A Trip to the Bedroom: The Impact of Psychedelic Shrooms on Sex

Shrooms may help couples connect on a deeper level…but they can also produce false emotions and temporarily disable healthy boundaries. Tread cautiously.

By Connor McElroy Medically Reviewed by Dr. Susana De Los Santos · Last Updated: December 12, 2023
Last Updated: December 12, 2023
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Artwork by: dikigiyat

“Can you have sex on magic mushrooms?”

You’re likely to get some varied opinions depending on who you ask.

Some people think there’s no better way to do it; others claim getting intimate on shrooms is uncomfortable or downright impossible.

So, what’s sex on shrooms like? Is it a good or bad idea? How can you ensure you and your partner have the best experience should you choose to embark on a “sexual psychedelic journey?”

This article takes a look at the good and the bad.

Is Sex on Magic Mushrooms Possible?

Yes, sex on magic mushrooms is possible, but it’s different for everybody.

As with any other psychedelics — regardless of other activities involved — magic mushrooms can provide a “good” or “bad” experience; the same applies to sex. Combining the two can be either beautiful or anxiety-filled, depending on the set, setting, and relationship quality between partners.

Psychedelic trips can be unpredictable. Combining sex with psychedelics could make an experience all the more exciting or unpleasant. Many people have reported having positive other-worldly experiences in the bedroom while tripping on magic mushrooms, whereas others report losing their libido entirely — making intercourse impossible.

What Is Sex on Shrooms Like?

Consuming mushrooms produces an “amplified experience” in the bedroom. While on mushrooms, your senses and perception of the world are significantly heightened. Expect a heightened sense of touch and intense feelings of pleasure, especially through the climax.

Explaining what sex is like on magic mushrooms is just as hard as explaining what a magic mushroom trip feels like. Experiences on psychedelics differ significantly from person to person — some can have an incredibly visual experience, while others feel mild relaxation and euphoria; the same is true with sex.

Here are some of the things you may experience in the bedroom while under the influence of psilocybin:

1. Psilocybin Can Alter Your Perception

Mushrooms make everything feel entirely different. The simplest action or experience can be elevated to the point where it feels completely new or even “other-worldly.” Psychedelics enhance the physical world and can make you perceive things that aren’t there.

While having sex under the influence of magic mushrooms, simple things such as facial expressions and the senses of touch and sound can cause you to hallucinate in a number of ways. You could experience everything from subtle audible hallucinations to intense visuals that make you, your partner, your bed, or the room around you seem entirely alien.

Many variables can affect a sexual experience; heightened senses and hallucinations can be negative or positive. Enhanced senses of touch, sound, and sight can induce stronger feelings of pleasure, but they can also make it hilarious, frightening, or just a little strange.

2. Psilocybin Can Ramp Up Connection

As with other serotonin-activating substances such as ecstasy (MDMA), shrooms (psilocybin) can “ramp up connections.” People who have provided trip reports from when they’ve had sex while under the influence consistently say that sex on shrooms can make you “fall in love before you’re ready.”

The sexual experience can be highly emotional since the nature of mushrooms is both emotional and psychological. They can help turn a simple physical act into an extraordinarily spiritual and loving experience — even if you’re not the “lovey-dovey” type.

If you’ve tried magic mushrooms or ecstasy before, you’ll know that they can help you connect with others on a deeper level by breaking down walls. Intense conversations can lead to bonding with people you may not otherwise talk to and cause an elevated sense of connection.

It’s possible to “fall in love” after sex on shrooms. Mushrooms can induce a whole other dimension of intimacy and convince two people that they’re “soul mates.”

Even without the sex or physical connection, a psilocybin trip with another person can make you feel as though you’ve known the person since birth.

A psychedelic trip is like having many months of friendship or several weeks of dating in one sitting. This can be fantastic for partners already in a deep and meaningful relationship — not so much for people who have recently met.

Of course, increased connection and bonding are great, and the mushroom experience can draw two people closer and allow them to understand each other more. However, increased intimacy through shroom sex could potentially convince a couple that isn’t in love that they’re “meant” to be together.

Don’t underestimate the power of magic mushrooms. If you embark on a sexual journey with someone while on shrooms, make sure it’s the right person.

