visual Effects
1.3 Cognitive Effects
1.4 Auditory Effects
Toxicity and Harm Potential
Legal Status

1. Subjective Effects

Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric mushroom, has a range of subjective effects on users. These effects are divided into different categories including physical, visual, cognitive, and auditory experiences.

1.1 Physical Effects

Sedation

Many individuals report mild to extreme sedation after consuming Amanita muscaria, which can even result in sleepiness for some. This sedative effect is one of the most prominent physical effects, making users feel drowsy or lethargic.

Perception of Bodily Heaviness

A common sensation is a feeling of bodily heaviness. Users often describe a weighted, almost immovable sensation, as though their limbs and body are burdened.

Stimulation

While sedation is the dominant effect, some users report experiencing mild to intense stimulation. These individuals might feel energized, despite the sedative nature of the substance.

Spontaneous Physical Sensations

Users of Amanita muscaria may encounter spontaneous physical sensations, which can range from mild tingling to intense euphoria.

Physical Euphoria

Many report experiencing physical euphoria, with some feeling intense pleasure or a sense of bliss. This can manifest as a deep, comforting sensation in the body.

Pain Relief

Another commonly reported effect is a marked decrease in physical pain. People experiencing various forms of discomfort may feel relief while under the influence of Amanita muscaria.

Muscle Relaxation

Amanita muscaria can induce muscle relaxation, which contributes to its overall sedating and calming effects.

Muscle Spasms

Conversely, some users also report muscle spasms or involuntary muscle contractions, which may be uncomfortable.

Nausea

Nausea is a common side effect for some individuals, and it may be accompanied by vomiting in more extreme cases.

Increased Perspiration

Users might notice an increase in sweating, a result of the body's response to the chemicals in the mushroom.

Pupil Constriction

Amanita muscaria can cause the pupils to constrict, a typical reaction to muscarinic acetylcholine agonists.

Pupil Dilation

Alternatively, other users experience pupil dilation, depending on the specific effects and dosage.

Increased Salivation

Increased salivation is another physical effect, contributing to the overall autonomic nervous system responses triggered by Amanita muscaria.

1.2 Visual Effects

Amanita muscaria can produce a wide range of visual effects that vary in intensity from person to person.

Enhancements

Colour Enhancement: Many users report vibrant enhancements in color perception, with objects appearing more vivid or saturated.
Magnification: Some users experience magnification effects, where objects or scenes appear larger than normal.
Visual Acuity Enhancement: In some cases, users report an increase in visual sharpness or clarity, making small details easier to perceive.

Suppression

Double Vision: Double vision is a common visual disturbance, with users seeing two overlapping images of the same object.
Visual Haze: Some users experience a hazy or foggy visual perception, making it difficult to focus on specific details.
Visual Acuity Suppression: On the flip side, some individuals report a decrease in visual sharpness or clarity.

Distortions

Colour Shifting: The colors of objects may appear to shift or change, contributing to an altered sense of reality.
After Images: Users often experience after images, where the visual impression of an object lingers even after it is no longer in view.
Tracers: Moving objects may leave trails behind them, creating a visual "tracer" effect.
Drifting: Users might see stationary objects appear to drift or shift in position.
Depth Perception Distortions: The sense of depth in the environment can be altered, making objects appear closer or farther than they actually are.
Perspective Distortions: The perceived layout of the world may be distorted, leading to an altered sense of space and proportion.
Recursion: Some users report experiencing recursive patterns or images, where the same scene is repeated infinitely in their vision.

Geometry

Some individuals experience visual geometric patterns, which can be intricate and vivid, often resembling fractal-like designs.

Hallucinatory States

External Hallucination: These hallucinations involve perceiving autonomous entities, imaginary landscapes, or entire scenes that appear to be separate from reality.
Internal Hallucination: Users might also experience hallucinatory imagery inside their minds, including vivid scenes or scenarios with their own narrative.
Transformations: Objects and people may appear to transform, such as changing shapes or textures.
Peripheral Information Misinterpretation: Some individuals may misinterpret information in their peripheral vision, perceiving it as something different from reality.

1.3 Cognitive Effects

Amanita muscaria's influence on cognition can range from profound alterations in consciousness to more subtle changes in thought patterns.

