Mushrooms For Mental Health
- Logan Keister
- Mar 6
- 24 min read
By Logan Keister
Mental health isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of issue. We often see mental health being described in generalized terms. This framework of something being described as “good for mental health” makes it easier to market products. One’s own consciousness is not something that can be pigeonholed under such broad terms. We must explore the patterns and archetypes that exist within our unique constitution. Reflect upon our pattern of experiences to help us formulate the medicine that is tailored to us as individuals and not us as consumers.
The same thing goes for mushrooms for mental health. One mushroom, which may be beneficial for one person, may do very little for another. Each mushroom deserves the same respect that we do. They should be understood personally, like one does with a close friend.
The definition of holistic is not to focus on the parts but to see something as a whole. We must do the same when it comes to mental health. We must look at all aspects of a person, whether that be diet, lifestyle, constitution, personality, life story, religious or spiritual life, and consider all that happens both within one’s internal and external world.
The holistic framework for assessing an individual must also be applied to the therapeutic strategies or substances we adopt. Therefore, it is our duty when discussing mushrooms for mental health to consider all aspects of these fungi before we consider using them to address mental health. Once we understand the specific indications for the mushroom, we can better determine what kind of person may benefit from it.
Once we gain a deeper understanding of the fungi we are working with, we can bypass all the marketing that tells us we all need to take medicinal mushrooms every day. We must find out if that is really true for ourselves. Another aspect of holism is to consider whether or not medicinal mushrooms are the correct therapeutic protocol for an individual. Before one decides to go out and buy any herbal product, they should do a thorough evaluation of themselves, or if they can afford it, with a qualified practitioner whom they trust. This way they can evaluate if they have addressed core issues to health like nutrition, sleep, exercise, connection to nature, etc. Once you have addressed all of these issues to the best of your ability and still find yourself lacking that state of well-being, then it is appropriate to seek out mushrooms and herbs to help aid one in their mental health journey.
Though mushrooms have become very popular in recent times, it is also important to consider if a medicinal mushroom may become more beneficial if formulated with medicinal herbs. In cultures that have used mushrooms in their practice of medicine for countless centuries, like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), they almost always formulate their mushrooms with herbs.
There are many medicinal mushrooms that are beneficial for mental health. Here we will share the main mushrooms I have worked with in my clinical practice and where I have found them to be most beneficial. We will draw on scientific research, historical medical writing on medicinal mushrooms, wisdom shared by contemporary practitioners, and the empirical data I have gained over the years as a clinical herbalist. I will also recommend some herbal allies that mix well with each mushroom.
Reishi (Ganoderma sp.)
Reishi is very often one of the first mushrooms people think of when it comes to mental health. It has been described in TCM to be a Shen tonic. There is no analogous term for Shen in English, and it can be difficult to define. They say that Shen is what connects us with our true nature. It requires rich blood and vital life force. Disturbed Shen from issues such as trauma can lead to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, poor concentration, and insomnia. When one has strong Shen, they seem to radiate, have bright eyes, are emotionally balanced, compassionate, full of vitality, and get full sleep.
Although not completely analogous to Shen, the Western tradition of medical astrology describes these virtues to the Sun. Like Shen, the solar aspects of ourselves are said to come from the heart and radiate out through the blood. Those with a strong Sun are said to be natural leaders, have a strong vitality, are not as prone to sickness, and have a clear sense of purpose in their lives. Those lacking this solar influence often get the greatest benefit from Reishi.
Reishi is known to be a cardiotonic, or cardiac trophorestorative, helping to strengthen and protect the heart (Mitra, et al. 2024). The heart is at our core and radiates the vital life force through the blood throughout our body. The heart is also a sensory organ that has the ability to perceive outside influences before our brain has time to compute what they are. In this way, strengthening the heart through Reishi connects us to this extrasensory perception that aids in the development of our intuition and can help us communicate better with the nonhuman forms of life that surround us.
When I work with Reishi on issues that address the heart, I like to combine it with other heart-centered herbs. Reishi combined with Cacao (Theobroma cacao) and Rose (Rosa spp.) is an excellent heart opener and helps one to feel more connected with other people and take joy in others' happiness. This is a great combination for people who have trouble opening up and connecting with others or tend to be suspicious and hold negative thoughts about other people. If the person has some form of cardiac disease or seems like they may be heading that direction, I like to combine Reishi with Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus).
