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Unlocking Consciousness: Comparing Magic Mushrooms, LSD, and DMT Vapes

Posted on by Dr Shroom

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The exploration of consciousness through the use of psychedelics has fascinated humans for centuries. Three prominent substances that have gained significant attention in recent times are magic mushrooms, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), and DMT (dimethyltryptamine) vapes. Each of these substances offers unique experiences, and their effects on the mind and body can vary dramatically. In this blog, we will explain the differences between magic mushrooms, LSD, and DMT vapes, focusing on their distinct experiences and the potential benefits each can provide.

Magic Mushrooms

Overview

Magic mushrooms, also known as psilocybin mushrooms, contain the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin. These naturally occurring substances have been used in various cultures for thousands of years for their mind-altering effects. Psilocybin is the precursor that converts into psilocin in the body, which then interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain, leading to profound changes in perception, mood, and cognition. There are over 180 species of mushrooms that contain psilocybin, each with varying concentrations of the compound.

Experience

The experience of consuming magic mushrooms can be deeply introspective and emotional. Typically, the journey lasts between 4 to 6 hours, with the peak effects occurring around 2 to 3 hours after ingestion. Users often describe the following stages:

  • Onset (30-60 minutes): Initial effects include a sense of euphoria, visual distortions, and a heightened sensitivity to sounds and colors. Some people may feel a mild nausea during this phase.
  • Peak (2-3 hours): During the peak, users may experience intense visual and auditory hallucinations, a sense of time distortion, and profound changes in thought patterns. Emotions can become very vivid, leading to both positive and challenging experiences.
  • Resolution (2-3 hours): As the effects start to fade, users often feel a sense of calm and introspection. The experience can leave a lasting impression, often described as a feeling of interconnectedness and insight.

Magic mushrooms are known for their ability to produce vivid visual and auditory hallucinations. Users often report seeing intricate patterns, vibrant colors, and even scenes from their own memories or imagination. These hallucinations are usually accompanied by a sense of wonder and awe, as the ordinary world is transformed into something magical and surreal. Auditory hallucinations can include enhanced perception of music and environmental sounds, which can take on new, profound meanings during the trip.

Benefits

Magic mushrooms have been studied for their potential therapeutic benefits. Here are some of the most notable:

  • Mental Health Treatment: Psilocybin has shown promise in treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD. It is believed to help patients by allowing them to process repressed emotions and gain new perspectives on their mental health issues.
  • Enhanced Creativity: Many users report an increase in creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. This is likely due to the way psilocybin affects brain connectivity, allowing for novel connections between different regions of the brain.
  • Spiritual Experiences: Magic mushrooms are often used in spiritual and religious contexts. Users frequently report feelings of unity with nature, a sense of peace, and profound existential insights.

Research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin has expanded significantly in recent years. Clinical trials have demonstrated that psilocybin-assisted therapy can lead to substantial and lasting reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety. The psychedelic experience facilitated by psilocybin allows patients to confront and process deeply ingrained emotional and psychological issues, often leading to breakthroughs that are not possible with traditional therapies.

In addition to mental health benefits, psilocybin has been linked to enhanced creativity. Many artists, writers, and musicians have used magic mushrooms to unlock new levels of creativity and inspiration. The altered state of consciousness induced by psilocybin can lead to unique perspectives and insights that can be applied to creative endeavors. This effect is thought to be due to the increased connectivity between different regions of the brain, allowing for novel ideas and associations to emerge.

LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)

Overview

LSD, commonly known as acid, is a powerful synthetic hallucinogen. It was first synthesized in 1938 by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann. LSD interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain, particularly the 5-HT2A receptor, which leads to its potent psychoactive effects. A single dose of LSD is extremely potent, with effects lasting much longer than those of psilocybin. LSD is usually consumed in the form of blotter paper, which is soaked in the substance and then placed on the tongue.

