"The Trip"

How Much Psilocybin Do You Take and How?

Studies suggest that generally, the optimal dose is suggested to be between 30-40 mg/70kg. This includes a calculation based on the patient's body weight. However, weight does not seem to make a difference, so newer studies tend to use a standardized dose of 25mg across patients.

This generally suggested dosing is based on meta-analysis studies of various psilocybin trials. One analysis including 7 studies and 136 participants found that 30-35mg/70kg doses achieved the greatest effect, while another analysis with 7 studies and 489 participants found that a dose of 41.1mg/70kg achieved optimal antidepressant effects.

That said, the “right” dose depends on the type of depression that a person has, and a variety of other factors. For example, treatment-resistant depression seems to respond more to higher doses (around 40mg/70kg), while in cases of secondary depression, responses seem to optimize and plateau at lower doses (around 9mg/70kg).

In clinical settings, psilocybin is most commonly taken in a capsule.

**Note: Generally, only about 1% of a dried mushroom's weight is psilocybin. So, a 25mg capsule of isolated psilocybin is equivalent to ~2.5g of dried mushroom.**

How Does the Trip Start?

The journey begins well before a person takes psilocybin, as mental preparation is key for integrative and transformative psilocybin experiences.

Preparation often includes therapeutic sessions with the mental health professionals who will facilitate the experience as well as the discontinued use of psychiatric medication and any other psychoactive drugs that might interact with psilocybin. Preparatory therapeutic sessions are extremely important, as they play a critical role in shaping what are considered to be the two most important factors that influence the outcome of a psychedelic experience -- set and setting.

Set

Set refers to the mindset of the patient when going into the experience. Preparation work includes, but is not limited to:

Establishing clear intentions and motivations for the experience
Setting appropriate expectations
Improving psychological tools for emotional processing

Setting

Setting refers to the external environment of the experience. Preparation work includes, but is not limited to:

Establishing a trusting relationship with people (such as facilitators) who will be present for the experience
Creating a comfortable and calm room ambiance
Providing music and other sensory aids

Through in-depth conversations with the patient, mental health providers are able to gain an understanding of the patient's needs and intentions going into the trip, allowing them to better facilitate the experience. This mutual understanding also builds familiarity between patient and practitioner, which helps create a comfortable environment for patients during their psychoactive experiences.

Where Does It Happen?

There are a few different ways that practitioners set up the experience. Patients almost always receive psilocybin in individual sessions, separate from other patients in the study. Common set-ups in previous clinical trials include:

Patient seated comfortably with an eye mask, headphones, and soothing music.
Patient in a calming room with a therapist who guides them through talk therapy.
Patient in a calming room under the supervision of mental health professionals, who offer support if any discomfort arises.

The "dosing rooms" are often spaces in research laboratories that have been redesigned, prepared and decorated to create a relaxing and comforting environment -- a good Setting!

Although there are variations between set-up strategies, all clinical trials have multiple mental-health professionals on hand for the entire duration of the dosing, who are trained to guide psychedelic trips and offer support for any emotional processing or other needs the patient might have. This is why preparatory sessions with the therapists beforehand are so important -- they help to build trust and security for the patient, so that they feel safely supported by the therapists who accompany them throughout the experience.

What Happens When You Trip?

The experience of a psilocybin "trip" can generally be separated into 5 distinct stages: (1) Onset, (2) Peak, (3) Come-down, (4) After-effects, and (5) Integration. It is important to note that every person's trip is unique and subjective experiences can vary greatly. However, the intensity of effects follows a standard progression, with a relatively quick buildup to the peak, then a gradual decrease in the hours after peaking.

1. Onset: 0-90 minutes

Lightness and tingling sensations throughout the body
Feelings of excitement, nervousness and anxiety
Perception of brighter colors and slight movements of inanimate objects
Potential nausea or vomitting, which typically subsides within an hour

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2. Peak: 1-2 hours

Vivid visual effects, including moving patterns, bright colors, objects -- such as the walls -- appearing to breathe, and sometimes hallucinations
Introspective and philosophical thinking with a deeper connection to self identity
"Ego death"
Distorted perception of time -- minutes can feel like hours and vice versa

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3. Come-down: 2-5 hours

All effects gradually lessen after peaking
Feelings of joy, relief and gratitude as well as increased overall well-being
Increased talkativeness and sociability
Potential tiredness

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4. After-effects: 12 hours

A lasting calm sensation and potential mild fatigue throughout the day

** Note: it is very important to rest after a psychedelic experience **

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5. Integration: the weeks after the trip

Intentional processing of the emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual effects of the experience
Often achieved in the form of therapy, meditative practices, reflective practices (such as journaling), interaction with nature, and engaging with a person's core community.

** More information about continued processing of the experience can be found below!

Life After "The Trip"

After psychedelic experiences, people often undergo a notable period of growth as they integrate the revelations of the experience into their life. This looks different for every person, but often includes realigning life decisions to match newfound insights into a person's sense of self and identity. This can include, but is certainly not limited to:

Exploring spiritual beliefs
Pursuing new hobbies and interests
Setting new boundaries across all domains of life
Implementing lifestyle changes (self-care, diet, physical activity, etc.) that better attend to one's wellbeing
Re-evaluating relationships, friendships and career choices based on newfound understandings of emotional needs

In short, a lot can change after a psychedelic experience. After deep introspection and personal exploration during a trip, people often report returning to life with a newfound understanding of who they are and what they want. From relationships to lifestyle choices to spirituality, people are able to re-evaluate their lives and, when integration is properly executed, make changes that better serve their true values.

Therein lies the interesting power of psychedelics. When used with intention, psychedelics seem to guide people towards their truest sense of self. They offer a profound perspective shift as people "see" their lives through an unbiased lens and are able to recognize inconsistencies between their lived choices and their internal values. Through facilitating deep introspection, psychedelics seem to offer individuals a fresh start to pursue their true emotional, physical and psychological needs and desires. But, these benefits often require intentional effort -- beginning with preparatory sessions to set intentions for the experience and continuing through the integration process with careful implementation of newfound insights.

In a nutshell, in order to receive the optimal benefits from psychedelic-assisted therapy, the "trip" starts before psilocybin is every ingested and lasts long after the drugs' effects wear off.