LSD vs Psilocybin Mushrooms And Cannabis. LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, usually known as “shrooms” since psilocybin is their main component, are undoubtedly the two most popular psychedelics. But many individuals are curious about how they differ from one another.
Common questions include:
- What do LSD and psilocybin mushrooms feel like? Do psilocybin mushrooms feel more “natural” than LSD?
- Are there different visuals?
- Are psilocybin mushrooms “safer” than LSD (or vice-versa)?
- How to take LSD vs. psilocybin mushrooms?
- Is there a difference between LSD and acid?
Although psilocybin mushrooms have been used in shamanic practices for generations, LSD became widely accepted by the general public in the 1960s.
Psilocybin mushrooms and LSD both have similar effects on the mind as do all psychedelics. Visuals, sensations of harmony or oneness, and ego-elimination are typical signs.
Yet there are also notable contrasts, as anyone who has taken both LSD and psilocybin mushrooms will attest to.
LSD VS PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS – QUICK FACTS
LSD
- Psychoactive in micrograms (millionths of a gram)
- LSD is the shortened name for the chemical compound lysergic acid diethlyamide
- LSD is also referred as “acid,” and doses are sometimes called tabs, which describe the tabs of blotter paper to which the LSD may be applied
- Synthesized in 1938, first used in 1943
- Derived from ergot, a fungus that grows on rye
- Typical dose is between 100 and 250 micrograms
- Trip lasts between 8-12 hours
- No potential for physical addiction
- Declared an illegal drug in 1968, LSD is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act
Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Used since 1000 BC
- Typical dose of psilocybin is between 10-40 mg – this equates to roughly 1-4 g of dried mushrooms
- Dozens of different types of mushrooms containing psilocybin
- Trip lasts between 6-8 hours
- No potential for physical addiction
- Available to purchase legally in the form of psilocybin truffles
- Decriminalized in some places in the U.S.
The Third Wave’s Complete Manual For Buying Psychedelics Safely
Learn about the many psychedelic drug varieties, their typical applications, and safe sources for them.
I either work in the psychedelic field or hope to someday.
I want to find out more about psychedelics.
Both
‘WHAT WILL I EXPERIENCE WHEN TAKING LSD VS PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS?’
Although every individual’s personal experience is unique, anecdotal evidence shows that certain events overlap.
You can use the following reports to plan for your own experience. Keep in mind that a mild dose was used to produce these effects (LSD: 100-250 micrograms – psilocybin mushrooms: 2-4 grams). Different effects can be obtained by microdosing on these compounds (approximately 1/10th of a moderate dose).
PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS VS. LSD EFFECTS
What Are The Effects of LSD?
- More functional within reality. Easier to interact with sober individuals, if necessary. Often leads to a more “extro-spective” experience.
- More likely to remain positive. Fills users with bubbling, positive energy.
- Users report an LSD experience as smoother with less body load than psilocybin mushrooms..
- Very sensitive to set and setting. By controlling for these two variables, you are much more likely to have a great trip.
What Are The Effects of Psilocybin Mushrooms?
- Leads to ego-drop and complete unity of self and the universe.
- Many users feel more of a connection to nature and the earth when on psilocybin mushrooms.
- Constantly on the fence between a good and bad trip – emotions are more volatile and inconsistent.
- “Come up” can be more intense
- Users report a more introspective experience, completely losing touch with sober reality
How to take LSD vs. How to take psilocybin mushrooms?
LSD is typically sold as a liquid or as candy, paper, gel, or other substance that has been sprayed with liquid LSD. Most frequently, paper tabs are placed under the tongue to dissolve. Most commonly, psilocybin mushrooms are consumed in their dry form. They are also occasionally powdered and included in capsules, meals, or beverages.
Taste is the primary distinction between eating the two. Psilocybin mushrooms have a strong earthy taste that is not preferred, while pure LSD should have no flavor. Both LSD and psilocybin mushrooms can make you queasy, but you could simply be queasy because you’re hungry or have hyperactive nerves.
LSD vs psilocybin: How long to kick in? How long does it last?