Experience

An LSD trip can last much longer than a magic mushroom trip, typically between 8 to 12 hours. The experience is characterized by several distinct phases:

  • Onset (30-90 minutes): Users start to feel changes in perception, such as enhanced colors, patterns, and an altered sense of time. Physical sensations such as tingling or a sense of energy may occur.
  • Peak (2-5 hours): During the peak, users often experience intense visual hallucinations, profound changes in thought processes, and a strong sense of interconnectedness. The sense of self may dissolve, leading to what is known as “ego death.”
  • Plateau (3-5 hours): The intensity of the trip begins to stabilize, and users often feel a sense of awe and wonder. Cognitive effects can include deep introspection and philosophical insights.
  • Come Down (2-4 hours): As the effects start to wear off, users may feel a gradual return to their normal state of consciousness, often accompanied by a sense of peace and satisfaction.

The visual and auditory hallucinations experienced on LSD are often described as more intense and abstract compared to those induced by psilocybin. Users frequently report seeing fractals, geometric patterns, and vibrant, shifting colors. These hallucinations can be incredibly detailed and intricate, creating a sense of being immersed in a different reality. Auditory hallucinations can also be profound, with music and sounds taking on new, complex qualities that can evoke powerful emotional responses.

Benefits

LSD has been researched for its potential benefits in various areas:

  • Psychotherapy: LSD has been used in therapeutic settings to help patients explore deep-seated emotional issues. It can facilitate breakthroughs in therapy by allowing patients to view their problems from a different perspective.
  • Creativity and Innovation: Many artists, scientists, and engineers have reported using LSD to enhance their creativity and problem-solving abilities. The drug’s ability to alter thought patterns and increase brain connectivity is believed to contribute to these effects.
  • Spiritual and Mystical Experiences: Like magic mushrooms, LSD can induce profound spiritual experiences. Users often report feelings of unity, transcendence, and a deep connection to the universe.

LSD has a long history of use in psychotherapy, dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. During this time, therapists used LSD to help patients access repressed memories and emotions, facilitating healing and personal growth. Although the use of LSD in therapy declined due to legal restrictions, recent research has rekindled interest in its potential therapeutic applications. Studies have shown that LSD-assisted therapy can be effective in treating conditions such as PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety.

The impact of LSD on creativity and innovation is well-documented. Many influential figures in the arts and sciences have credited LSD with helping them achieve breakthroughs and develop novel ideas. The altered state of consciousness induced by LSD allows for a free flow of ideas and associations, which can lead to unique and original insights. This effect is thought to be due to the increased connectivity between different regions of the brain, allowing for enhanced problem-solving and creative thinking.

DMT Vapes (Dimethyltryptamine)

Overview

DMT is a powerful psychedelic compound found in various plants and animals. It is most commonly associated with the shamanic brew ayahuasca, but it can also be synthesized and consumed in vape form. DMT interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain, leading to intense and short-lived hallucinations. Unlike psilocybin and LSD, which are typically ingested or absorbed sublingually, DMT is often vaporized and inhaled, leading to a rapid onset of effects.

Experience

The DMT experience is often described as otherworldly and transformative. The effects are extremely rapid, usually peaking within minutes and lasting between 10 to 30 minutes. The experience can be broken down into the following stages:

  • Onset (10-30 seconds): Almost immediately after inhalation, users are propelled into an altered state of consciousness. Visual and auditory hallucinations can become overwhelming.
  • Peak (5-15 minutes): During the peak, users may experience a complete disconnection from reality. This phase is often described as entering a different dimension or encountering otherworldly beings. The visuals are extremely vivid and complex.
  • Come Down (5-15 minutes): As the effects start to fade, users gradually return to their normal state of consciousness. The transition can be abrupt, leaving a sense of awe and astonishment.

The rapid onset and intensity of the DMT experience set it apart from other psychedelics. Users often describe the experience as being launched into another dimension or reality, where they encounter intricate, ever-changing visuals and otherworldly entities. These entities are often described as intelligent beings or guides, and interactions with them can be deeply meaningful and transformative. The visuals experienced on DMT are incredibly vivid and complex, often defying description and challenging the limits of human imagination.

