Some people will go to desperate measures to deal with addiction and depression. One man injected magic mushrooms in the hopes that it would help, and ended up in the hospital. His story reflects how people in vulnerable situations will often do anything to self-medicate. However, without a proper understanding of the consequences, they can often put themselves at more risk than necessary. In this case, the doctors made a horrifying discovery after examining his blood.
The Background Story
The man in question, referred to as Mr X to keep his identity hidden, was dealing with several issues that were deeply affecting his life. He was addicted to opioids and suffering from depression. Many times, a person’s depression and addiction are symptoms of something else, even deeper. In the case of one 30-year-old man, many of his deeper issues stemmed from the fact that he suffered from bipolar disorder type 1, for which he was taking medication. He also has a history of intravenous opioid abuse. After he stopped taking his medication for his bipolar disorder, he started swinging between manic and depressive states of mind.
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The Search For Self-Medication
Mr. X had been researching online and came across reports on the therapeutic benefits of certain psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin. The latter is a compound produced by more than 200 mushroom species. Studies have shown that psilocybin could help relieve depression, existential dread in terminally ill individuals, and lessen anxiety. Yet, in all of these studies, the participants consumed the mushrooms orally and were under observation by professionals.
Why The Man Injected Magic Mushrooms
The traditional way to consume magic mushrooms is by either eating them or drinking tea made from the mushrooms. Mr. X did indeed make a tea by pouring boiling water over the mushrooms, but from that point on, his method deviated from the norm considerably. It is likely due to his history of intravenous opioid use that he felt inclined to inject the mushrooms rather than drink or eat them. Perhaps it was the hopes of repeating the ritual of injection that drove him to do it. Or maybe he thought it would be the most effective way of delivering it to his system. Either way, it turned out to be a huge mistake.
What Happened After
It wasn’t too long after the man injected the magic mushrooms that he started to develop several serious issues with his health. When his family found him several days later, he was in a state of extreme confusion and had jaundice, diarrhea, nausea, and was even vomiting blood. He was then rushed to the hospital, where they discovered that his organs, including his lungs and kidneys, were starting to fail. His liver had also suffered from acute injury, and he was experiencing septic shock. Due to his serious condition, he was immediately placed in the ICU.
The Most Horrifying Discovery
However, the most horrifying part of his condition was yet to be revealed to the doctors. They initially found that clots had begun to form in his blood, prompting further examination. After taking cultures from his blood, the doctors discovered that the mushroom he had injected had begun to grow in his blood. However, the doctors were not able to ascertain whether their presence had contributed to his state of confusion.
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The Effects Of Mushrooms in the Blood Are Unknown
According to the doctor’s report, “It is unclear whether active intravascular infection with a psychoactive fungus such as Psilocybe cubensis may prompt persistent psychoactive effects as seen with ingestion of the same species, which could further contribute to changes in perception and cognition.” Since this is not a common manner in which people consume magic mushrooms, little is understood about what the effects would be.
The Need For Public Education
While psychedelics may offer hope in treating patients with certain conditions, positive outcomes are dependent on the proper use of these substances. This story makes it clear that there are inherent dangers in using these substances in ways that aren’t recommended or prescribed. While a patient may have good intentions when it comes to self-medicating, their lack of knowledge can easily cause far more damage than good.
The Bottom Line
This disturbing case emphasizes the risks of self-medicating without medical supervision or a solid understanding of chemical effects. Injecting drugs meant for oral use can result in unexpected, life-threatening problems. Even natural or plant-based medications can cause serious harm if taken inappropriately or outside of clinical settings. Desperation should never be used to replace professional therapy, particularly for complex disorders such as addiction and bipolar disorder. Even well-intentioned decisions can have disastrous results if not handled properly. Therefore, it is better to do this under the supervision of a professional in a tried and tested manner.
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