Calming Mushrooms for Anxiety: Lion's Mane, Amanita Muscaria

Anxiety can feel like a storm in the body—buzzing nerves, looping thoughts, a nervous system on edge. And while pharmaceuticals like SSRIs or benzos offer relief for some, others are turning to nature’s medicine cabinet in search of gentler, non-addictive options.

Among the most promising? Two calming mushrooms that have captured both scientific and ancestral attention: Lion’s Mane and Amanita muscaria.

Lion’s Mane is gaining recognition as a natural support for focus, mood, and cognitive balance, while Amanita muscaria—a mushroom steeped in myth and ceremony—is being revisited for its powerful GABAergic effects that may rival traditional anti-anxiety medications.

In this blog, we explore:

• How anxiety actually works in the brain

• The science behind Lion’s Mane for anxiety and emotional resilience

• Why muscimol from Amanita muscaria may be a calming, non-addictive alternative to benzos

• How to approach these mushrooms responsibly

This isn’t about hype or quick fixes—it’s about understanding the biology behind your anxiety, and how certain fungi might help you regulate it naturally.

Anxiety often involves imbalances in:

• GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid): Your brain’s main calming neurotransmitter. Low GABA levels = racing thoughts, muscle tension, and restlessness.

• BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor): A key brain growth compound linked to emotional resilience and mental clarity.

• Stress Hormones (like cortisol): Chronic stress can inflame the brain and suppress calm neurotransmitters.

This is where certain medicinal mushrooms come in—not just as adaptogens, but as true neurochemical allies.

Some mushrooms help rebalance the nervous system and support key pathways involved in anxiety:

• Lion’s Mane may boost NGF and BDNF, supporting mood, memory, and emotional regulation.

• Amanita muscaria interacts directly with GABAa receptors, mimicking the effects of GABA to promote a calming, grounded state.

In short: These aren’t “woo” solutions. They target the exact mechanisms behind how your body feels and processes anxiety.

Lion’s Mane isn’t a sedative. It’s not about numbing you out. Instead, it helps strengthen your brain’s ability to self-regulate, particularly through:

• NGF (Nerve Growth Factor): Lion’s Mane promotes NGF, which supports the health and regeneration of nerve cells—including those that regulate mood and stress response.

• BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor): Often low in people with anxiety and depression, BDNF levels rise in response to Lion’s Mane, improving emotional balance.

• Dopamine Modulation: Lion’s Mane may support healthy dopamine tone—helping you feel calm, motivated, and emotionally steady.

“It doesn’t change what I’m thinking—it changes how I feel about what I’m thinking.”

For people whose anxiety shows up as racing thoughts, obsessive loops, or a sense of overwhelm, Lion’s Mane can act like a stabilizing force. It doesn’t blunt your mind—it sharpens it, while softening the emotional static.

In both animal and human studies, Lion’s Mane extract has been linked to:

• Reduced anxiety and depression symptoms

• Improved cognitive performance under stress

• Increased neurogenesis and neural plasticity

One study showed that after just four weeks of supplementation, participants reported lower levels of anxiety and irritability compared to placebo.

And unlike conventional pharmaceuticals, Lion’s Mane may offer benefits without habit formation or major side effects.

When people search for “best mushroom for anxiety” or “calming mushrooms,” Lion’s Mane consistently ranks at the top for a reason:

• It supports the roots of emotional resilience, not just symptoms.

• It plays well with others—stacking beautifully with other adaptogens and functional mushrooms.

• It helps you build a stronger baseline—mentally, emotionally, neurologically.
  

Pro Tip: Take Lion’s Mane consistently for best results. Its neurotrophic effects are cumulative—think of it like watering a garden, not flipping a switch.

Amanita muscaria—the red-and-white mushroom of fairy tales and folklore—is often misunderstood. While it’s psychoactive, it’s not psychedelic in the traditional sense. Instead, its effects are soothing, sedative, and deeply calming, especially in the context of modern stress and anxiety.

So what makes this mushroom so unique?

Amanita muscaria contains two major active compounds:

• Ibotenic acid, which converts into

• Muscimol, the main calming agent

Muscimol is a GABAa receptor agonist—which means it directly mimics GABA, the brain’s primary inhibitory (calming) neurotransmitter.

This GABAergic activity makes muscimol functionally similar to anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax or Valium, but with one key difference: muscimol is not habit-forming in the same way benzodiazepines are. While benzos boost GABA and spike dopamine (which can lead to dependence), muscimol gently fits into the GABA receptor itself—calming the brain without hijacking it.

“It doesn’t change how I think—it changes how I feel about what I’m thinking.”

This quote from the original blog captures it perfectly. Muscimol doesn’t numb you; it softens reactivity. Many users describe feeling grounded, relaxed, or even sleepy, with a reduction in internal tension or looping thoughts.

Learn more about Muscimol in our Blog: Muscimol vs. Benzos: A Safer Path to Sleep and Calm?

Thanks to its sedative and anxiolytic properties, Amanita muscaria is increasingly being used as:

• A natural sleep aid for people with insomnia or overstimulation

• A non-addictive support for anxiety

• A recovery tool for people tapering off benzodiazepines

Users often report vivid dreams, a sense of emotional “unwinding,” and an ability to stay present in challenging moments. Others use it proactively—a small daily dose to help regulate overstimulated nervous systems.

Amanita muscaria is legal in most of the U.S. (with the exception of Louisiana). But that doesn’t mean it’s without risk.

• Dosing is critical. Too much can cause nausea, dizziness, or disorientation.

• Important: Overdosing on A. Muscaria extracts can cause nausea, dizziness, stomach aches, and/or headaches. 

• Preparation matters. Proper decarboxylation (via heat and/or acid) is essential to convert ibotenic acid into muscimol.

• Not all extracts are created equal. Always source from trusted producers with lab verification.

At Hamilton’s, our RESET tincture is crafted in small-batches from wild-harvested Amanita Muscaria—designed for consistency, purity, and ease of use.

Both Lion’s Mane and Amanita muscaria offer unique pathways to calm—but they aren’t interchangeable.

• Lion’s Mane works gradually, nourishing the brain, supporting neurogenesis, and building long-term resilience. Think of it as a nervous system tonic—ideal for those dealing with brain fog, chronic stress, low mood, or burnout.

• Amanita muscaria, by contrast, offers acute relief. Its GABA-mimicking compound muscimol helps the nervous system downshift quickly—useful when anxiety is intense, somatic, or stress-response-driven.

If Lion’s Mane is a steady flame, Amanita is a dimmer switch.