Benefits

DMT, particularly in the context of ayahuasca, has been studied for its potential benefits:

  • Spiritual and Mystical Experiences: DMT is often used in ceremonial contexts for its ability to induce powerful spiritual experiences. Users frequently report encountering divine beings, gaining insights into the nature of existence, and experiencing a sense of rebirth.
  • Psychological Healing: Ayahuasca, which contains DMT, has been used traditionally to treat a variety of mental health issues. Modern studies suggest that it can help with conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD by allowing users to confront and process traumatic experiences.
  • Personal Insight and Growth: DMT can provide users with profound personal insights. Many people report gaining a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the universe, which can lead to lasting positive changes in their lives.

DMT is a key component of the shamanic brew ayahuasca, which has been used for centuries by indigenous cultures in the Amazon for healing and spiritual purposes. Ayahuasca ceremonies are often conducted under the guidance of a shaman, who helps participants navigate the intense and transformative experience. Modern research has shown that ayahuasca can be effective in treating a range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The powerful and often cathartic experiences facilitated by ayahuasca allow users to confront and process traumatic memories and emotions.

In addition to its therapeutic benefits, DMT is known for its ability to induce profound spiritual and mystical experiences. Users often report feeling a sense of connection to a higher power or the universe, gaining insights into the nature of existence, and experiencing a sense of rebirth or renewal. These experiences can lead to lasting positive changes in perspective and behavior, promoting personal growth and self-understanding.

Comparing the Experiences

Duration and Intensity

One of the most significant differences between magic mushrooms, LSD, and DMT vapes is the duration and intensity of the experience. Magic mushrooms offer a medium-length journey, typically lasting 4 to 6 hours, with a gradual onset and resolution. LSD provides a much longer experience, ranging from 8 to 12 hours, with a prolonged peak and gradual comedown. In contrast, DMT vapes offer an extremely intense but short-lived experience, lasting only 10 to 30 minutes, with a rapid onset and abrupt return to normal consciousness.

The duration and intensity of these experiences can influence the context in which they are used. Magic mushrooms and LSD are often used in longer, more immersive settings, such as nature retreats, music festivals, or therapeutic sessions. The longer duration allows users to fully explore and integrate the experience. In contrast, the short duration of DMT makes it more suitable for brief, intense explorations of consciousness, often conducted in a controlled and safe environment.

Visual and Auditory Hallucinations

All three substances can induce powerful visual and auditory hallucinations, but the nature of these experiences can differ:

  • Magic Mushrooms: The hallucinations induced by psilocybin are often described as more organic and natural. Users report seeing intricate patterns, vibrant colors, and enhanced appreciation of nature. The visuals can be deeply connected to the emotional and spiritual aspects of the experience.
  • LSD: LSD hallucinations tend to be more geometric and abstract. Users often see fractals, mandalas, and other complex patterns. The visuals can be extremely vivid and can intertwine with deep philosophical and introspective thoughts.
  • DMT: DMT visuals are often described as otherworldly and alien. Users report seeing intricate, rapidly changing patterns and encountering entities that appear sentient. The visuals are extremely intense and can completely replace the perception of the surrounding environment.

The nature of these hallucinations can significantly influence the user’s experience. The organic and natural visuals of psilocybin often evoke a sense of connection to nature and the universe, enhancing the emotional and spiritual aspects of the trip. In contrast, the abstract and geometric visuals of LSD can lead to deep philosophical and introspective insights, challenging the user’s understanding of reality. The otherworldly visuals of DMT can create a sense of awe and wonder, often leaving users with a profound sense of mystery and curiosity.

Emotional and Cognitive Effects

The emotional and cognitive effects of these substances also vary:

  • Magic Mushrooms: Psilocybin can induce a wide range of emotions, from euphoria to profound sadness. The experience can be highly introspective, allowing users to explore their inner thoughts and feelings. Many people report feeling a deep sense of connection to nature and the universe.
  • LSD: LSD is known for its ability to induce deep cognitive insights and philosophical thoughts. Users often describe the experience as a journey through the mind, uncovering hidden truths and gaining new perspectives. The emotional effects can be equally profound, ranging from intense joy to deep contemplation.
  • DMT: The emotional effects of DMT are often described as awe-inspiring and overwhelming. The rapid onset and intensity of the experience can lead to a sense of being completely transported to another realm. Users frequently report feelings of love, unity, and a sense of encountering the divine.

