A 37-year-old Austrian man cut off his genitals with an axe after consuming psilocybin mushrooms commonly known as magic mushrooms. This unusual case reported in the academic journal Mega Journal of Surgery is the first recorded psilocybin-triggered self-mutilation and should sound a warning signal regarding the risks of psychedelic compounds, particularly for patients with psychopathological history.
According to the New York Post, the man, who had been diagnosed with depression and alcohol dependence, ate between four and five dried psilocybin mushrooms when he was home alone in a holiday house. Soon after the consumption, he started developing serious hallucinations and delusions. In one of the psychotic episodes, he took an axe and cut his penis into pieces. Concerning the details of the event, much of it remains blank to him because of the condition he was in when the event occurred.
He tried to stop blood flow by tying a cloth around his genital region, and the removed parts were put into a jar with snow. He then hurried out of the house completely drenched in blood. A passerby spotted him wandering around disoriented and called an ambulance. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, about five hours after the accident.
The 37-year-old man was in a critical state when brought to the hospital, having lost a lot of blood as a result of the injuries he sustained. Due to contamination caused by soil and snow, surgeons were faced with some challenges. They were able to reattach the glans (the tip) as well as about two centimetres of the penile shaft. After the surgery, his condition became relatively steady. However, he continued to suffer from severe psychotic symptoms with significant auditory and religious psychotic delusions.
He was put on a psychiatric ward and on antipsychotic medication which helped him reduce the hallucinations. Gradually, he was regaining his mental health and could return to recovery in the urology ward. In the weeks afterwards, he had some postoperative difficulties for instance: superficial necrosis on the glans because of the infarction of blood flows but the man received some degree of erectile function at the three months’ mark after the surgery.
This case reveals the dangers of psilocybin use and helps spread awareness about the existence of Klingsor syndrome where severe psychiatric disorders lead to self-mutilation during psychotic episodes. Though this case may be unconventional and exceptional, it underscores the fact that psychedelics may elicit adverse psychological effects in specific circumstances.
The use of psilocybin is increasing in medical studies because of its possible effects on the treatment of diseases such as depression and anxiety. But this event shows that in other conditions, it may bring about very serious consequences, especially for those who have some psychological problems.
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