The best way to minimize the risk of unpleasant effects and bad trips is to be cautious when using magic mushrooms. Controlling the amount you consume and being mindful of your environment can greatly impact your overall experience.

You can reduce your risks by:

• Ensuring you know the mushrooms you're taking are safe and correctly identified
• Understanding the dosage you will be consuming
• Avoiding mixing magic mushrooms with other substances
• Not consuming mushrooms on a day when you feel stressed, sad, or fearful
• Taking mushrooms with safe and trusted people
• Consuming mushrooms in a pleasant, calm, and comfortable environment

Consuming an especially large or strong batch of mushrooms might lead to unwanted effects such as:

• Vomiting
• Agitation
• Muscle weakness
• Diarrhea
• Seizures
• Coma

Sometimes, magic mushrooms can cause fear, paranoia, and other negative effects, known as a “bad trip.” The effects of a bad trip can include:

• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Panic
• Fear
• Intense hallucinations
• Unpleasant hallucinations
• Flashbacks to previous experiences

Research has shown that certain mushrooms could offer benefits for treating psychiatric and behavioral conditions, including:

• Depression
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Alcoholism
• Cocaine addiction
• End-of-life psychological distress related to cancer or other serious conditions

Additionally, these mushrooms may help people quit smoking and have the potential to be a treatment for cluster headaches.

However, none of these uses have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While these potential health benefits have been observed in studies, they haven’t been confirmed on a large scale. More research is needed to verify that these mushrooms are a reliable treatment for these conditions.

Psilocybin mushrooms are classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States, making it illegal to possess, sell, or distribute them, with serious legal consequences for those who do. As more research highlights the potential health benefits of psilocybin mushrooms, we may see similar changes in legislation in other cities and states.

Legal Mushrooms Without Psilocybin

While psilocybin mushrooms are controlled, there are plenty of legal mushrooms that offer various health benefits and culinary uses. Here are a few:

• Reishi Mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum): Often used for their potential health benefits, including boosting the immune system.
• Lion’s Mane Mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus): Believed to support cognitive function and nerve health, these mushrooms have a unique, seafood-like flavor.
• Amanita Mushrooms: This category includes several species, such as Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric), which are known for their distinctive appearance and historical use in traditional rituals. However, it is important to note that while some Amanita mushrooms are legal, they can be toxic and should only be used with caution and proper knowledge.

There are several ways to enjoy shrooms, including:

• Gummies
• Syrup
• Vapes
• Chocolates

Kratom is an herbal substance that’s believed to produce stimulant- and opioid-like effects, depending on how much you consume. The kratom you might find in stores is usually sold as a supplement that may claim to boost energy, improve your mood, and relieve pain.

If you want to target symptoms like chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, or even just the stress of daily life, we have good news. CBD, THC (delta-8 or delta-9), and other cannabinoids are viable and safe alternatives. Of course, it’s never a bad idea to talk to your doctor if you plan to use CBD so that you can ensure you do so safely.

Kratom is now legal in most of the US, though a few exceptions remain. While this accessibility benefits those with chronic pain, the lack of regulation highlights the need to research and buy from reputable sources. Verify its legality in your state and locality before purchase, as some cities may have additional restrictions (e.g., San Diego).

Kratom contains a host of bioactive compounds called alkaloids. When you consume kratom, these compounds have the ability to influence and disrupt the biochemical processes in your body – with powerful results.

The effects of kratom can depend on the dose, the strain, and the user. Kratom is used to:

·   Increase physical energy

·   Boost alertness

·   Boost mood

·   Enhance socialization

·   Relieve pain

·   Induce relaxation

·   Induce euphoria

·   Enhance sex drive

·   Increase appetite

·   Treat diarrhea (as kratom may induce constipation)

·   Treat opioid withdrawal symptoms

·   Replace alcohol in social scenarios

·   Create a topical poultice for wound-healing

·   Treat mood and psychological disorders

The strain could also play an important role. Certain strains are better for boosting energy, whereas others have stronger pain-relieving properties.