The emotional and cognitive effects of these substances can lead to lasting changes in perspective and behavior. The introspective nature of psilocybin allows users to explore their inner thoughts and emotions, often leading to greater self-understanding and personal growth. The deep cognitive insights induced by LSD can lead to new perspectives and innovative ideas, enhancing creativity and problem-solving abilities. The awe-inspiring and often spiritual experiences facilitated by DMT can lead to a sense of connection to the universe and a deeper understanding of the nature of existence.

Benefits of Each Substance

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Magic Mushrooms

Magic mushrooms have shown promise in various therapeutic applications:

  • Depression and Anxiety Treatment: Clinical studies have demonstrated the potential of psilocybin to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. The substance is believed to promote neural plasticity and help patients process and overcome negative thought patterns.
  • End-of-Life Anxiety: Psilocybin has been used to help terminally ill patients cope with the fear of death. The profound spiritual experiences induced by the substance can provide a sense of peace and acceptance.
  • Addiction Treatment: There is growing evidence that psilocybin can help treat substance abuse disorders. The introspective nature of the experience can help users address the root causes of their addiction and make lasting positive changes.

The therapeutic potential of psilocybin is being increasingly recognized in the medical community. Clinical trials have shown that psilocybin-assisted therapy can lead to substantial and lasting improvements in mental health, particularly in patients with treatment-resistant depression and anxiety. The ability of psilocybin to promote neural plasticity and enhance brain connectivity is thought to be key to its therapeutic effects, allowing patients to break free from negative thought patterns and develop new, healthier perspectives.

In addition to its mental health benefits, psilocybin has shown promise in treating substance abuse disorders. The introspective nature of the psilocybin experience allows users to explore the underlying causes of their addiction, often leading to profound insights and lasting positive changes. Studies have shown that psilocybin-assisted therapy can lead to significant reductions in substance use and cravings, making it a promising tool in the fight against addiction.

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LSD

LSD has been researched for its potential benefits in various fields:

  • Psychotherapy: LSD-assisted therapy has been shown to help patients explore and resolve deep-seated emotional issues. The substance can facilitate breakthroughs in therapy by allowing patients to view their problems from new perspectives.
  • Creativity and Innovation: Many artists, scientists, and engineers have reported using LSD to enhance their creativity and problem-solving abilities. The altered state of consciousness induced by LSD can lead to novel insights and innovative ideas.
  • Personal Growth and Self-Exploration: LSD can provide users with profound personal insights. Many people report gaining a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the universe, leading to lasting positive changes in their lives.

The use of LSD in psychotherapy has a long and storied history. During the 1950s and 1960s, therapists used LSD to help patients access repressed memories and emotions, facilitating healing and personal growth. Although the use of LSD in therapy declined due to legal restrictions, recent research has rekindled interest in its potential therapeutic applications. Studies have shown that LSD-assisted therapy can be effective in treating conditions such as PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety.

The impact of LSD on creativity and innovation is well-documented. Many influential figures in the arts and sciences have credited LSD with helping them achieve breakthroughs and develop novel ideas. The altered state of consciousness induced by LSD allows for a free flow of ideas and associations, which can lead to unique and original insights. This effect is thought to be due to the increased connectivity between different regions of the brain, allowing for enhanced problem-solving and creative thinking.

DMT Vapes

DMT, particularly in the context of ayahuasca, has been studied for its potential benefits:

  • Spiritual and Mystical Experiences: DMT is often used in ceremonial contexts for its ability to induce powerful spiritual experiences. Users frequently report encountering divine beings, gaining insights into the nature of existence, and experiencing a sense of rebirth.
  • Psychological Healing: Ayahuasca, which contains DMT, has been used traditionally to treat a variety of mental health issues. Modern studies suggest that it can help with conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD by allowing users to confront and process traumatic experiences.
  • Personal Insight and Growth: DMT can provide users with profound personal insights. Many people report gaining a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the universe, which can lead to lasting positive changes in their lives.

