“Set” refers to the mindset you bring into your experience. Solidifying your intention for tripping brings direction to the experience and can keep you from spiraling into a “bad trip.” “Setting” refers to the environment in which you choose to trip. You want to make sure you find a familiar and nurturing space to hold your experience.
That said, there’s a lot of different factors at play: your body, how you’re feeling that day (i.e. how much you slept, what you ate, what you drank), and even where you’re taking the shrooms can make a big difference. If you’re, for example, tripping by yourself or with close friends in a quiet place, you might notice the effects sooner because you’re more tuned into how you’re feeling. If you’re at a party or festival, though, it might take longer for you to notice the effects of the shrooms—even if they’ve already kicked in—because you’re just distracted by what’s going on around you.
Sometimes as shrooms kick in, the effects are very subtle: something will start to slowly distort or you’ll become aware of a mild sensation in your body. Other times, however, especially if it’s your first time tripping, you won’t notice that the shrooms have kicked in until something undeniably trippy happens. Doubt and fear around whether the “shrooms are working” can actually get in the way of you feeling them until, well, it’s impossible to deny that you are. Other really important factors that impact how long it takes for shrooms to kick in include how you choose to take your shrooms, which we’ll get into a little later. But if you eat them whole, it’ll take longer for your body to digest them and for them to kick in than if you soak them in hot water or citrus.
Does the Dose Effect How Long it Takes for Shrooms to Kick In?
The short answer is: not really. Whether you’re taking a microdose (.1-.5 grams or you’re tripping, usually considered 1 gram or more), the shrooms should kick in around the same time and should last between four to six hours.
There are many factors you will need to consider when it comes to dose, which is reason enough to listen to another wisdom-infused adage—“start low and go slow.” Our bodies are unique; therefore, everybody is going to process shrooms differently. In other words, if you are going to take shrooms for the first time, it might not be the best to take a full dose based on the experience of your friend. The best way forward is to start with a small dose and slowly increase over time.