3. Psilocybin Could Induce Unfamiliar Emotions or Dig Up Past Traumas

During sex, you and/or your partner could unintentionally uncover past traumas or deep-set emotions.

Magic mushrooms are effective in therapy. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy utilizes substances such as psilocybin to uncover past traumas and significant emotional events. This is excellent when utilized in a medical environment with the help of a psychiatrist to make sense of it all. However, uncovering emotional trauma while attempting to have sex on shrooms probably won’t be what you expected.

Although your intentions may be to have an intense experience in the bedroom, you could unintentionally delve into your psyche and reveal hidden traumas, depression, and anxiety. If this happens, being in an uncontrolled setting can be troublesome. On the other hand, it can give you and your partner a deeper understanding of each other — although sex in the moment might be a little difficult. This leads us to our next point…

4. Sex On Shrooms Could be Difficult, or Even Impossible

Sex on magic mushrooms can be a divine, soul-connecting experience. However, it’s not always easy, and sometimes it can be impossible.

Psilocybin is a powerful psychedelic, and if you eat too many shrooms before heading to the bedroom, you could find sex near-on impossible. It’s pretty challenging to think about sex if you and your partner are tripping beyond belief. If you’re gazing into another realm while curling in fits of laughter, sex will be the last thing on either of your minds.

It’s pretty tricky to focus on pleasuring your partner when everyday objects are turning into faces or the headboard of your bed is filled with geometric patterns. Focusing on simple tasks, such as putting a sentence together, can become complicated when you’re tripping. Sex can literally become an impossible task after one too many shrooms.

Dosage is extremely important if you want to have a good experience. There’s a fine line between an overwhelming psychedelic experience and an intense trip with your inhibitions intact. We’ll go into more detail about selecting the right amount of psilocybin for sex in the next section.

Is Sex on Shrooms a Good or Bad Idea?

People that are in a loving, understanding relationship can find great pleasure and a deeper sense of connection through intercourse on shrooms. For these people, sex on shrooms can be a great idea.

On the other hand, it’s unwise for people in a new relationship or who don’t know each other particularly well to delve into a sexual experience on psychedelics. The experience may bring up false emotions, misunderstandings, or potentially damaging traumas.

When mushrooms are used for sex by strangers, the intentions could be nefarious. Psilocybin alters inhibitions and emotions — this can be abused by people with cruel or selfish intentions.

Unless you’re already in a loving relationship and understand your partner’s boundaries, it’s wise to avoid incorporating magic mushrooms into the bedroom.

Sex on shrooms is a delicate experience. The same couple that has experienced intense pleasure, connection, and euphoria one time may experience utter chaos the next time. It’s hard to know what to expect from a mushroom trip — it’s even more difficult to know what to expect in the bedroom while tripping.

Whether sex on shrooms is a good or bad idea is something that you and your partner must discuss in great detail. There are several considerations to make before embarking on the journey.

Important Considerations to Take Before Having Sex on Shrooms

Before embarking on a sexual psychedelic journey with your partner, there are some important considerations. Consent, set, and the setting is extremely important to discuss. Both you and your partner must be on the same page before you start tripping. Dosage and timing are also essential factors.

In this section, we’ve provided a checklist of considerations to make before thinking about welcoming psychedelic mushrooms into the bedroom.

1. The Importance of Consent

Psychedelic substances alter your state of mind. Legally, you can’t consent to sex while under the influence because you’re not in a sober state of mind. However, that’s not to say you can’t have sex on shrooms with consent.

It is possible to consent to sex on magic mushrooms, but it must be established before taking any psychedelic fungi.

Before you think about eating a bunch of mushrooms and hopping into bed, it’s essential that you talk things through. Discuss every nitty-gritty detail before taking anything. Make sure you’re both comfortable with each other and consent to sex on psychedelics.

Go over intentions and boundaries and make sure you’re both comfortable with what’s about to happen — set boundaries to ensure no lines are crossed. You should also agree on a phrase or action to let your partner know if you’re uncomfortable and vice versa.