Reishi is not one of those mushrooms where you take it once and you immediately radiate with purpose and vitality. It is a mushroom whose benefits accrue through diligent, long-term use. However, a strong batch of Reishi tea does have the power to make one feel quite lucid and euphoric in proper doses. It can be employed as a calming nervine in this way to relieve anxiety (Jia, etal., 2024). Used in this way, I like to combine it with other calming nervine herbs like Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora).
Reshi has been traditionally used for insomnia. Sleep is essential for replenishing all our core vital functions. A lack of sleep has been shown to increase stress-related hormones like cortisol, which interfere with our blood sugar, ability to grow muscle, and increase fat retention. Reishi is unlike many of our sedative or calming nervine herbs, which immediately make one feel sleepy. It is similar to Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), which, through regular use, aids one in having more full and replenishing sleep. G. lucidum enhances γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin expression, boosts antioxidant activity, and reduces inflammatory mediators, collectively improving sleep quality (Jia et al., 2024). Maybe not sleeping better the first or second week, but improving the Shen gives us these benefits. Reishi combined with Ashwagandha can work great for more thin, nervous, airy, vata-type folks dealing with insomnia.
Although there are decades of research out there on Reishi, it was found that the majority of this research had questionable identification of what species of Reishi they were working with (Jargalmaa, et al., 2017). Most studies say they used Ganoderma lucidum. There are many species of Reishi out in the markets of China and Korea, where most of this research was done. There are even more species of Ganoderma out there that haven’t undergone human clinical trials, yet have been shown to have the same or similar compounds to the species that have been researched.
Suppose you are uncertain whether your local species of Ganoderma will have the mental health benefits mentioned above. In that case, my advice is to get to know those mushrooms personally and share them with your community. It is also beneficial to look up any research on the constituents within the mushroom that are out there to see how similar they are to G. lucidum and related species. In my area of western Oregon, for instance, we have Ganoderma oregonense, which has very little research out there on it. Having worked with it myself, reviewing the scientific literature, and sharing notes with other practitioners, I have found that it has many of the mental health benefits that are spoken of about Reishi species abroad. I have, however, found that some of the cultivated varieties that come out of China, like G. lingzhi and G. sinense, seem to have more of a euphoric, calming nervine effect when used in high doses.
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
Lion’s Mane has quickly become one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms for mental health and for good reason. Lion's Mane contains diterpenes that stimulate an increase in nerve growth factors (NGF). NGFs are proteins that aid in neuron growth, differentiation, and repair. They have been shown to be useful for certain types of pain and nervous system functioning. Lion’s mane research shows promise that it can be useful as a neuroprotective agent, capable of stimulating nerve growth factor release, regulating inflammatory processes, reducing oxidative stress, and safeguarding nerve cells from apoptosis (Szućko-Kociuba, et al., 2023).
Knowing this, whose mental health could benefit from Lion’s Mane? Folks dealing with poor memory and cognition due to old age is a great place to start. Since our nerves start to degrade as we age and the risks of Alzheimer's, dementia, and nervous system diseases become more prevalent in old age, Lion’s Mane is pretty much always a good option. Our nerve density and conductivity decrease, and nerve fibers like axons and the myelin sheath will degrade as we age. NGF will help repair old neurons and protect those that still function well. Research has even demonstrated in adults between the ages of 50 and 79 experiencing hearing loss that the people over 65 years of age experienced the greatest benefits (Chan, et al., 2022).
Research has shown that Lion’s Mane isn't a one-and-done situation when used for cognitive functioning. The benefits accrue slowly over time. I have found in my practice that I usually expect clients to experience notable benefits from Lion’s Mane about 2 weeks or more after taking it on a daily basis at proper dosages.
It has been demonstrated in human clinical trials that benefits to memory and cognition were observed through taking Lion’s Mane over a 16-week period, with 80-year-olds experiencing mild cognitive decline. However, once the people in the trial stopped taking Lion’s Mane, after 4 weeks, they were back to the baseline of where they started (Mori, et al., 2009). That is why I recommend Lion’s Mane as a long-term protocol only if the person is willing to stick with it for at least 4-6 months and if they can afford to do so.