Analysis Enhancement

Some users report an enhancement in their analytical abilities, feeling more capable of processing and understanding complex ideas.

Consciousness Disconnection

Many users experience a dissociation from their surroundings, feeling detached from the external world or their own body. This can result in a dream-like state.

Cognitive Euphoria

Amanita muscaria often induces a sense of euphoria, where users experience blissful, overwhelming feelings of pleasure.

Decreased or Increased Libido

Reports on changes in libido vary, with some users noticing a decrease in sexual desire, while others report heightened libido.

Dream Potentiation

Because of the sedating effects, many users fall asleep before the hallucinatory effects become fully apparent, leading to vivid, often lucid dreams.

Empathy, Love, and Sociability Enhancement

While not as potent as other substances like MDMA, some users experience an increase in feelings of empathy, love, and sociability.

Sleepiness

Muscarinic agonists like muscimol induce drowsiness, which is why sleepiness is a common effect of Amanita muscaria.

Anxiety Suppression

The GABAergic effects of muscimol lead to anxiety suppression, helping many users feel a sense of calm and relaxation.

Anxiety

However, anxiety can occur at higher doses, often accompanied by confusion or fear.

Unity and Interconnectedness

Similar to other psychoactive substances, some users report a feeling of unity with the universe or interconnectedness with all living things.

Existential Self-Realization

Amanita muscaria may trigger deep philosophical thoughts and a sense of self-realization, as users ponder their existence.

Existential Conceptual Thinking

Users may engage in abstract or conceptual thinking, pondering existential questions and the nature of reality.

Immersion Enhancement

Many report an enhanced sense of immersion in their experiences, making everything feel more intense and meaningful.

Increased Music Appreciation

Music often becomes more emotionally resonant and engaging, with users reporting a heightened appreciation for melodies, rhythms, and harmonies.

Analysis Suppression

While some experience enhanced analysis, others may find their cognitive processes suppressed, leading to a more foggy or disjointed thought pattern.

Introspection

Amanita muscaria encourages deep introspection, where users reflect on their inner thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Amnesia and Memory Suppression

At higher doses, users may experience amnesia or difficulty remembering events, leading to memory suppression.

1.4 Auditory Effects

Amanita muscaria also affects the auditory perception of users, with various auditory distortions and hallucinations.

Auditory Distortion

Sounds may become distorted, appearing more muffled or altered than usual.

Auditory Hallucination

Auditory hallucinations are common, with many users hearing a strange, comforting humming sound or other unexplainable noises.

Synesthesia

It is also not uncommon for users to experience synesthesia, where sensory modalities blend together. Some individuals report tasting words or smelling colors.

2. Toxicity and Harm Potential

The toxicological profile of Amanita muscaria is an important consideration when using the mushroom.

The LD50 (lethal dose for 50% of subjects) of muscimol in rats is 45 mg/kg orally, and in mice, it is 20 mg/kg orally.
Both muscimol and ibotenic acid act as GABA-A agonists, which can have harmful interactions with other GABAergic depressants, such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates.
Ibotenic acid is a neurotoxin that acts through the NMDA receptor and metabotropic glutamate receptor. It is important to dry Amanita muscaria properly to minimize the concentration of ibotenic acid.
A major danger associated with Amanita muscaria is misidentifying it as another toxic species within the Amanita genus. Amanita phalloides, also known as the death cap, contains potent toxins like α-amanitin and β-amanitin, which damage vital tissues in the body.
Although Amanita muscaria contains muscarine, which can cause seizures, it is present in such small quantities that it does not typically pose significant harm.
Amanita muscaria is not known to be addictive, and many users report a decreased desire to redose with continued use.

3. Legal Status

Amanita muscaria is legal in most parts of the world, though there are some exceptions.

Australia: Muscimol, the active compound in Amanita muscaria, is classified as a Schedule 9 prohibited substance under the Poisons Standard (October 2015). This classification means it is illegal to manufacture, possess, sell, or use, except for specific research purposes.
Netherlands: Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina are illegal to buy, sell, or possess as of December 2008. Possession of more than 0.5 g dried or 5 g fresh leads to criminal charges.
United Kingdom: Under the Psychoactive Substance Act (May 26, 2016), it is illegal to produce, supply, or import Amanita muscaria.