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Psilocin Facts

Psychedelic; Substituted tryptamine; Serotonin 2A receptor agonist

Description

Psilocin (4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is a naturally-occurring psychedelic of the tryptamine class. It activates serotonin receptors in the brain,[1] disrupting normal sensory filtering and producing the visual, emotional, and cognitive shifts characteristic of classical psychedelics.

Subjective effects include geometric visual patterns, ego dissolution, emotional intensification, brightened colors, time alteration, and episodes of profound meaning.[2] More than most psychedelics, the quality of the experience is shaped by mindset, intention, and physical surroundings — context matters as much as dose.

Psilocin produces no physical dependence and no withdrawal, and no human death from psilocin overdose alone has been reported.[3] The primary risk is psychological: challenging experiences scale with dose and predisposition, while rapid tolerance makes compulsive redosing self-limiting.[4]

Dose and durationby route · individual sensitivity varies

Oral(mg)
Threshold< 2 mgLight3 – 8 mgCommon8 – 20 mgStrong20 – 35 mgHeavy35+ mg

Starts in 20 – 45 minLasts 4 – 6 hoursAfter-effects 4 – 24 hours

Body and dependence

Acute toxicity
Negligible
Chronic toxicity
Negligible
Physical dependence
None
Psychological dependence
Negligible
Withdrawal
None recorded
Compulsive redosing
Negligible

Tolerance

Builds
Rapid
Fully resets after
7 days
Carries over to
LSD; mescaline; DMT; psilocybin

Effectslikely at a common dose

Perception
Color enhancement; Visual drifting; Color alteration; Tracers; Depth perception distortion; Environmental patterning; Music enhancement; Perspective distortion; Brightness alteration; Geometry; Holotropic state; Light sensitivity; Sound sensitivity; Visual breathing; Visual morphing; +23 possible, including Visual haze / noise, Spatial disorientation, Vestibular distortion
Body
Pupil dilation; Spontaneous body sensations; Body high; Body scan awareness; +39 possible, including Nausea, Dizziness, Abnormal heartbeat
Thinking
Multiple thought streams; Openness enhancement; Thought connectivity; Conceptual thinking; Immersion enhancement; Cognitive euphoria; Novelty enhancement; Pattern recognition enhancement; Aesthetic enhancement; Cognitive flexibility; Introspection enhancement; +25 possible, including Suggestibility enhancement, Thought disorganization, Confusion
Feeling
Emotional lability; Simultaneous emotions; Emotional enhancement; +7 possible, including Anxiety, Paranoia, Dysphoria
Self
Derealization; Emotional susceptibility; +12 possible, including Depersonalization, Communication suppression, Social disconnection
Time
Temporal disorientation; Time alteration; +3 possible
Transpersonal
none likely · 1 possible
Awareness
Personal insight; +4 possible

Who shouldn't take it

Absolute
Psychotic disorders; Bipolar disorder; Lithium use; Mood stabilizer use
Relative
Uncontrolled hypertension; Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Combinations61 recorded

Lethal (1)
MAOIs
Dangerous (17)
Dopamine agonists; Lithium; MDMA, MDA; NRIs; GHB, Baclofen; GHB, GBL; Ibogaine; Ketamine, DXM, PCP; Local anesthetics; MDMA, Amphetamines; NDRIs (Wellbutrin); Psychedelics; Salvia, Ibogaine; SNRIs; SSRIs; Stimulants; Synthetic cannabinoids
Caution (38)
See full page: psychedex.org/substances/psilocin
Not graded (5)
Not listed never means safe.

Seek help immediately if

Most difficulty is psychological (intense fear, panic, confusion) and passes with calm support — the signs below mean seek emergency help:

  • Very high body temperature; hot, dry skin
  • Seizures
  • Chest pain; fast or irregular heartbeat
  • Severe muscle rigidity, tremor, or twitching (possible serotonin syndrome)
  • Cold, pale, or blue fingers/toes — severe vasoconstriction (notably NBOMe / DOx)
  • Persistent vomiting; unconsciousness; uncontrollable agitation or risk of self-harm

What to do

  1. Stay calm and reassure — remind them they took a drug and the effect will pass
  2. Move to a calm, quiet, safe space with low light; reduce noise and sensory input
  3. Keep them from harm — they may act on fear or confusion; stay with them, don't leave them alone
  4. Talk them down gently; don't grab or restrain unless they're in danger
  5. For the medical signs above (overheating, seizure, chest pain, vasoconstriction, unresponsive) call emergency services
  6. If overheating, cool the body; be ready to give rescue breaths / CPR

The experience is time-limited and usually resolves with calm reassurance in a safe setting — psychological first aid, not medication. Serious physical harm is uncommon for classic psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin) but real for some potent phenethylamines (NBOMe, DOx), where hyperthermia, seizures, and vasoconstriction warrant emergency care.

988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineFireside Project: 62-FIRESIDE

Version r1 · Not medical advice

References

  1. [1]
    ^Kometer M, Schmidt A, Jaencke L, Vollenweider FX (2013) Activation of serotonin 2A receptors underlies the psilocybin-induced effects on alpha oscillations, N170 visual-evoked potentials, and visual hallucinations — Journal of Neuroscience doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3007-12.2013
  2. [2]
    ^Simonsson O, Hendricks PS, Chambers R, Osika W, Goldberg SB (2023) Prevalence and associations of challenging, difficult or distressing experiences using classic psychedelics — Journal of Affective Disorders doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.073
  3. [3]
    ^Zhuk O, Jasicka-Misiak I, Poliwoda A, Kazakova A, Godovan VV, Halama M, Wieczorek PP (2015) Research on acute toxicity and the behavioral effects of methanolic extract from psilocybin mushrooms and psilocin in mice — Toxins doi:10.3390/toxins7041018
  4. [4]
    ^Buckholtz NS, Zhou DF, Freedman DX, Potter WZ (1990) Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) administration selectively downregulates serotonin2 receptors in rat brain — Neuropsychopharmacology PMID:1969270
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