One of the main reasons I reach for Lion’s Mane is for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Due to the damage to nervous tissues in the brain that occurs, nerve pain and cognitive difficulties are very common and can be debilitating. Having spoken and worked with individual who have worked with Lion’s Mane after having horrific TBI symptoms I have seen folks freed from debilitating pain and heard one individual describe it as “Lion's Mane helped me to feel like a myself again” after their TBI had seemingly fractured the personality they had once identified with.
Interestingly, when we look at Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has some of the oldest textual references to Lion’s Mane being used medically, we find no reference to it being used for nervous system or mental health disorders. As far as we can tell, this is a brand-new use of Lion’s Mane that has come to us through modern research and clinical experimentation. Although I am an herbalist who tends to look down at basing one's practice on modern research alone over traditional usages, this is one case where I have to tip my hat to the benefits of modern scientific research on medicinal mushrooms.
In TCM, they do discuss using Lion's Mane for issues relating to GI inflammation, hot acidic digestion, GI ulcers, and general heat and inflammatory issues in the stomach dating back at least 1,000 years (Mizuno, 1999). Though this may not seem directly related to mental health, we do know that the health of our digestive tract does indirectly influence our mental health. It is hard to feel ok when one's stomach is burning and our digestive functioning is inhibited.
The high fiber content in Lion’s Mane also acts as a prebiotic, helping to feed beneficial gut flora, which have been shown to exhibit a marked effect upon our mental well-being. With approximately 90% of our serotonin being produced in our GI tract, it is hard to argue the fact that the health of our GI tract doesn’t have a strong influence over our mental health. The gut-brain axis includes the central nervous system (CNS), the neuroendocrine and neuroimmune systems, the autonomic nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and the intestinal microbiota. Intestinal microbiota are reported to modulate several disorders, including metabolic disorders, behavioral conditions, and cognitive functions (Thakur, 2014). Clinical research has shown this benefit on the gut-brain axis with regular use of Lion’s Mane and Reishi (Koszła, et al. 2025). Since all edible mushrooms contain prebiotics, consuming any mushroom regularly will help improve the health of our intestinal microbiome.
In Western Medical Astrology, the Moon governs both the stomach and the brain. One can make a correlation to the gut-brain axis. The moon governs and regulates our emotional well-being like the tides of the ocean, which ebb and flow in a similar state of impermanence to our own emotions. In this way, we can see how when one suffers from Alzheimer's and poor memory, the emotional connections we ascribe to our memories often become disjointed. Our mental health suffers as cognitive decline detaches us from our store of memories. Our gut instinct can run haywire as heat becomes excessive in our GI tract without the cooling and moistening influence of the Moon to nourish it. In this way, I associate Lion’s Mane with the Moon and make medicinal preparations when the Moon is well dignified.
Due to the research and clinical trials of the effects of NGF increase with the use of Lion's Mane, it has become the go-to mental health mushroom in the United States and elsewhere. However, I have seen issues where, anytime there is any kind of nervous system or mental health issue, Lion's Mane is given with little thought on what the causative factors of the said issue are.
I remember one example when I was working with a client and had another herbalist helping me out in the clinic. The client reported they were dealing with poor memory and cloudy thinking, even though they were fairly young (under 30). The other herbalist thought Lion’s Mane would be great for them. I had my doubts since Lion’s Mane works best for neural degeneration that may be caused by old age, traumatic brain injuries, neurotoxin exposure, or neurodegenerative diseases. This client had none of these issues as far as we could tell. Through our intake, however, I did determine that they had not eaten any food containing B12 in the past 11 years. Since B12 is essential for the proper functioning of nerves, I recommended they supplement with B12 and told the other herbalist that if it didn’t help, then we could try Lion’s Mane instead. Within a few months of supplementation, they saw a significant increase in their mental and cognitive functioning. I tell you this story not to downplay the wonders of Lion’s Mane, but to remind practitioners that just because something is labeled as “good for” this or that, we still need to find the root cause before we decide what to put into their protocol.
