Magic mushrooms have fascinated people for centuries. They appear in folklore, rituals, and modern research studies. Today, one of the most common questions is simple: how long are you high off shrooms? While the answer is fairly straightforward, the journey to it is not. To really understand the timeline of a mushroom experience, it helps to know what happens in the body, what can change the length, and how it compares to other substances. Let’s break it down.
Psilocybin and the Body
The key compound in magic mushrooms is psilocybin. Once eaten, your body converts it into psilocin, which binds to serotonin receptors in the brain. This is what causes the altered sense of time, changes in mood, visuals, and other psychedelic effects.
But psilocin doesn’t act instantly. The effects build, peak, and then fade away as your body processes the compound. How long this cycle takes depends on dose, your metabolism, and even your mindset.
The Timeline of a Trip
Researchers have mapped out a general time course for psilocybin effects:
- Onset: 20 to 40 minutes after eating mushrooms. Early signs can include a light buzz, enhanced colors, or a sense of anticipation.
- Peak: Around 60 to 90 minutes in, effects intensify. This is often when visuals, deep emotions, or feelings of connectedness are strongest.
- Plateau: For the next few hours, effects stay noticeable. Many describe this period as immersive, with altered thinking and perception.
- Comedown: Between 4 and 6 hours after ingestion, effects start to fade.
- Aftereffects: Some mild changes, like tiredness or sleep problems, can linger up to 12 hours. By 24 hours, effects are completely gone.
These stages come from controlled studies as well as large surveys of magic mushroom users.
Factors That Influence Duration
The basic timeline applies to most people, but several factors can stretch or shorten it:
- Dose: Larger doses last longer. A small dose might fade within 4 hours, while very high doses can stretch toward 8 hours.
- Species of mushroom: Potency varies between species. Psilocybe azurescens can be nearly twice as strong as Psilocybe cubensis.
- Metabolism: Faster metabolism can mean a shorter trip, while slower digestion can prolong the experience.
- Set and setting: Stressful environments can make a trip feel longer, while calm settings can make time pass more smoothly.
How Shrooms Compare to Other Substances
For context, here is how psilocybin stacks up against other common substances:
- LSD: Much longer. A typical LSD trip lasts 8 to 12 hours, sometimes longer.
- MDMA: Shorter. Effects usually last 3 to 5 hours, with an afterglow into the next day.
- Cannabis: Variable. Highs last 1 to 3 hours when smoked, longer if eaten.
Shrooms sit in the middle. They are shorter than LSD but longer than cannabis or MDMA, which is one reason many people consider them manageable.
How Long Are You High Off Shrooms?
Now to the clear answer: most people are high off shrooms for about 4 to 6 hours, with aftereffects that can linger up to 12 hours. By the next day, the body has cleared the compound and effects are gone.
This duration makes shrooms different from LSD, which demands a full day, and different from cannabis, which wears off much faster. For many, shrooms are the “just right” length, not too short, not too long.
Final Thoughts
A mushroom trip is more than just the clock on the wall. How long you feel high depends not only on biology but also on where you are, who you are with, and how prepared you feel. While science says 4 to 6 hours is the average, the experience of time during a trip can feel very different. Minutes may feel like hours, or hours may melt away in what seems like moments. That mystery is part of what keeps people curious about these remarkable fungi.
Sources
- van Amsterdam J. et al. Harm Potential Of Magic Mushroom Use: A Review. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. 2011.
- Tylš F. et al. Psilocybin – Summary Of Knowledge And New Perspectives. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 2014.