Why do memories surface with psychedelic truffles?

Suddenly, you're thinking about something from years ago

You're in the middle of a magic truffle trip when suddenly you find yourself thinking about that holiday from fifteen years ago. You can picture your grandparents' house again, remember a past relationship, or feel deeply affected by a moment you thought you'd forgotten long ago. Sometimes these are happy memories; at other times, they are experiences that unexpectedly bring up strong emotions.

Memories resurfacing is something people regularly describe during psychedelic experiences. But why does this happen? Does psilocybin actually bring forgotten memories back, or is something else going on? We take a closer look at what we know – and why you shouldn't automatically treat everything that comes up during a trip as fact.

Table of contents:

What are psilocybin and psilocin in magic truffles?

Psilocybin is a substance that can occur in magic truffles.^[1] After ingestion, psilocybin is converted into psilocin in the body.^[2] Psilocybin and psilocin are therefore two different but closely related substances.

Magic truffles are the underground sclerotia of certain species of fungi. The amount of psilocybin and other substances present can vary between species and products. If you want to know more about the composition of a specific product, it is therefore best to consult the relevant product information.

Want to learn more about magic truffles and what a psychedelic experience may involve? Read our guide to what magic truffles are and what you can expect from the experience.

Why can these memories feel so vivid?

Memories aren't made up of facts alone. They can be connected to images, sounds, smells and, above all, emotions.

During a psychedelic experience, emotions may be experienced differently or more intensely. As a result, a memory may not only resurface but also feel surprisingly close. Almost as if you're briefly back in that particular house, conversation or moment.

That doesn't mean you're literally travelling back in time. Our memory isn't an exact record of the past: memories can be reconstructed when we recall them and may contain distortions or inaccurate details.^[5] A memory therefore doesn't necessarily correspond in every detail to what originally happened.

The way a psychedelic experience is perceived can also vary from person to person and from situation to situation. You can read more about this in our guide to personal experience and context.

Is a memory during a trip always reliable?

No, and that's an important distinction.

Important: no matter how real or convincing a memory feels during a psychedelic experience, that feeling alone is not evidence that every detail is factually accurate.

Our memory doesn't work like a video recorder. Research shows that memories can be subject to distortions and that what someone remembers may differ from what was originally perceived or stored.^[5]

During a psychedelic experience, images and emotions can also feel extremely convincing. A memory that comes up during a trip therefore doesn't necessarily mean that events happened exactly as you remember them.

Why can emotional memories come back so strongly?

Research into psilocybin shows that scientists are interested in how psychedelics affect emotional and autobiographical memories. Small-scale research suggests that autobiographical memories may be experienced differently or more vividly under psilocybin.^[3] However, research in this area remains limited and is still developing. It cannot be concluded from this research that psilocybin reliably retrieves hidden or forgotten memories.

Psilocybin is also being studied in controlled therapeutic and clinical settings.^[4] Such research takes place under professional supervision and under specific research conditions. This emphatically does not mean that taking a psychedelic on your own is the same as therapy or will produce the same results.

Your mindset can influence what comes up

Do you go into a trip feeling relaxed, or is there something you've been worrying about for weeks? Your mental state and the circumstances in which a psychedelic experience takes place may be associated with how that experience is perceived. In this context, your mental state is also known as your set.

Together with your surroundings – the setting – this forms the context in which the experience takes place. How someone responds to that context varies from person to person and from situation to situation.

Read more about this here:

What should you do with a memory after your trip?

Not every memory needs to contain some profound insight. Sometimes it's simply striking that a particular person or moment suddenly came back to mind.

If something continues to occupy your thoughts, you can write it down afterwards or talk about it with someone you trust. Don't automatically treat a memory that came up during a trip as a factual reconstruction of what happened. If an experience causes intense or persistent emotions or psychological symptoms, contact a qualified professional.

Want to learn more about reflecting on an experience afterwards without immediately drawing conclusions from it? Read our guide to reflection and meaning after an experience.

Frequently asked questions

Sources used

1. Magic truffles or Philosopher's stones: a legal way to sell psilocybin? – PubMed
2. Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Psilocin After Psilocybin Administration – PubMed
3. Psilocybin effects on brain activity during the recall of autobiographical memories – PubMed
4. Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
5. An overview of the neuro-cognitive processes involved in the encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of true and false memories – PubMed

Disclaimer

This information is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or psychological advice. Psychedelic experiences can cause intense or unexpected psychological effects. A memory that comes up during such an experience should not automatically be considered factually accurate. If you experience psychological symptoms, or if memories or emotions continue to affect you after an experience, contact a qualified professional.