Similar to Reishi, we have many Hericium species growing around the world. The question then arises, can I use other species of Hericium the same way we use Lion’s Mane Hericium erinaceus)? While there is less research on other Hericium species, it has been shown that others contain NGF promoting compounds (Wittstein, et al., 2016). I have found in my clinical practice that I have achieved similar results working with wild-harvested H. abietis that I did with cultivated H. erinaceus. It is hard for me to pinpoint the subtle differences between them, and I have found both to be excellent for cognitive issues, including poor memory caused by old age and TBI. I prefer working with wild-harvested mushrooms personally, and that is why I reach for H. abeitis more often.
I like to formulate Lion’s Mane with other herbs that address issues around mental cognition and nervous exhaustion. St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Milky Oats (Avena sativa), and Skullcap are all popular neurotrophorestorative herbs that pair well with Lion’s Mane. If poor memory is due to a lack of cerebral blood flow, I often add Rosemary to my Lion’s Mane formula.
Cordyceps
Cordyceps has gained a reputation outside of the herbal medicine world as the entomopathogenic (insect parasite) fungus that takes control over insects' mobility, forcing them to walk to a high place before fruiting out of the insect's body. Many popular videos and photos are shared online that show this miraculous phenomenon occurring on a large variety of insect species.
Cordyceps has been revered for centuries in Chinese, Tibetan, and other Asian medicine systems as a vitality tonic worth more by weight than gold. The original species prized in these systems of medicine is Ophiocordyceps sinensis. This species is only found growing from a few species of caterpillar in the Himalayas (Wang, et al., 2011). Due to its scarcity and the desirable benefits of working with this mushroom medicinally, it fetches an exorbitant sum of money on the market.
It has been traditionally attributed to have benefits to mental health, such as improving energy, appetite, stamina, libido, endurance, sleeping patterns, and vitality (Panda, et al., 2011). Not to mention numerous other benefits to immunity, kidney, and respiratory health, making it highly desirable.
Since the true Cordyceps that grow in the Himalayas are so difficult to acquire, cultivation of Cordyceps has grown in popularity in recent years in the United States. The main species that is cultivated is Cordyceps militaris. Due to its small size and some extra requirements in cultivation that other mushrooms don’t need, it can cost quite a bit, but not nearly as much as the ones wild-harvested in the Himalayas.
In my clinical practice, due to the high cost of Cordyceps, I don’t often recommend it. However, there are some instances where it really shines, and the client can afford it as well. My main indications for Cordyceps are people who are chronically fatigued, suffer from kidney disease, have weak respiration (COPD, asthma, etc..), deal with insomnia, lack sex drive, and have weakened immunity (Hobbs, 2021). For folks dealing with these issues, it can work wonders.
Cordyceps contains adenosine. If this name sounds familiar, it is because it is one of the main components of the fuel that feeds our cells, adenosine triphosphate. Consuming adenosine, the raw material for our cells to create energy gives us easy energy that is great for those who are constantly feeling fatigued. It has also been demonstrated to improve oxygen intake during strenuous exercise, helping to increase energy (Yi, et al., 2004)
Although in conventional Western Medicine we often don’t think of respiration as having much to do with mental health, most traditional systems of medicine do. We see this concept reflected in Prana in Ayurveda, Qi in Chinese Medicine, or Pneuma in Galenic Medicine. Our connection to breath doesn’t just help us bring oxygen into our bodies, but allows the vital life force of the cosmos to penetrate our being. In this way, when we work with Cordyceps in cases of respiratory weakness or disease, we benefit the mental health of the individual by bringing in that life force and vitality that is normally hampered. Most of us have experienced instances where we felt stressed and felt relief from taking some deep breaths. For those who have trouble accessing those deep, nourishing breaths, allies like Cordyceps can really bring immense benefits to one's mental well-being.
I view Cordyceps as a medicine of Mars. Mars rules the warrior archetype. Cordyceps embodies Mars in the way that it is a bright reddish orange, like the color of Mars, and its existence depends upon it conquering the body of an insect, controlling it before it kills its host, which seems fitting for the Martial warrior archetype.
