Updated 6/20/2022
There’s a good chance that if you just gulped a bunch of shrooms, you’re probably wigging out about when they’ll kick in and how long you’ll be off in Fun Land. No need to stress, though — below, we’ve outlined the typical timeline for a journey on magic mushrooms, plus how to make a smooth transition back to reality.
When are they gonna kick in? Oh God, oh God!
You’ll be okay, I promise. But you should feel the effects pretty soon, depending on how you consumed your shrooms — they usually kick in around 30 minutes after ingesting them, but shroom tea can have you snuggling a tree in under 10 minutes, since steeped shrooms are easier to digest.
Similarly, if you soak your caps in lemon juice for 15 to 20 minutes before noshing on them — a process called “lemon tekking” — the effects may come on even sooner. The theory here is that the citric acid in lemons mimics the acids in your stomach, breaking down the psilocybin into psilocin, the compound responsible for sending you into the ether. And when your stomach doesn’t need to do as much work, you feel weirder quicker.
How long do shrooms last, and are you God?
I am God, and I’m here to tell you that the average length of a shroom trip is anywhere between four and six hours, peaking an hour to an hour and a half after consumption, according to the intentionally anonymous founder of Tripsitters.org. However, that depends on your dose, your tolerance and your frame of mind. (The Tripsitters.org creator says they’ve seen trips last for up to 10 hours — hell yeah, bro). And remember, lemon tekking can cut your adventure short by an hour or two.
How long do shrooms last in your system after you’re done being high?
Less than 24 hours for most people, though trace amounts can be detected in pee for up to a week in some cases. That said, drug tests almost never detect magic mushrooms, so don’t worry.
Also, although shrooms don’t stay in your system for very long, the effects can linger in small ways — one study found that the positive, mystical feelings of tripping can last for up to a year (though it’s not like you’re hallucinating or high during that time — just residually happy-ish).
Can you shorten or lengthen a shroom high? Just curious…
Again, shroom tea and lemon tekking can result in a shorter trip, but you could also employ breathing exercises or CBD if you’re feeling overwhelmed. As for lengthening your trip, the only reliable way is to, well, take more shrooms.
If you need help returning to reality once your trip is nearing its end, the Tripsitters.org author suggests munching some fruit, drinking your favorite beverage, journaling, listening to calming music and ideally embracing a loved one who knows what it’s like to have just done shrooms. There are also anecdotal reports that suggest a little alcohol, benzos or even some big news can bring trips to a screeching halt. However, any of these quick-fix solutions, especially those that involve adding more chemicals to your already-tripping brain, can also worsen the situation, so we don’t recommend it.
Am I the universe?
Yep. Have fun, buddy.
Ian Lecklitner
Ian Lecklitner is a staff writer at MEL Magazine. He mostly writes about everyone's favorite things: Sex, drugs and food.
