Psilocybin is not addictive because it works on the serotonin system rather than dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter primarily associated with addiction.

Serotonin receptors have a built-in safety mechanism - they desensitize ("down regulate") when they sense excess serotonin. This means if someone tries to take psilocybin daily or multiple times per day as they would an addictive substance, they will feel little to no effect from psilocybin. In this sense, it has built-in anti-addictive properties.

Finally, people typically seek out substances for addition to escape pain or their problems. Psilocybin is an anti-dissociative, strongly urging users to actively cope with problems. Those seeking a numbing or escapism experience are unlikely to find it with psilocybin. 

Psilocybin sessions are highly individualistic, but most clients report a heightened state of emotional openness and introspection that allows access to thoughts, memories, and insights that are difficult or even impossible to reach in normal consciousness.

Sensations such as tingly fingers or mild lightheadedness can be felt around 15 minutes after taking the medicine and fully altered consciousness typically occurs about 45-60 minutes in, with the height of intensity at the 90-120 minute mark. By 3 to 4 hours, effects can be felt fading.

The experience feels different from recreational drug use due to the inner, intentional focus and lack of distractions such as friends, nature or concert music. Clients often process childhood memories, current challenges, or life transitions with great clarity and emotional access. While some moments can be challenging as old narratives dissolve or difficult memories arise to process, the overall arc tends toward healing and insight. 

The final couple hours of a journey are usually filled with intense calm, peace and gratitude.

Psilocybin therapy is quite different from talk therapy. Rather than discussing problems verbally with a therapist, you're having an internal experience while a facilitator provides various forms of support, but only as needed and client-requested. The facilitator's role is to ensure your safety and comfort while allowing your mind to do its own therapeutic work. They may offer gentle guidance if you become anxious or confused, remind you of your intentions, or provide physical comfort, but they don't direct the content of your experience like a traditional therapist would. Doing so would be counterproductive.

The "therapy" happens internally through psilocybin's effects on your brain's neural networks, particularly the default mode network responsible for self-referential thinking. This allows you to access and process emotions, memories, and patterns in ways that talk therapy often cannot reach. The facilitator holds a safe and supportive presence for you while your consciousness explores often uncharted areas of the psyche. 

Direct talking and coaching with your facilitator happens in preparation & integration sessions, before and after your psilocybin administration session. Some clients feel chatty during the last hour or two of their session as well.

No, under Oregon's regulations, all psilocybin must be purchased and consumed at licensed service centers - you cannot take any products home, including any unused 'booster' dose. This is a key safety and legal requirement of the program. All psilocybin products must remain on the premises of licensed facilities and be consumed under professional supervision. This ensures proper dosing, safety monitoring, and compliance with state regulations.

This requirement actually serves important therapeutic purposes beyond legal compliance. Consuming psilocybin in a professional setting provides the controlled environment, proper preparation, and expert support that maximizes therapeutic outcomes while minimizing risks. The medicine's effects are powerful enough that professional guidance and a safe setting are essential components of the healing process, not just legal formalities.

It is a common misconception that psilocybin service centers are similar to marijuana retail outlets, but this is not true. They should be thought of as mental health centers, not retail drug outlets.

Psilocybin has several unique characteristics that make it particularly well-suited for therapeutic work. Though both psilocybin and LSD are serotonergic psychedelics, psilocybin has a shorter duration (4-6 hours) compared to LSD (8-12 hours), making it more manageable for therapeutic sessions. Additionally, LSD tends to have a more stimulating effect that can be less useful for therapeutic reflection and more suited to creativity.

Ayahuasca is a very bitter plant that often involves intense physical purging of both vomiting and diarrhea. Ceremonial traditions equate this to cleansing, but from a medical standpoint it is a symptom of toxicity and highly dose-dependent. Ayahuasca can also be dangerous when combined with certain medications, making it riskier to take, in particular in international settings without regulations that require proper screening.

Psilocybin is far gentler physically while still providing profound psychological insights. Psilocybin is also far easier and more accurate to dose, and it has the most robust clinical research supporting its therapeutic applications for mental health conditions. Oregon chose psilocybin specifically because of its safety profile, research backing, and suitability for regulated use.