Psilocybin Vs. LSD: Why Is Psilocybin Better?

psilocybin vs lsd

Psychedelics involve a variety of substances that tend to cause psychoactive effects on the human brain. At the same time, LSD and psilocybin remain the most well-known psychedelics. While these substances can overlap in certain features, magic mushrooms and LSD produce pretty different effects and experiences. Still, the primary common sign of psychedelics is their illegality in the majority of states all over the world. Today, we’ll try to find out the difference between LSD and psilocybin.

What Is The Difference Between LSD And Psilocybin?

Dosage

Developing a tolerance to any psychedelic substance is a common report among users. Nonetheless, when comparing LSD vs. psilocybin, LSD usually takes less time to promote effects when compared to psilocybin. This results in a higher risk of consuming a larger dose of LSD than a human system can metabolize. The easiness of overdoing with LSD dosage is one of the common reasons for bad trips in people.

Onset time

Both LSD and psilocybin mushrooms feature a similar onset time. After consumption on an empty stomach, these substances typically take 1 hour to start working. It is worth mentioning that having a meal before psychedelic ingestion tends to prolong the onset time in most users.

The trip

When it comes to psilocybin vs. LSD, these psychedelic substances typically produce different experiences that make them suitable for other people. Magic mushrooms tend to provoke a spiritual trip that is mainly associated with the body’s feelings, while LSD produces a psychedelic trip that affects our brain in most cases. 

The terms set and setting are essential for trips on LSD to avoid bad experiences. In other words, the user’s mindset and the environment play a significant role during the LSD trip. If an individual has a bad mood or feels uncomfortable with the surroundings, this can significantly affect the success of a trip. While set and setting are essential for trips on shrooms, people more often report intense experiences after LSD ingestion.

Duration of the effects

Another difference between psilocybin and LSD is the length of a psychedelic experience. A trip on mushrooms typically lasts around 6 hours, while LSD trips take up to 10 hours. Moreover, LSD trips usually feature more rapid paces when compared to shrooms. Take into account that the duration of the effects of both substances might vary from user to user.

The risks

Both LSD and psilocybin stand by the same list of potential physical and psychological risks. The most common downsides of psychedelics are increased blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, tremors, and numbness. 

However, all the side effects tend to last temporarily. Other risks of LSD and psilocybin are feelings of fear, paranoia, and panic that usually disappear 24 hours following ingestion. In rare cases, it is worth mentioning that people can experience seeing flashbacks that can last even for a few years after a trip.