An Austrian man amputated his own penis with an axe after consuming a large dose of psilocybin mushrooms. Fortunately, doctors were able to reattach the severed organ.
The 37-year-old man, who was suffering from depression and alcohol abuse, reportedly ate five dried 'magic' mushrooms while staying alone at a holiday residence while depressed, as per a Mega Journal of Surgery paper.
According to the medical paper, he chopped his own penis into multiple pieces with an axe while under the influence of the drug.
Then he panickedly tied a piece of cloth around his penis to block blood flow and placed the rest of the organ in a jar filled with snow.
He then left the house looking for help and was found confused and bleeding by a passerby. He was then rushed to hospital about 5 hours after the horrific incident.
Doctors had to carefully clean the severed organ which had been contaminated by dirt and snow and they managed to reattach the man's penis, keeping the glans and the shaft intact. Despite this "three fragments of the penile shaft, with a total length of 5 cm, had to be removed."
After the surgery the man was placed under the care of psychiatric professionals as he continued to show psychotic symptoms. Later, he continued recovery in the urology department.
However, he regained erectile and urinary functions within a few months of surgery.
What are Magic Mushrooms?
Magic mushrooms, also known as psychedelic mushrooms, are a type of fungi that contain psychoactive compounds, particularly psilocybin and psilocin. These substances can produce profound changes in consciousness, perception, and mood.
Psilocybin has been used in traditional healing and spiritual practices for centuries. Research suggests potential therapeutic benefits for mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
However, the said patient found no such relief after using the substance without supervision to treat his ill mental health.
This is the first reported case of psilocybin-induced self-amputation or Klingsor syndrome, a rare condition that involves self-inflicted penile amputation, as reported by the Open Journal of Urology.