Peculiar plants and fantastic fungi: An ethnobotanical study of the use of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms in Slovenia
PLoS One January 7, 2021 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245022 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 68 |
| Population | Users of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms in Slovenia |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Ethnobotany Hallucinogen Curiosity Traditional medicine |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key findings | Curiosity drove initial use of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms, with Psilocybe spp. used by 91% of participants, and most users sought personal growth rather than recreational or problematic use. |
Abstract
The present study examined the patterns of use among a sample of 68 users of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms in Slovenia. In compiling the lists of all the participants, 26 different plants/mushrooms, mixtures, or products were found to have been used. The main reason for beginning to use these substances was curiosity, and most people began using them in their 20s. The most used were Psilocybe spp., being mentioned by approximately 91% of the participants; 50% of the respondents in the study had made use of no other natural hallucinogens besides these. Many of the plants or mushrooms were used only a small number of times. No matter what items had been used, the internet often played a role in first hearing about them. Dosing and the means of using the various hallucinogens were often quite varied, as were the settings where they were taken. Knowledge of the dangers of these hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms as well as their occurrence in nature were likewise vastly varied. Though public opinion often associates the use of mind-altering substances with problematic drug use and partying, the majority of the individuals interviewed seemed to present a greater desire to experience the interesting effects, to overcome personal difficulties, and for individual and spiritual growth.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measured brain mechanisms. Patients with treatment-resistant depression | 2017 | Observational cohort | n = 19 |
| Psychedelic effects of psilocybin correlate with serotonin 2A receptor occupancy and plasma psilocin levels Healthy volunteers | 2019 | Observational cohort | n = 8 |
| Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin Humans | 2017 | Observational study | |
| Classic psychedelic use is associated with reduced psychological distress and suicidality in the United States adult population. USA adult respondents from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008-2012) | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 190,000 |
| Prediction of Psilocybin Response in Healthy Volunteers Healthy volunteers | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 409 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 31
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- Drug Tourism or Spiritual Healing? Ayahuasca Seekers in Amazonia Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 1, 2005
and 26 more in the library