DMT is a key component of the shamanic brew ayahuasca, which has been used for centuries by indigenous cultures in the Amazon for healing and spiritual purposes. Ayahuasca ceremonies are often conducted under the guidance of a shaman, who helps participants navigate the intense and transformative experience. Modern research has shown that ayahuasca can be effective in treating a range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The powerful and often cathartic experiences facilitated by ayahuasca allow users to confront and process traumatic memories and emotions.

In addition to its therapeutic benefits, DMT is known for its ability to induce profound spiritual and mystical experiences. Users often report feeling a sense of connection to a higher power or the universe, gaining insights into the nature of existence, and experiencing a sense of rebirth or renewal. These experiences can lead to lasting positive changes in perspective and behavior, promoting personal growth and self-understanding.

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Conclusion

Magic mushrooms, LSD, and DMT vapes each offer unique experiences and potential benefits. Magic mushrooms provide a deeply introspective and emotional journey that can aid in mental health treatment and personal growth. LSD offers a longer, more cognitive experience that can enhance creativity and facilitate profound personal insights. DMT vapes, with their intense and brief experiences, can provide powerful spiritual and mystical insights, often leading to a sense of awe and wonder.

Each of these substances has its own set of characteristics and potential benefits, making them valuable tools for exploring the depths of human consciousness. Whether used for therapeutic purposes, personal growth, or spiritual exploration, these psychedelics offer profound opportunities for transformation and self-discovery. As research continues to uncover the potential of these substances, their role in enhancing human well-being and understanding will likely become increasingly significant.

What is the Difference Between Psilocybin and LSD?

Posted on by Dr Shroom

Introduction – What is a Psychedelic

What is a Psychedelic


So the first step to understanding the differences between LSD and the psilocybin found in magic mushrooms is to understand what they have in common – they are both psychoactive compounds that are grouped in the family of psychedelics.

Psychedelics are a specific class of hallucinogenic drug who cause “non-ordinary states of consciousness” (that’s a boring way to say “trips.”) They do this through a process called “serotonin receptor agnoism,” which is essentially what we call it when a chemical compound is capable of mimicking the effects of serotonin which is naturally produced in the body. Your serotonin receptors are separated into 7 categories – 5-HT1 through 5-HT7. Each of these types can have separate subtypes – these are lettered A, B, C, etc. Psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD specifically are specifically capable of binding with the 5-HT2A receptors. Although this is understood on a molecular level, the precise mechanics through which psychedelics are able to induce changes in cognition, mood, behavior and personality is a new frontier for neuroscience, and something that we are still only beginning to understand.

One thing that does seem to be consistent across all psychedelic drugs is that they reduce activity in the what’s called the default mode network of the human brain. This is a part of your brain is best known for being active during periods in which a person is not focused on things in the outside world. It is especially active during activities like daydreaming, and sometimes activated during cognitive planning phases, and when a person is thinking about others, about themselves, remembering the past and planning for the future. It’s thought that the reduced default mode network activity is one of the main ways psychedelics work, and the effect this reduction is similar to the ones that occur during meditation, mystical experiences, and near-death experiences.

Although research into psychedelics and the potential of psychedelic therapy experienced a bit of a Golden Age through the 1950s, The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 threw a monkey wrench into the works. This was a treaty signed by all members of the United Nations to prohibit the production and supply of drugs classified as “narcotics.” Although some exemptions were made for certain narcotics for medicinal uses and clinical experimentation, psychedelics at the time were not believed to have any legitimate medicinal uses, and it was made illegal to conduct any further research on the substances using human subjects.

This restriction slowed down the tide of research for obvious reasons, but psychedelics still remained widely popular as recreational drugs, and increasing droves of people began to report on the positive changes they experienced as a result of using psychedelics. Some dedicated researchers such as Terence McKenna and Alexander Shulgin continued to experiment with these substances (serving as their own subjects,) and writing about their experiences which has helped contribute to a growing understanding of the benefits of psilocybin we hear about so much today.