In addition to LSD’s more prolonged effects (up to 12 hours as opposed to 6–8 hours on mushrooms), the two drugs’ beginning and course are also different. Compared to psilocybin mushrooms, which typically take closer to an hour, LSD tends to begin working more quickly—around 30-45 minutes. This difference is initially not very noticeable.
Whereas with LSD, the “peak” may occur several hours into the experience, with mushrooms, it typically occurs about 80 minutes after intake. Psilocybin mushrooms often only last long enough for one significant peaking moment, whereas an LSD trip is long enough to produce numerous peaks.
LSD vs. psilocybin mushrooms: Visual effects
In terms of visuals, psilocybin mushrooms are more likely to deliver than LSD. Hallucinations are rare when using LSD. With LSD, it is more common to see objects or surfaces as throbbing, or “breathing,” and to see residual traces of moving objects. LSD has visual effects that are comparable to its cognitive effects, so things look crisp and clean, and colors look more vibrant while staying true.
Psilocybin mushrooms have stronger visual effects, where static objects move or transform, and sometimes entire beings or objects are imagined. Color can be heavily affected, and the colors of everything can blend into a cohesive theme or pattern— the whole world might seem rendered through a purple or sepia lens, for instance.
LSD vs. psilocybin mushrooms: mental and physical effects
The mental effects of LSD and psilocybin mushrooms are also quite different. LSD definitely changes and alters thinking, but somehow maintains a paradoxical sense of awareness even in the depths of confusion.
With psilocybin mushrooms, it is much more likely to feel out of control and to detach from your sense of self and everyday thinking. This can be refreshing, but also disorienting and intense.
Physically, LSD tends to cause a crisp, slightly nervous energy. Sometimes you need to physically move around to help control it, otherwise it turns into anxiety or restlessness. Psilocybin mushrooms seem to have more grounded physical effects. You feel solid, deeply rooted, and particularly when outdoors, deeply connected to nature. Both substances often have positive effects on the mind-body connection.
Here are some quotes from the web that creatively describe the differences between LSD and psilocybin mushrooms:
- “With acid you feel like your driving the car, with psilocybin mushrooms you feel like you’re in the back seat along for the ride.”
- “Acid feels like you are plugged into the universe while shrooms you feel like an old tree walking through the forest.”
- “Mushrooms are for setting your roots, LSD is for spreading your branches.”
- “Psilocybin Mushrooms are prone to inducing more mentally challenging trips, in my opinion. They are a completely different ballpark in many respects. Mushrooms lack the clarity, the ‘perfectness’ of LSD, but they have a certain quality which often leads to profound introspection… ‘Golden teacher’ didn’t earn its name by chance.”
- “LSD is more streamlined…It makes me feel more mentally alert, with greater access and insight into my own thoughts…Shrooms is more fine grained…It makes me justfeel, strongly and everywhere…the visuals are like flowing water, like a river. They take you along.”
- (On the “body high” from psilocybin mushrooms) “It’s a pretty big difference since LSD doesn’t have much of a body trip, at least not a comparable one…LSD is much more cerebral.”
- “Shrooms feel much more ‘druggy’ to me. I always get a high that is like MDMA with a little bit of trippyness thrown in”
WHAT ABOUT BOTH?
There is certainly the option of taking LSD and psilocybin mushrooms together. However, this can be challenging. Often, both of the substances are too overpowering and the user loses comprehension and control. A proper dosage amount of both substances is key.
If you are considering trying LSD and mushrooms together, it’s highly advised to first get comfortable with each substance separately. A good approach starting out would be to lower each individual substance’s dose by around a third, and to be prepared for an intense experience.
There are plenty of success stories from trying both LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, where the unique visual effects and loopy mood from mushrooms are enhanced by the sharpness and clarity of LSD. But combining the two substances successfully is another topic, worth a separate examination. For now, the big question remains:
WHICH PSYCHEDELIC SHOULD YOU TRY?
Many say LSD is easier to manage in the beginning. It often lends itself to a more positive experience, and many find the clarity and outgoing energy more enjoyable.
