The naked German Monk who was found stumbling through the forest earlier this month was not on some religious quest. No, he was tripping on hallucinogenic berries.

The Business Insider reports that the monk had apparently eaten poisonous berries during a camping trip. The monk started hallucinating and couldn’t find his way back to his camp site.

The man was eventually found by another hiker who called the police. The disoriented and naked monk was then taken to the hospital.

Business Insider reports that the man probably ingested berries from the Deadly Nightshade plant. The berries contain the chemicals atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine, which can cause hallucinations, muscle spasms, and paralysis.

Police aren’t exactly sure why the man removed his clothes.

The Medical Daily reports that the mind-altering chemicals in the Deadly Nightshade plant can interfere with the parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates digestion, heart rate and salivation. As the name implies, the berries can be deadly in large doses.

The monk is currently recovering from his run in with hallucinogenics.

Lifes Little Mysteries reports that the plant, also known as Atropa belladonna, can be found in California, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, and the Pacific Northwest. A more common site, however, is Jimsonweed, a close relative to the Deadly Nightshade plant.

Naked German Monk Found Tripping On Hallucinogenic Berries is a post from: The Inquisitr