It is important to realize that kratom can be addictive, and can itself create severe withdrawal symptoms. Side effects might include:

·   Weight loss

·   Fatigue

·   Constipation

·   Insomnia

·   Dry mouth

·   Frequent urination

·   Hyperpigmentation of the cheeks

·   Tremors/seizures

·   Psychosis

Despite this, toxicity of kratom is considered to be relatively mild. One of the primary safety concerns is drug-drug interactions with other recreational substances or medications.

Kratom, generally, is not included in standard drug tests but will show up on some specialized tests. Urine drug tests can detect kratom is specifically requested but has a limited detection window of only 1 week.

Read our in-depth article here. 

Kratom can take effect within five to ten minutes after ingestion. Effects can be expected to last for five to seven hours, with the effects peaking at about two to four hours. However, mild effects may last even into the next day.

The two most potent alkaloids in kratom have half-lives of 2.5-3.5 hours. That means that it takes about three hours for the concentration of the alkaloid in the body to be reduced by one-half. The active compounds are eliminated through the urine.

Consuming kratom with food may delay the onset of the effects. There are also other ways to enhance extraction of the bioactive alkaloids, or enhance absorption of alkaloids in the small intestine. That is why different modes of consumption (for example, kratom capsules, tablets, or teas) can change the way you experience kratom.

The effects of kratom can depend on the dose, the strain, and the user. Kratom is used to:

·   Increase physical energy

·   Boost alertness

·   Boost mood

·   Enhance socialization

·   Relieve pain

·   Induce relaxation

·   Induce euphoria

·   Enhance sex drive

·   Increase appetite

·   Treat diarrhea (as kratom may induce constipation)

·   Treat opioid withdrawal symptoms

·   Replace alcohol in social scenarios

·   Create a topical poultice for wound-healing

·   Treat mood and psychological disorders

Kratom is often regarded as a legal, more readily-available opioid-like substitute. It can be used as a powerful pain-reliever, a sedative, and to help with opioid withdrawal. However, that does not mean that kratom is an opioid. The receptors in the brain and body are not like buttons that you press. They involved complex mechanisms of activation, which is why several different compounds can interact with the same receptors in different ways, and create different effects.

You can buy kratom right here at Gold Dragon Kratom. We’ve hand-picked our favorite, most trust-worthy brands, so you can have complete confidence in your purchase.

As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.

There are multiple ways to use kratom powder, but the two most-used are to add the powder into a drink or the "toss and wash" method.

Make a Drink

1. Prepare your kratom dose in a tea strainer or coffee filter
2. Boil a small pot of water. Any amount that you want for your drink is fine. The less water you use, the more the kratom flavor may be prevalent.
3. Once it begins to boil, take it off the burner and let it sit for a couple minutes. Very hot temperatures can deplete the alkaloids.
4. Slowly pour the hot water over the tea strainer or coffee filter that contains your proper serving of kratom.
5. Add any sweetener or other flavoring to your final product. 
6. Enjoy your customized kratom drink!

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The “Toss and Wash” Method

1. Prepare your dose of kratom powder.
2. Take a small sip and hold in your mouth of whatever beverage or liquid you desire.
3. Pour your dose of kratom powder into your mouth, while still holding the liquid in your mouth.
4. Quickly swish everything around in your mouth, mixing the powder and liquid together.
5. Swallow.

​

*Please never put any dry powder in your mouth without liquid. This can be unpleasant and dangerous.

While at lower doses kratom is often considered a relatively innocuous stimulant like coffee, at higher doses it can have much more powerful effects. In fact, kratom interacts with opioid receptors in the brain to produce potent analgesic and sedative, and even euphoric effects.

Finding the proper dosage for your body is incredibly important. If you are new to kratom usage, best practice is to start with a low dosage and slowly build up until you find what works best for you.

General serving sizes are as follows;

​

Small: 1-5 grams, effective for approx. 3-4 hours

Moderate: 5-15 grams, effective for approx. 4-6 hours

Heavy: 15+ grams, effective for approx. 6-8 hours, or sometimes longer

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Finding your proper dosage can be a pain. For help figuring it out, you can make your own journal.