Psilocybin and alcohol
CautionDepressant · also: ethanol, booze, drink
Alcohol has no specific pharmacological interaction with psilocybin, but drinking during a trip adds nausea, poor coordination and impaired judgement.
Increased nausea and vomiting risk, worse coordination, and a muddied experience. At higher intakes, a genuine injury risk from impaired judgement in an already-disorienting state.
Claims re-checked against the cited sources:
Why it happens
No specific receptor interaction is known. Alcohol impairs judgement and coordination and worsens nausea and dehydration, which compounds the disorientation of a psilocybin experience. Alcohol is often used alongside mushrooms by people who end up seeking emergency care, though cause and effect are not established.
What is known
No specific study. The risks are the ordinary risks of intoxication, compounded.
- 2022
- Among 19 people who sought emergency treatment after magic mushrooms in the 2017 Global Drug Survey, 32% had drunk alcohol; mixing substances was among the most reported reasons for the incident. Kopra et al., Journal of Psychopharmacology 2022
- 2022
- Emergency treatment seeking was rare overall: 19 of 9,233 past-year users (0.2%), and all but one returned to normal within 24 hours. Kopra et al., Journal of Psychopharmacology 2022
Safety guidance
- Small amounts are sometimes used to ease the come-up; heavier drinking is a bad idea.
- Expect more nausea and vomiting if you drink.
- Stay away from stairs, water, traffic and heights if you are drinking and tripping.
- Do not drive.
When to seek help
Get help if someone is vomiting repeatedly, cannot stay awake, is injured, or cannot be kept safe; put a very drowsy person on their side. Emergency red flags.
Common questions
Is alcohol and mushrooms dangerous?
Not pharmacologically, as far as is known. The risks are the ordinary risks of intoxication, made worse by disorientation.
Does alcohol weaken a trip?
It tends to blur and muddy the experience, but this has not been formally studied.
Is a single drink okay?
A small amount is unlikely to cause problems; the risks grow with how much you drink.
Sources
How we research this: sources, evidence grading, review and updates.