Man Nearly Dies After Injecting Self With 'Magic Mushrooms' Tea

A 30-year-old man who reportedly self-injected with "magic mushrooms" was rushed to the hospital where doctors learned that the fungus was growing in his blood.

A case study published in the Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liason Psychiatry describes the case of a man who was rushed to a local hospital after family members found him in a disoriented state. He was reportedly incoherent and was experiencing multiple organ failure, Live Science reported.

Further testing revealed Brevibacillus and Psilocybe cubensis in his blood. In other words, he had fungus growing in his blood.

So what happened?

Apparently, the man had been suffering from bipolar disorder and opioid addiction but his family reported that he had stopped taking his medication, resulting in him alternating between manic and depressive states.

Upon reading reports on the possible efficacy of hallucinogens such as magic mushrooms in treating certain mental illnesses, the man reportedly boiled down some mushrooms and injected the resulting concoction into his bloodstream. Within days, he experienced symptoms including lethargy, diarrhea and nausea. His skin also turned yellow and he started vomiting blood.

As a result of his self-medication, he had to spend nearly a month in the hospital where he was treated for multiple organ failure. He also spent several days in the ICU, had to be placed on a ventilator and had to continue long-term antibiotic and anti-fungal treatment even after he was released from the hospital, Medical Xpress reported.

Hallucinogens As Treatment

There has been evidence that certain hallucinogens such as magic mushrooms may be effective for the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. In a study published in JAMA Psychology in November 2020, for instance, researchers found that the effects of the magic mushroom treatment lasted longer compared to that of other antidepressant treatments and, that it had a "low potential" for addiction.

However, such therapies are done in specific doses and with medical supervision. They also typically just contain the active ingredient psilocybin, which is not alive and therefore cannot proliferate in the body, Live Science explained.

So far, several U.S. cities have decriminalized psilocybin. The state of Oregon has even legalized it for therapeutic use.

As the United Nations noted, millions of people worldwide have a mental health issue, with one in four people expected to experience a mental health issue at some point in their lifetime. And with the growing interest in hallucinogens as a treatment, it's important to stay informed and to talk to experts instead of self-medicating.