Author: Charles Frank

Mixing Alcohol and Hallucinogens

This means most of the effects of mixing them come from people’s reported use. Both alcohol and hallucinogens are addictive substances, and it is possible for a person to be addicted to both of them. If someone is addicted to both alcohol and one or more hallucinogens, they are suffering from co-occurring disorders. Co-occurring disorders are more complicated to treat than stand-alone addictions because two addictions often thrive upon one another.

1. That means that piling on more substances while in this state can result in serious physical and mental consequences for the user.
2. Our rehabs in Pennsylvania offer an alcohol addiction treatment that is uniquely designed to help the person identify the source of their substance abuse disorder and overcome it.
3. Alcohol is mixed with LSD to take down or slow down the effects and relax.
4. Bogenschutz and his team specifically set out to test whether or not psilocybin, in addition to sessions of therapy, could cut cravings and help people with alcohol use disorder stay sober.
5. Amphetamines alone are very risky because of the strain on the heart and the increase in blood pressure.
6. Although some people believe recreationally taking this drug is safe, becoming addicted to hallucinogens is possible.

Keep reading to learn more about the effects of mixing mushrooms and alcohol. Some people may notice that mixing alcohol and mushrooms can lessen the effect of each drug. Consuming magic mushrooms (shrooms) and alcohol together can have unpredictable results. For this reason, doctors recommend against combining alcohol and recreational drugs such as shrooms.

Drinking alcohol while taking antihistamines can cause a less effective outcome of the medication. Your body will choose to metabolize the alcohol before the antihistamines. Labels typically suggest you stay away from alcohol all together when on antihistamines so it is very important to always check any label on the drug.

Talk therapy is key

Treatment for co-occurring alcohol and hallucinogen addiction will vary from person to person, but will likely involve detox and inpatient and outpatient rehab with medication and therapy. Combining two or more serotonergic drugs, such as psilocybin and another hallucinogen, can sometimes lead to dangerously high levels of serotonin, a dangerous condition known as serotonin syndrome. Magic mushrooms also shouldn’t be taken alongside any other substance that acts on serotonin, such as other hallucinogens and antidepressants, as the combination could lead to serotonin syndrome, which can be fatal. “You take the pills to wipe it out, and it’s gone,” said Kostas, who has stayed sober since the trial and founded a nonprofit organization for psychedelic mental health research. During the second session, he saw himself being cut with a sword, which he interpreted as killing his addiction.

Furthermore, alcohol may intensify the sedative effects of mushrooms, raising the possibility of drowsiness and decreased coordination. Because mushrooms cause a heightened emotional state in the user, they may drink alcohol in an attempt to calm themselves and alleviate their symptoms. As a depressant, alcohol alters the nervous system and relaxes the person. This can become a very slippery slope because a person who is so intensely intoxicated can even begin to lose track of what they took, how much, or when they took it.

Other symptoms of combining hallucinogens with alcohol include faintness, headaches, and panic attacks. In more serious cases, the combination of alcohol and hallucinogens might even cause someone to lose consciousness or have a seizure. Mixing alcohol with certain hallucinogens, such as Ecstasy, can also raise a person’s body temperature to dangerous levels.

Nevertheless, the dangers of mixing shrooms and alcohol are very real. Even though users are aware of the hallucinations they can experience while taking mushrooms, the combined side effects of having wine or beer with mushrooms vary. Some people who try hallucinogens may suffer a “bad trip.” Such an experience might involve terrifying hallucinations, extreme confusion, anxiety, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts. Many people who have used hallucinogens have been traumatized by “bad trips,” which some describe as living through a nightmare. Repeatedly using hallucinogens can have long-term consequences, such as memory loss, weakened cognition, and depression.

Can You Drink on Shrooms?

They may also take benzodiazepines to dull some of the comedown symptoms from a psychedelic trip. As part of the trial, participants underwent four psychotherapy sessions before they took the first pill, which contained an amount of psilocybin based on body weight, or the antihistamine. At the end of the trial, half of those who received psilocybin had quit drinking altogether, compared to about one-quarter of those who were given the antihistamine.

The lifestyles and settings which encourage alcohol abuse may also encourage experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs. The combined effects of alcohol and hallucinogens can provoke serious health complications and cause co-occurring addictions. Around 20 million people in the U.S. struggle with substance use disorder. While three medications are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for alcohol use disorder treatment, adherence to the drugs is low because of side effects, such as nausea or vomiting. Adderall causes one to feel like they are not as drunk as they really are.

Online Therapy

However, the intended outcome is not a guarantee and side-effects include nausea and vomiting. Effective treatment for drug and alcohol misuse often begins with a detox period followed by admission to an inpatient or outpatient treatment facility. Some people report drinking alcohol to lower the effect of shrooms and feel less high. While they may decrease the effects of alcohol, there is limited research supporting this, and the effects can be unpredictable.

Effects of Mixing These Drugs

Additionally, alcohol increases a person’s likelihood of suffering a “bad trip” by enhancing frightening hallucinations and worsening feelings of depression which often accompany unpleasant hallucinogen experiences. The effects of hallucinogens, many of which impair self-awareness, sometimes prevent people from realizing how much alcohol they’ve already consumed, thereby causing them to drink more. Finally, since both alcohol and hallucinogens impair judgment, a person who uses them together is likely to behave recklessly and endanger others, especially by driving. Bogenschutz and his team specifically set out to test whether or not psilocybin, in addition to sessions of therapy, could cut cravings and help people with alcohol use disorder stay sober.

What Is Alcoholism?

In other words, breaking away from using hallucinogens is often difficult unless someone is committed to also breaking away from alcohol abuse if they are accustomed to using alcohol and hallucinogens together. Otherwise, using one substance might be the catalyst for using the other substance again. This is because they believe that alcohol will improve their hallucination experiences.

During a bad trip, people can put themselves or others at risk of harm. A person who feels concerned about their well-being and the safety of others when mixing mushrooms and alcohol should seek immediate medical attention. Combining alcohol and shrooms can cause unpredictable results, but experts consider it a high-risk combination.