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Comment by techntoke | Hacker News Reader

Magic mushrooms and other entheogens have amazing potential, but also a lot of risks. Ketamine clinics are already a thing. I think a lower dose (microdose) prescription makes sense for certain people. Anything more, will probably require additional planning and supervision.

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There are some risks, but they have been vastly overstated. I think the media has been irresponsible in publishing scare stories and misinformation about most drugs. How many lives could have been saved if people with treatment resistant depression or PTSD would have been given access to tryptamines and phenethylamines sooner.

I took mushrooms and the worst thing that happened was that I touched a bowl of mac and cheese for a while and made a small mess.

And they say that mushrooms can’t cause permanent damage, but here we are with a permanent carpet stain.

There are people who jumped out of the windows because they thought they could fly or that apartment was burning. There are people who ended up in lifelong psychosis due to one single (or many) trip(s). It is extremely powerful substance, much more powerful than anything usual life can bring upon you including softer drugs.

I had only the most positive and enlightening experiences with it, but can imagine many folks with deep unresolved issues (ie messed up childhood) could have a very very bad experience. Quality supervision and proper preparation should be mandatory.

This, I dated a girl once who tried harming herself after taking some shrooms, not realizing she had some issues with self-harm.

What are the risks?

It enhances the feelings you are experiencing already. If those are negative to begin with, I'd worry about people having a bad trip and hurting themselves (even inadvertently like stumbling into traffic).

If you already have a mental condition such as schizophrenia it may cause a bad reaction. Mushrooms give an experience of disconnecting from reality or existing outside of your own body. Not the greatest move for someone already having problems with reality.

Psychiatric condition may end up much worse than before

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