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A 30-year-old man from Nebraska was rushed to the hospital several days after injecting a “magic mushroom” concoction into his veins, according to a case report published in the Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. The man had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1. However, his family said that he had stopped taking his medication and as a result, began experiencing intense manic and depressive episodes.
During his previous episodes, he was depending on opioids to ease his pain. However, he had begun researching healthier alternatives to relieve his suffering. He read about the potential therapeutic effects of hallucinogens, such as LSD and “magic mushrooms.” So, in an attempt to relieve his anguish, he boiled psilocybin mushrooms into tea. He then used cotton to filter the tea before injecting himself with it. Little did he know that his “healthy” way to relieve suffering would only make his suffering worse.
Several days after injecting himself with the “magic mushrooms,” he became lethargic and nauseated. His skin soon turned yellow, and he began throwing up blood. His family eventually found him in a very confused state and rushed him to the emergency room. The 30-year-old man could not give the doctors any coherent responses to their questions due to his altered mental state.
After multiple tests, the man’s blood sample revealed something shocking: his blood was positive for a bacterial infection with the microbe Brevibacillus (commonly found in soil) and a fungal infection from Psilocybe cubensis—meaning that “magic mushrooms” were now growing in his blood.
The man spent eight days in the intensive care unit, or ICU, and a total of 22 days in the hospital where he was on a ventilator and received treatment for organ failure. Several of his organs, including his liver and kidneys, were severely damaged. He had his blood filtered for toxins and was given antibiotics and antifungal treatment to take long-term. Fortunately, he survived and was later discharged from the hospital.
Research suggests that psilocybin—taken safely and in small doses—can be effective in treating depression, anxiety and/or substance abuse. Previously, Johns Hopkins and New York University conducted studies on cancer patients who experienced severe anxiety and depression as a result of their medical state. After being given psilocybin, many of the patients reported an elevated mood right away and even over time. However, when taken in larger doses, the drug can cause disturbing hallucinations and anxiety.
In recent studies, scientists have even tried delivering psilocybin via injection. However, the injections were performed safely — unlike the 30-year-old man’s injections– because they were given in controlled doses and under medical supervision. Medical injections are also considered safe because they contain only psilocybin. Psilocybin, when filtered properly from psychedelic mushrooms, is not alive and cannot grow in the body like the fungus from a mushroom can. It is important that psilocybin if injected, is injected under medical supervision because if there are any fungi present, “magic mushrooms” can begin growing in the body.
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