As Mars is the warrior, so is the immune system, our inner warrior helping to defend our body from outside invasion. Cordyceps' use for improving immune function, strengthening our inner warrior, really speaks to this. Scorpio, a Mars-ruled sign, governs the genitals and the more “masculine” side of intercourse, so does Cordyceps increase one's desire for sex. Aries, the other Mars-ruled sign, governs the adrenals, which sit on top of the kidneys that Cordyceps has a strong affinity for.
It is because of all these martial qualities of Cordyceps that marketing often targets martial people. Cordyceps is often promoted to athletes to help them boost their athletic performance or give people who already have strong sexual desires even more desire. I personally do not think these are the people who should be working with Cordyceps. Athletes and type A people often tend to overexert themselves and push their bodies beyond healthy limits. To then give them medicines that could potentially allow them to push things even further is unethical in my book. If it's a choice between anabolic steroids, stimulants, or Cordyceps, I’d say choose Cordyceps. However, seeking out substances that continually push one beyond their means is not holistic and will only lead to long-term health issues later down the road.
The one time I may potentially recommend Cordyceps to an athlete is if they have already overexerted themselves and, as a result, have now become sick. Cordyceps can help improve recovery time for these individuals. The one caveat is that they must use that time to rest and replenish their bodies and not use it as an excuse to get back onto a ridiculous training program as soon as possible. In most instances, it is difficult to find these kinds of people who will really take this advice seriously, so do so at your own risk.
Cordyceps is best for those who lack the qualities of Mars. Weakened vitality, low energy, fatigued, poor immunity, cold-bodied, lacking sexual desire, afraid to assert themselves, conflict-averse, respiratory weakness, and overburdened kidneys. If a few of these check some boxes for you or your clients, then Cordyceps may be well-suited to improving mental health.
Psilocybin
It is hard to talk about mushrooms for mental health and not mention Psilocybin. It is also hard to say anything new about a mushroom that has gained so much attention and research in recent years. Rather than dive deep into the nitty-gritty details of psilocybin research, I instead hope to briefly summarize my knowledge through direct experiences, scientific research, conversations with psilocybin practitioners, and working through the ceremonial and psychedelic therapy communities.
Right now, psilocybin is being researched and has been used to treat issues such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. I have had first-hand experience having used Psilocybin to treat all of these issues in myself. I doubt psilocybin being used this way is news to anyone, but what I often see lacking in this conversation is the question of proper dosage.
Most of the research that has gone on regarding psilocybin as a potential treatment for addiction and depression has relied on using very high doses that would bring one into what is often described as a mystical or ego death experience. The Popular Johns Hopkins trials, which dealt with depression in terminally ill patients, used these very high doses (Grob, et al., 2011). In some of the early research on alcoholism, they found that the degree of success was dependent upon how powerful the experience was for the individual, with smaller doses typically being far less effective for long-term abstinence from alcohol than large doses (Boegenschutz, et al., 2017).
Does this mean that if you want to get any benefits from psilocybin that you have to take a dosage that causes your identity to dissolve and your sense of self to be obliterated? No, it does not. However, we must not kid ourselves thinking that we can achieve miraculous benefits while tip-toeing around the kiddie pool with fear of jumping off the deep end.
Before one engages with psilocybin, I think it can often be beneficial to have a proper psychological evaluation. Not necessarily by a psychologist, but by yourself or someone else who can be trusted to know if you are at risk for long-term psychosis that could be triggered by a powerful trip. A close friend of mine had this experience when he ate a large dose of mushrooms and spent the next year barely able to function, keep a job, and live a semi-normal life. It took a long time for him to recover, and he has never been quite the same since.
Microdosing has become extremely popular in recent years. I have heard that it can cure headaches, depression, anxiety, childhood trauma, PTSD, addiction, artist funk, and improve intelligence and creativity. My view on this is similar to that of most herbs and mushrooms that become popular; they receive praise as a miracle cure that can work for just about anyone. However, with time, we often find many of these claims to be extremely inflated, while others may stand the test of time. Due to this, I tend to take a conservative approach to microdosing and am waiting to see which ones stick and which ones fall to the wayside.