Psilocybin mushrooms, on the other hand, may be preferable for those looking for an intense, grounded, and visually stimulating experience. In multiple ways, it is more “earthy” and grounded, and can bring you far away from your “self.” It can be overwhelming, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Because of the variable and intimidating nature of psychedelics, it is always best to make your first experience a positive one.
If you are looking to try either LSD or psilocybin mushrooms for the first time, be prepared, do your research, and dive in.
Third Wave’s Ultimate Guide To Safely Sourcing Psychedelics
Discover many types of psychedelic medicines, what they are commonly used for, and various ways to source them safely.
I work or aspire to work in the psychedelic space
I am interested in learning about psychedelics
EFFECTS OF LSD VS CANNABIS.
Cannabis is not often considered a psychedelic, primarily because THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, doesn’t target the brain’s serotonergic system like LSD and psilocybin. Instead, THC interacts with the brain’s cannabinoid receptors (maily receptor subtypes 1 and 2).
That said, there are some similarities between the more classic psychedelics and cannabis, along with key differences, of course.
Onset and duration
The onset of effects differs between LSD and cannabis, depending on route of ingestion. When smoked, the effects of cannabis can typically be felt within just a few minutes. Edibles, on the other hand, typically take 30-60 minutes to kick in. With LSD, onset of the first felt effects can be anywhere from 20-90 minutes after ingestion.
A major difference between LSD and cannabis is the duration of the experience. An LSD trip can last up to 12 hours or more, depending on dose. A typical cannabis high lasts 2-4 hours, though residual effects can be felt for several hours after that as well.
Sensory experience
Both LSD and cannabis produce a heightened sensory experience, though it’s typically more pronounced with LSD. Users of both often report an increased appreciation for music and increased tactile sensitivity. While it’s not uncommon to have open-eye visualizations when taking LSD, cannabis typically produces more subtle visual effects like enhanced color or mild closed-eye visualizations.
In general, hallucinations are more common and more pronounced with LSD compared to cannabis, especially visual and auditory ones. Synesthesia—a “blending” of senses, like being able to “hear” color or “taste” sounds—is fairly common with LSD, less so for cannabis. But very high doses of cannabis can produce more developed hallucinogenic effects, too.
Physical effects
Both LSD and cannabis tend to increase heart rate and both often lead to dry mouth.
LSD generally produces more wakeful states, while cannabis tends to produce more lethargic states and even sleepiness.
It (LSD) often suppresses appetite while cannabis increases it (i.e., gives you the “munchies”).
They also tends to have some less common but more variable physical effects than cannabis as well, including elevated body temperature and blood sugar, goosebumps, jaw clenching, and hyperreflexia.
Psychological and Emotional Experience
LSD and cannabis both commonly produce changes in consciousness that can include increased euphoria, lost track of time, and a general loss of focus. Both can lead to increases in associative and creative thinking in some situations. The LSD trips often produce ego dissolution (i.e., a loss of a sense of self), a sense of connectedness with the world and other life forms, and life-changing spiritual experiences, experiences that are not completely unheard of with cannabis, but not as common.
LSD VS PLANT MEDICINE IN GENERAL
LSD
PSILOCYBIN
MUSHROOMS
CANNABIS
Ingestion method(s)
Taken as a blotter paper tab that’s placed under the tongue
Eaten or made into a tea
Smoked/vaped or taken orally (i.e., edibles)
Dosage range
Microdose:
6–20 micrograms
Macrodose:
50–200 micrograms
Microdose:
0.05–0.2 grams dried
Macrodose:
1–4 grams dried
Microdose:
1–5 mg THC content
Macrodose:
Smoked: .025-.05g of flower
Edibles: 5–20 mg of THC
Time to Onset
20–90 minutes
60–80 minutes after ingestion
Smoking/vaping: Within a few minutes
Taking orally (i.e., edibles): 30–120 minutes.
