Hallucinogens come in many different forms and produce a wide range of visual, auditory, and emotional effects. At the same time, these psychedelic substances are increasingly being studied for their medical applications in treating conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, trauma, and numerous other issues.
The two most popular hallucinogens are undoubtedly LSD and magic mushrooms—though in the Netherlands, magic truffles are also extremely popular. For this article, however, the distinction between the two doesn’t really matter, because both magic mushrooms and truffles contain the active ingredient psilocybin. If you’re wondering what exactly the difference is between LSD and magic mushrooms, you’ve come to the right place. That’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today!
LSD, magic mushrooms, and truffles
LSD was synthesized in 1934 by the Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann. Mushrooms containing the naturally occurring psychedelic compound psilocybin have been found for thousands of years in regions of South America, Mexico, and the United States. In total, there are more than 200 known species of psychedelic mushrooms. In addition to magic mushrooms, psilocybin is also present in magic truffles, also known as sclerotia.
Magic mushrooms, truffles, and LSD all contain chemicals that bind to the brain’s serotonin receptors. When someone uses LSD, their sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, causing an increase in blood sugar levels, a rise in body temperature, and dilated pupils. The barriers between the visual cortex and information-processing areas of the brain are also broken down, leading to complex hallucinations.
For a recent study, 649 users of psychedelic substances were surveyed about their experiences with these substances. 606 (93.4%) had ever used LSD, compared to 583 (89.9%) users who had ever used psilocybin. 297 individuals also reported having used other psychedelics, such as mescaline (psychedelic cacti), DMT, or 2-CB.
The Differences
The survey yielded a number of interesting conclusions about the different experiences with LSD and psilocybin, of which these are a few highlights:
- 37.7% of participants found psilocybin to be a more enjoyable drug than other psychedelics. 42.1% preferred LSD. According to the researcher, these equal numbers of participants provided a good basis for examining the effects of the two drugs.
- The reasons why users prefer LSD over psilocybin include less nausea, more control, more social effects, and more energy. Psilocybin enthusiasts find magic mushrooms and truffles more natural, more emotional, more profound, and more spiritual.
- The setting of a psychedelic journey largely determines what a trip looks like. It is striking that both substances are used in almost exactly the same settings: LSD and psilocybin scored 31.6% and 39.3%, respectively, for “outdoors with activity”, 18.5% and 15.5% for “outdoors without activity,” and 41.2% and 41.3% for “at home.” The small differences show that LSD is used more often during outdoor activities, and that magic mushrooms are more of a “relaxing” drug.
- Psilocybin is used more often as an aid for personal growth or for health benefits than LSD. LSD, on the other hand, is used more often for recreational purposes.
- Both substances are used not only for pleasure, but also to think “outside the box” or to reach a completely different level of thinking.