In 2021, as of the time of this writing, there are 21,000 papers on Google Scholar that make reference to the term “psychedelic,” with over half of these published after 2014. This is because psychedelics have become an increasingly hot-button issue in the world of therapy – with new results published every week, and the vast majority of them pointing in a singular direction: that psychedelics represent an unprecedented untapped resource in the treatment of a wide array of mental health disorders.


What is Psilocybin?

Whay is Psilocybin?


Okay, so we’ve talked about what psychedelics are and how they work, so let’s delve a little deeper into psilocybin to understand more specifically how it works. There’s a lot that we could say about psilocybin, but we’re going to focus for now on its pharmacological profile – that is to say, how exactly it behaves as a molecule and how it interacts with human body when consumed.

Psilocybin is the primary psychoactive ingredient found in psilocybin mushrooms, whose use predates written human history – and of which there are more than 200 separate strains that can be found all over the world. Psilocybin is what is technically referred to as a “prodrug” – that refers to a substance that, while not psychoactive itself, is metabolized by the body into a pharmacologically active drug. In this case, psilocybin when it is broken down through the process of human digestion is converted into psilocin – and when we talk about psilocybin as a serotonin agonist, we are actually referring to the product of psilocybin metabolism, psilocin.

When consumed it undergoes rapid dephosphorylation and is converted into psilocin. Psilocin binds with the highest affinity to 5-HT2A receptors, and with low affinity to 5-HT1A, 5HT1D and 5-HT2C receptors. As mentioned before, it’s thought that most of what one considers to be the “psychedelic experience” is a result of 5-HT2A agonism – although some have theorized that less predictable interactions with the other receptors could be responsible for variable reports in levels of anxiety, mood, and nausea.

It’s also noteworthy that psilocin has no distinguishable effect on the body’s dopaminergic system – meaning that there are no significant changes in the levels of dopamine produced by the body when ingesting psilocybin by itself. More on dopamine later.

It’s also worth noting that when we talk about “psilocybin,” the issue is further complicated by the fact that what we’re really talking about from a practical standpoint are psilocybin mushrooms. These are complex living organisms that are most often consumed in their entirety. That is to say, we are not independently synthesizing the compound psilocybin in a laboratory, but rather consuming these “magic mushrooms,” which contain not only psilocybin and psilocin, but a range of other possibly psychoactive compounds as well.

Baeocystin is an analog of psilocin that has been isolated in psilocybin mushrooms – that means it behaves similarly (though not identically) to psilocin, and there is considerably less research that has been done on baeocystin (about 450 published articles on Google Scholar, compared with 5,601 for psilocin and 21,000 for psilocybin.) Norpsilocin and norbaeocystin are other examples of compounds that have been isolated and identified only recently (in 2017), and whose truth we are only beginning to unfurl.

Another noteworthy psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms in phenethylamine. Phenethylamine is a natural monoamine alkaloid that behaves as a central nervous stem stimulant by regulating monoamine transmission. Some phhenethylamine-based drugs are also incredibly popular recreationally such as 2-CB (or ‘“tucibi”), MDA (“sally”), and MDMA (“molly.”) Although psilocybin behaves radically differently from these drugs on a brain chemistry level, the presence of trace amounts of phenethylamine is still something that should be taken into consideration when considering the overall pharmacological profile of psilocybin mushrooms.

What is LSD?

What is LSD?

Again, this is a question that can be answered in a number of different ways, but for the purposes of this article we are going to deal very briefly with the history and original origins of the drugs, and focus primarily on its pharmacological profile.

So, LSD (or Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as “acid”) is a psychedelic drug that was first synthesized on November 16, 1938 by the Swiss chemist, Albert Hoffman in Basel, Switzerland. It was created with lysergic acid, which is a chemical derived from ergotamine – an enzyme found in the ergot fungus which grows on rye and other grains. Like many amazing scientific discoveries, LSD was something of an accident. Hoffman accidentally absorbed some LSD through his skin which caused him to first take note of its astounding effects. Later, on April 16 of 1943, Hoffman deliberately dosed himself with 250 µg of LSD and went for a bike ride. Needless to say, he was absolutely floored by the experience, and realized he’d stumbled on… something. Even if he didn’t know exactly what it would become at the time.