Active Duration
8 to 12 hours depending on dose
6–8 hours depending on dose
2 to 8 hours depending on dose
Neurotransmitter system target
Serotonin, primarily 5HT-2A receptor subtype
Serotonin, primarily 5HT-2A receptor subtype
Cannabinoid, primarily cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2
Physiological Effects
Pupil dilation, reduced appetite, sweating, and wakefulness. Less common or more variable symptoms include elevated body temperature, blood sugar, and heart rate, alongside goose bumps, jaw clenching, mouth dryness, and hyperreflexia. In negative experiences, numbness, weakness, nausea, and tremors have also been exhibited.
Change in heart rate (up or down), change in blood pressure (up or down), nausea, increased tendon reflexes, tremors, dilated pupils, restlessness or arousal, and trouble with coordinated movement.
Increased heart rate, paranoia, dry mouth, bloodshot eyes, and nausea which tends to fade after the initial onset and may be replaced by an insatiable appetite—famously known as the “munchies.”
Psychological Effects
Positive:
Increase in associative and creative thinking, closed and open-eye visuals, ego dissolution, sense of unity and connectedness to other life forms, general sense of euphoria. life-changing spiritual experiences
Neutral:
Change in consciousness, lost track of time, lack of focus, unusual thoughts and speech, range of emotions Possible Negative Effects: Paranoia, anxiety, fear of death, overwhelming feelings
Positive:
Increased intensity of emotional experiences, increased introspection, transitory psychological states of wakefulness and sleep (similar to dreaming), perceptual changes, synesthesia, emotional shifts, distorted sense of time, vivid colors visualizations, tracers, distorted vision, a sense of the world “breathing” around you, increased sense of openness to thoughts and feelings, increased sense of wonder and delight with the world around you, the people in your life, and your own mind.
Possible Negative Effects:
Dysphoric hallucinations, uncontrollable paranoia, and reckless behaviors
Positive:
Mood enhancement, euphoria accompanied by laughter and relaxation; increased enjoyment of music, food, tactile sensations, and activities you may normally find dull. Thoughts tend to flow more freely, often leading to creative, philosophical, or spiritual insights. At higher doses, the flow of ideas can even become overwhelming.
Mild visual effects like color enhancement, moderate closed-eye patterns, and increased sensitivity to light. At very high doses, however, cannabis can induce psychedelic hallucinations—especially if you’re in the dark
Possible Negative Effects:
Panic attacks, confusion, memory loss, and depersonalization or derealization, as well as dream suppression; lethargic, slow movements.
LSD was developed in a laboratory in 1938. It’s psychedelic properties were accidentally discovered five years later, making it the first synthetic psychedelic to ever be discovered. One of the defining physical features of LSD is that it targets the brain’s serotonin system in a highly specific way.
Plant medicines tend to be less specific. For example, while psilocybin is the main psychoactive compound in psychedelic mushrooms, they also contain a number of other alkaloids (such as psilocin, baeocystin, nor baeocystin, and others) that also have psychedelic properties. It’s not clear just yet on how these different alkaloids interact and whether or not they produce a wholly different psychedelic experience from each other.
There’s some debate in the psychedelic community as to whether or not synthetic psychedelics like LSD are less “pure” than plant medicines, both in their origins and in the experiences they produce.
Current research on the therapeutic effects of psilocybin, for instance, is mainly focused on using synthetically-derived psilocybin taken in pill form. This helps in obtaining cleaner results in these studies, as researchers control the exact dose and exact content of the medicines they’re giving to patients. On the other hand, some people argue that it disconnects the patient from the age-old practices and traditions of psychedelic mushrooms rooted in more “natural” settings.
Another example:
there’s evidence to suggest that both LSD and ayahuasca can be used to treat alcoholism and other addictions. Which is ideal on the off chance that both are displayed to actually treat dependence while delivering various encounters for the junkie? And is that even the right question?
With time and further research, the market will undoubtedly attempt to answer this question. It’s likely that we’ll see a divide between traditionalists who prefer plant medicines and progressives who see the utility in using synthetic compounds, similar to what we see today in traditional medicine vs modern biomedicine.