From reading the research that has been published in recent years on microdosing, it is challenging to determine the extent of its effect. A comprehensive analysis in the Journal of Pharmacology set out to see if the claims that it was all placebo were true by analyzing the current research. The reasons they stated why the claim this it was all placebo couldn’t be supported were “(1) there have been only a small number of controlled studies; (2) studies have had small sample sizes; (3) there is evidence of dose-dependent effects; (4) studies have only investigated the effects of a small number of doses; (5) the doses investigated may have been too small; (6) studies have looked only at non-clinical populations; (7) studies so far have been susceptible to selection bias; and (8) the measured impact of expectancy is small. Considering the available evidence, we conclude that it is not yet possible to determine whether microdosing is a placebo.” (Polito, et al., 2024). A recent paper from Nature found “The reported acute effects were significantly more intense for the active dose compared to the placebo, but only for participants who correctly identified their experimental condition. These changes were accompanied by reduced EEG power in the theta band, together with preserved levels of Lempel-Ziv broadband signal complexity.” This seems to indicate that there are some measureables on an EEG, but the effects are most noticeable when the person taking the microdose is aware they are taking a microdose.
I am not here to discount microdosing as being nothing but a placebo. However, research does seem to point out that the best benefits are gained when participants are actively aware they are microdoing and have faith in their protocol. This, to me illustrates more of the magic behind trust in medicine and that your perception has the power to change your reality. While microdosing psilocybin certainly seems to have some noticeable effects, it is hard to separate the subject from their subjective feelings towards the medicine. In short, if you are stoked on the idea of microdosing, go for it! If you are not, then don’t worry about it.
I first heard about microdosing being popularized in the context of techies in Silicon Valley using it to enhance creativity to help them on work projects. That is the issue I see with dosage. At low doses, you can use this medicine to support your egoic goals to climb the corporate ladder, while higher doses can have the power to change your life direction. While I think it is good to tiptoe into this medicine to start, I think most would benefit from leaping off the diving board and getting to the root causes of what is impeding their life path.
If anyone is interested in herbs to pair with Psilocybin, I have a whole article published in the Plant Healer Quarterly and on my blog at notibotanica.com on the subject.
Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)
Amanita is one of the most popular yet most misunderstood mushrooms. When speaking about its influence on our consciousness, you may hear all kinds of reports. Everything from it makes you nauseous, gives you cold sweats, makes you sleep for 12 hours with crazy dreams, is a dissociative, was used by vikings to go into berserker mode, is the secret behind Santa's flying reindeer, is the elixir of immortality written about in the Rig Veda, is a stimulant, sedative, sends you to heaven, takes you into the bowels of hell, and everything in between. So what do I make of all this? Some of these things are valid in some circumstances, while others, in my view, are completely far-fetched.
What I see as most important in working with Amanita is knowing how to prepare it properly, what dosages to use, and when it is indicated to be beneficial for someone. I will first describe what states of mental health I see as being most beneficial, with the caveat that preparation and dosage, which I will describe later, must be understood to gain these benefits.
I usually work with Amanita in cases of anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia. Amanita (when processed properly) is a GABA agonist. GABA is an amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps reduce nervous system activity by blocking certain signals. This makes it an excellent remedy when excess nervous activity is causing anxiety.
Amanita helps promote rest and sleep, making it an excellent choice for insomnia due to excessive nervous activity. I often reach for Amanita when someone is practicing good sleep hygiene (lights off, no electronics, no caffeine, ect.) and the sleepy time formula with my usual favorite calming nervines like Valerian (Valeriana spp.), Hops (Humulus lupulus) and Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) is not doing the trick. Since sleep is extremely important for regulating cortisol, dopamine, and endorphins, finding remedies that can address insomnia will be beneficial to one's mental health. I will often formulate Amanita with other calming nervine herbs like the ones mentioned above for use for insomnia and anxiety.
Now, let us discuss preparation and dosage, as this will be important in achieving the benefits of improving sleep and reducing anxiety. Amanita is high in Ibotenic acid, which has many of the undesirable effects people associate with Amanita, like cold sweats, nausea, delirium, stimulation, and what is often described as a hellish trip. When it is prepared properly, much of the ibotenic acid is converted into muscimol, and this will reduce all of the symptoms mentioned above as well as convert it into a stronger GABA agonist, giving us the benefits of better sleep and reducing anxiety.
