Documenting Wood Lover Paralysis
Our new study just published in Toxicon marks the first time Wood Lover Paralysis (WLP) has been formally described in the scientific literature. Based on a retrospective online survey of nearly 400 respondents (mostly from Australia and New Zealand) this study documents the scope and experience of a toxidrome familiar to many in the mushroom community.
WLP refers to a sudden, temporary paralysis-like weakness that sometimes follows the ingestion of certain wood-loving psilocybin mushrooms, such as Psilocybe subaeruginosa or Psilocybe cyanescens. This weakness often begins within 4 hours of ingestion and can impair mobility, swallowing, or even breathing. While symptoms usually resolve within 24 hours, almost half of those affected reported effects lasting into the next day. More than 1 in 5 experienced a fall or accident. WLP occurred regardless of how mushrooms were prepared or where they were grown, and no clear associations were found with age, gender, health status, or allergy history.
While the mechanism behind WLP remains a mystery, the study calls for greater awareness, especially as psilocybin mushrooms become more widely used both recreationally and therapeutically. This is harm reduction in action: documenting real user experiences and integrating them into the scientific conversation.