Get on the same page before you embark on your psychedelic journey, so you both feel safe, secure, and comfortable with what’s about to occur. Setting ground rules and talking things through can make the whole experience in the bedroom run more smoothly.

Now that we’ve discussed the less exciting but essential rules of consent let’s take a look at some of the other important things to consider.

2. The Right Dose of Shrooms

Taking the right amount of mushrooms is key. More is not always better. Regardless of whether you and your partner are experienced magic mushroom consumers, less is often more in this scenario.

You’ll often find that the psychedelic effects of the shrooms will greatly intensify when you begin exploring each other’s bodies in the bedroom. Although you may not feel as though you’re “tripping” with a lower dose at first, it could be an entirely different story when you start.

It’s wise to start with a super low dose, so you’re not entirely tripping the first time. This will allow you to enjoy the light stimulation of the psilocybin without having too much in the way of visual or audible hallucinations. Doing this first will help you understand how sex feels while under the influence of mushrooms without jumping in at the deep end.

Once you’ve had one experience with a lighter dose and understand how the mushrooms make you both feel in the bedroom, you can begin experimenting with higher doses if you wish.

Of course, it’s rarely a good idea to take a heroic dose of four grams or more before sex, but upping the dose to two or three may be interesting, depending on what you’re looking for. The right amount of shrooms for you and your partner is something you’ll have to figure out at your own pace.

As a general rule, start with 0.5-1 gram of average-potency dried magic mushrooms for the first time. If you up the dose, 1.5-3 grams is a good step. Psychedelics work differently from person to person, so take it easy.

Check out our magic mushroom dosage calculator for more details.

3. The Importance of Set & Setting

Set and setting are crucial factors that’ll affect any psychedelic trip. Ask any experienced psychonaut, and they’ll tell you that your frame of mind (set) and the environment you’re in (setting) are the two most significant factors that’ll affect the quality of a psychedelic experience.

Set and setting are even more critical if you plan on having sex while under the influence of magic mushrooms. Your mindset and the environment you’re in will directly affect your sexual experience while tripping on mushrooms.

Becoming relaxed and anxiety-free, as well as making your environment cozy, warm, and welcoming, will give you the best chances of an enjoyable experience. Sitting and talking beforehand, meditation, and relaxing music can help you adjust your setting for the better.

Clearing up clutter, lighting a few candles, and making your living space comfortable with cushions and blankets should keep you in that good headspace. Having a welcoming environment to sink into when you start tripping will make things all the more natural when it comes time to get in the mood.

4. Preparation & Timing

Preparation and timing are key. This links to all the points we’ve made above.

You must ensure that the timing is correct. Only take magic mushrooms and engage in sex if you and your partner are 100% comfortable with each other. Don’t see sex on shrooms as a way to repair a relationship or connect if you’re having problems with your partner.

Sex on shrooms should be a fun experience. Often, it will strengthen a connection, but it shouldn’t be a form of therapy. If you’re having problems in your relationship, I would strongly advise against taking magic mushrooms and having intercourse. You should be comfortable and stable and trust your partner.

If there are any underlying or unaddressed problems in your relationship, the mushrooms could show you this. This is great for constructive growth but not so great if you plan on having sex. Only people with strong, solid, and understanding relationships should embark on this journey.

The preparation for this kind of psychedelic journey with your partner should begin long before the day it happens. The longer you discuss having sex on shrooms, and the more you plan out the possibilities and eventualities, the smoother it’ll be when the time comes.

Make sure you discuss your plans in-depth long before the experience. Give yourself time to prepare yourselves and your surroundings before eating any shrooms. Coming to terms with what you’re going to embark on will give you and your partner the confidence and calmness to ease into the trip with the right foot forward.

Other Resources: Exploring Sex on Shrooms Further

If you’re truly interested in delving into a spiritual and sexual psychedelic trip, we recommend exploring the topic further.

You can do this by checking out the books I’ve recommended below, contacting a psychedelic coach who specializes in couple’s counseling or sexual health, or seeking out communities of like-minded people on places like Reddit, psychedelic festivals and events, or local psychedelic societies.

Two books, in particular, can enhance your understanding of how psychedelics have been used to enhance sexual experiences and relationships.

Psychedelics & Sex: Reading List