There are multiple ways to help this conversion of ibotenic acid into muscimol to occur, but I will share with you my main method of doing so. The first thing is decarboxylation, the removal of carbon dioxide from ibotenic acid. Decarboxylation can occur through the drying process. I usually shoot to dry the mushrooms at around 150°F for 36 hours. Time will also help decarboxylate the mushrooms. I accomplish this by storing them in a glass jar in a cupboard out of direct sunlight for 6 months to a year. Once they are aged properly, I then simmer them in an acidic water solution at a pH of around 2.7. From here, I can either drink it as a tea or combine it with alcohol until it is at least 30% or greater alcohol by volume. This ensures that the solution will not spoil.
Once the solution is made, I put it into amber dropper bottles so that it can be dosed out accordingly. For general anxiety during the day, my dosage is dependent upon one's sensitivity to the medicine and the relative strength of the batch, which can vary widely. Start with one drop of the tincture, then work your way up until the desired results are achieved. For sleep, I generally recommend a higher dosage. My minimum dose can be around 5 drops, while the maximum dose can be around a teaspoon. Again, it depends on the individual's sensitivity and the relative strength of the batch.
It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to standardize Amanita preparations year to year. The potency of mushrooms can vary widely, and characteristics like location, age, and maturity don’t seem to be reliable indicators of potency. Instead, I recommend starting with one drop and working your way up slowly so you can get to know each batch of medicine on its own terms.
When working with safe doses and using proper preparation, it is hard to find another mushroom or plant that can give such immediate and potent relief to anxiety and nervous system excess. If one so desires, this preparation can be used in higher doses for more entheogenic purposes, but if prepared properly, one should not experience too much of a nauseous hellish trip that is often reported by the rogue psychonaut.
Amanita is a mushroom of the Moon. As the Moon governs the night and sleep, so does Amanita bring us into deep slumber and connect us to the dreamworld. As the Moon governs the water and tides of the earth, so does Amanita increase salivation and sweat, releasing the liquids of the body. As the Moon is Yin, so does Amanita activate our parasympathetic nervous system, promoting the Yin processes of rest and digestion. We even have parasympathetic acetylcholine receptor sites in our body that are named after Amanita muscaria, our muscarinic receptor sites.
I see Amanita best suited for those who lack the lunar influence. For folks who are tight-wound, constantly anxious, have difficulties falling asleep, can’t remember their dreams, are thin, airy, and have vata qualities. When we come into a state of rest and digest, we can better nourish ourselves and find peace in our daily rituals, which keep us grounded in this human condition. Even with all its illusions and all its flaws, it is our daily actions that nourish ourselves and give us ground to stand upon.
Conclusion
The role mushrooms play in mental health, I see as underexplored and underutilized. I hope this aids readers as a guide to begin their mental health journey, perhaps with the aid of some fungal allies. I must reiterate that though mushrooms can certainly work miracles on some, a holistic evaluation must first take place to determine whether consuming fungi is the correct way forward.
As practitioners, we must share with others our empirical observations so that our traditions in herbal medicine do not remain stagnant but grow and evolve as more information comes to the surface. Even more important are the experiences of individuals dealing with their struggles with mental health, who share what has helped them. With the caveat that mental health is not a one-size-fits-all issue, and avoiding the temptation of becoming the wounded healer who recommends only what has worked for them. They become like a hammer that sees only nails. We must be like a painter who has 3 primary colors, but sees the many ways in which they can be blended to create infinite colors. The skill then comes in creating something beautiful with a palette that is infinite.
Reishi of the Sun, Lion's Mane and Amanita of the Moon, and Cordyceps of Mars, we call upon you in our time of need. To better align ourselves with our true will. To be in service of Life like you are. To hold medicine within us like you hold within yourself. As within, so without. As above, so below.
Citations
Bogenschutz, Michael P., and Alyssa A. Forcehimes. "Development of a psychotherapeutic model for psilocybin-assisted treatment of alcoholism." Journal of Humanistic Psychology 57.4 (2017): 389-414.
Cavanna, Federico, et al. "Microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study." Translational Psychiatry 12.1 (2022): 307.
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