They can be eaten fresh or cooked and can be preserved by drying. Distinguishing hallucinogenic mushrooms from poisonous and sometimes deadly ones can be very difficult and sometimes almost impossible. The effects are similar to a mild LSD trip but may also include the feeling of euphoria and bodily excitement. At low doses euphoria and detachment occur. At high doses visual distortions and vivid hallucinations can occur.
Some people react to hallucinogenic mushrooms by vomiting, nausea and stomach pains.
As with other hallucinogenic drugs 'bad trips' can also occur and may develop into a brief psychotic episode. This is most common after repeated doses or if the user is inexperienced, anxious or unhappy to start with. There have been reports of 'flashbacks' to the original experience but these usually disappear as quickly as they appear. By far the greatest danger is mistaking poisonous mushrooms for 'magic mushrooms'. Effects of long-term use As with LSD tolerance rapidly develops and the next day it may take twice the original dose to produce the same effect.