Health Canada lists anxiety and panic attacks, confusion, and fear or paranoia among the short-term effects of magic mushrooms (Health Canada). In the 2017 Global Drug Survey, 19 of 9,233 past-year users sought emergency treatment, with anxiety or panic and paranoia the most common reasons; all but one recovered within 24 hours (Kopra et al., 2022).
In pooled laboratory data from 110 healthy volunteers, reactions with dysphoria, anxiety or panic appeared only at the two highest doses and were managed with interpersonal support (Studerus et al., 2011). CAMH notes that some people feel depressed or anxious long after hallucinogen use (CAMH).
Research also studies the reverse. Small trials in people with life-threatening cancer reported lower anxiety scores after psilocybin with psychotherapy (Griffiths et al., 2016), but a 2026 review found mixed anxiety results (Moshfeghinia et al., 2026). Health Canada says no therapeutic psilocybin product is approved in Canada (Health Canada). This is not medical advice.
General information, not medical advice. In an emergency in Canada, call 911. For a mental-health crisis, call or text 9-8-8.
Sources
- Health Canada: Psilocybin and psilocin (magic mushrooms)
- Kopra et al. (2022), Adverse experiences resulting in emergency medical treatment seeking
- Studerus et al. (2011), Effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a pooled analysis
- CAMH: Hallucinogens
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