Since then, LSD has had a rich and colourful history, including a period of time where the CIA bought up the entire world’s supply of acid and conducted the now infamous MKUltra experiments over the course of 10 years, testing the substance on often unknowing subjects including members of the army, political prisoners, and many more. During the 1960s it was made illegal by the same UN Convention that outlawed mushrooms, but became an equally important part of a growing counterculture movement, and more recently has been explored as a potential therapeutic aid.

Chemically, LSD functions as a seretogenic agonist (like psilocybin), as well as a dopaminergic agonist. This means that it is capable of mimicking serotonin and dopamine. This makes it relatively unique in the world of psychedelics, as there are very few compounds that are both seretogenic and dopaminergic.

LSD can affect a wide range of different serotonin receptors, including 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, and 5-HT2C. Also, there is an interesting distinction between the ways LSD interacts with serotonin receptors as compared with other psychedelics. When the LSD molecule fits into the serotonin receptors, it causes those receptors to fold in on themselves (imagine something like the lid closing overtop a wastebin.) This means that the LSD molecule remains in place until the lid “pops off”, and the molecule is capable of detaching. This results in the LSD trip being a significantly longer experience as compared with most other psychedelic drugs.

As for the dopamine system and D2 receptors, that forms the second major component of how LSD affects the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is highly related to how we experience pleasure, how we set and achieve goals, and how we focus and motivate ourselves. There are many popular drugs such as cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine which function as “dopamine reuptake inhibitors.” Basically, stopping dopamine from being re-absorbed into the synaptic neurons after its released into the brain’s synaptic pathways, and causing increased concentrations of dopamine within those pathways.

Agonism, if you recall from our definition earlier, is very different than reuptake inhibition. An agonist mimics a naturally occurring neurotransmitter molecule, while the reuptake inhibitor dysregulates the body’s natural management of its own naturally occurring neurotransmitters. Dopamine agonists are not commonly used recreationally, however, they are used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, restless leg syndrome, and depression.

LSD’s agonism of dopamine receptors in addition to serotonin receptors are thought to be what gives it its unique psychoactive effects.

So What’s the Difference?

Once again, there are a lot of different ways to look at this, and psychedelics are something that we are just beginning to understand – but the following points represent the biggest differences:

1. Magic Mushrooms are grown organically, while LSD is synthesized in a lab

LSD was originally found from rye fungus, it’s true – but these days it is synthesized directly in a lab. This has a couple of ramifications, but the biggest one is that when you consume LSD, you are consuming a single concentrated molecule. When you’re eating shrooms, you’re eating an entire fungus – only 1-2% of whose weight is actually composed of psilocybin and psilocin. The other 98% is mostly non-psychoactive, but it’s impossible to discount the potential effects caused by the other psychoactive chemicals in psilocybin mushrooms. If you are looking to purchase magic mushrooms in Canada, you should make sure you find a reliable source!

2. LSD can affect both serotonin receptors and dopamine receptors, while psilocin only affects seretonin receptors.

As mentioned, these are both two completely distinct monoamines. Although psychedelic effects are commonly associated with serotonin receptor agonism, the dopamine receptor agonism likely plays a large role in the more energetic type of high that is often associated with LSD as compared with psilocybin.

3. Although both interact with 5-HT2A receptors with high synergy, the other seretonin receptors they affect are a little different.

Again, psychedelic effects are often thought to be associated with 5-HT2A receptor agonism, but the different seretonin receptors activated by the different molecules could be partially to explain for the different effects.

4. LSD can last much longer

This goes back to the unique “wastebin” trick of the LSD molecule when they bind to the seretonin receptor. While the psilocin molecule is almost always decoupled within 4-6 hours, once the LSD molecule bonds with the seretonin receptor, it creates a sort of lid that keeps it in place for up to 20 hours.

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