“Wood-Lover Paralysis”: Mysterious Syndrome Linked to Australian Magic Mushrooms Raises Health Concerns
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A growing number of cases involving severe muscle weakness and temporary paralysis following the consumption of “magic mushrooms” in Australia are prompting urgent calls for further research and public health warnings. Dubbed “wood-lover paralysis” within the illicit drug-using community, the syndrome – not yet formally recognized in medical literature – is increasingly associated with Psilocybe subaeruginosa, a native Australian hallucinogenic fungi.
Researchers are working to understand the cause and potential severity of this condition, especially as psychedelic drug use rises across the country. According to the latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey from 2022-23, 2.4% of Australians reported using a psychedelic drug, up from 1.6% in 2019, representing approximately 500,000 people annually. Mushrooms and psilocybin were the most commonly used hallucinogens during that period,with 1.8% of Australians reporting their use.
What is Wood-Lover Paralysis?
The term “wood-lover paralysis” refers to a syndrome characterized by temporary, but sometimes debilitating, muscle weakness, frequently enough progressing to an inability to walk. The condition is specifically linked to Psilocybe subaeruginosa mushrooms, which grow on decaying wood in New South Wales, victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, parts of South East Queensland, and as an introduced species in Western australia. Identifying these mushrooms can be difficult, and misidentification can lead to accidental poisoning.
Dr. Beck, a mycologist at the University of Melbourne, believes the paralysis isn’t caused by psilocybin itself, the primary psychoactive compound in the mushrooms. Rather, she hypothesizes that the paralysis might potentially be caused by an additional tryptamine, a hallucinogen, produced by mushrooms with duplicated genes. “When a gene is duplicated, sometimes the copy will do something fully different to the original gene,” McTaggart explained.
A Coroner’s Inquest and Potential Fatalities
The potential lethality of wood-lover paralysis remains unclear, but a recent Victorian coroner’s inquest highlighted the risks. The inquest was unable to rule out Psilocybe subaeruginosa mushrooms as a contributing factor in the 2024 death of 53-year-old Rachael Dixon, who consumed a mushroom brew at an unregulated “wellness retreat.” Several other participants at the retreat also exhibited symptoms consistent with wood-lover paralysis.
Dr.Beck shared details with the inquest regarding two additional, unpublished cases of severe wood-lover paralysis. One involved a mushroom user in New Zealand who experienced weakness, difficulty breathing, and ultimately died. The second case involved an Australian individual who required CPR and a breathing tube, but thankfully recovered.
Harm Reduction and the Rise of Self-Medication
Experts are increasingly concerned about the growing trend of individuals sourcing psychedelic drugs themselves, driven in part by the high cost of legal, experimental psychedelic treatments introduced in australia in 2023. Ethnopharmacologist stephen Bright of Edith Cowan University warned that self-sourcing increases the risk of wood-lover paralysis, and also other harms like sexual assault and mental health deterioration. “This increases risk of both wood-lover paralysis and other harms such as sexual assault, in addition to deterioration of the individual’s mental state due to inadequate after-support,” Bright stated.
Zena Burgess, chief executive of the Australian Psychology Society, emphasized that “psychedelic-assisted therapy should only be undertaken in an approved setting.” However,psychologists are navigating ethical “gray areas” when patients disclose intentions to use illicit psilocybin. Registered psychologist Carissa Dutton noted the lack of clear guidance for providing harm reduction support in these situations. “Currently my understanding is that we can provide readiness and education prior to someone having an experience and we can provide integration support after,” Dutton said. “But we cannot be present when someone is taking the drug itself.”
Dutton’s recent research indicates that individuals using psilocybin for self-exploration or mental health treatment are more likely to employ harm reduction strategies, but further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these strategies.
For immediate medical assistance in a life-threatening emergency, call 000. For non-emergencies, contact a poison details center at 13 11 26 anywhere in Australia, at any time.
