Acid vs. Shrooms: Key Differences Between LSD and Psilocybin

Among psychedelic drugs, there are two common names that come to mind: LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide, and magic mushrooms. These two drugs share some surprising similarities, and both are considered psychedelics that can cause distorted and altered perceptions and sense, paranoia and other effects. However, there are many differences when considering acid vs. shrooms that are important to understand because they are not the same drug, including the timeline for how long it takes to get sober from each one.

As the use of psychedelics continues, and with some states even relaxing laws that restrict these illegal drugs, the ways they can affect the people who use them and even lead to problems with addiction must be understood.

In California, top drug rehab centers like Resurgence Behavioral Health can help people who are addicted to psychedelics or other substances. With our expert help and evidence-based treatment programs, you or your loved one can get the help you need to overcome addiction through a wide range of program options, ranging from intensive outpatient drug rehab treatment to inpatient drug rehab.

Let’s explore the similarities and differences between these drugs and the many effects they can have on users.

What Are LSD (Acid) and Psilocybin (Shrooms)?

To understand the similarities and differences between acid vs. shrooms, let’s start by explaining each separately. Magic mushrooms are a natural fungus that most often comes from variations of the Psilocybe cubensis species, with psilocybin serving as the main psychedelic ingredient. LSD also originated from a fungus, but is less natural than shrooms. It was originally created in 1938 from a mold that grows on grains like rye.

Both can have many related effects on the user, especially a distorted sense of time, altered perceptions, and hallucinations. Users might talk about experiencing breakthroughs or awakenings during their “trips,” and they might say they feel more connected to the world or others around them.

However, both drugs can also cause adverse effects, including paranoia, intense dread, a faster heart rate or higher blood pressure, sweat, tremors, and even an overwhelming fear of death.

How Do the Effects of LSD and Psilocybin Differ on the Brain?

While acid vs. shrooms do share many similarities, there are some significant differences in how they affect the brain, as well as the duration of their highs. A 2022 article in Neuropsychopharmacology tried to get to the differences in a study of 28 people who received placebos, LSD, and psilocybin.

Researchers tracked several metrics, including the subjective and physical effects of the drugs, adverse effects, how long these effects lasted, and plasma levels of brain chemicals and neurotransmitters. Several different doses of the drugs were also tested in the study.

Researchers found that the two drugs produced comparable effects on the users’ moods and experiences, depending largely on the dosage taken. Low doses of psilocybin, for example, caused much weaker effects.

However, many differences were uncovered in the study. Acid increased the users’ heart rates much more than mushrooms, while psilocybin increased blood pressure more. LSD also had a much longer duration of effect. Still, the study concluded that acid vs. shrooms end up causing similar altered perceptions and sensations, and the only difference was how long these effects continued.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says psilocybin works by being converted in the body to psilocin, which then attaches to and turns on serotonin receptors in the brain. It’s believed that this is what causes the user’s subjective experiences on this drug.

LSD also works by affecting our serotonin receptors, with the drug binding to a certain receptor. Some evidence even suggests it affects users longer than mushrooms because the serotonin receptors seal off a “lid” over LSD, and this keeps it from detaching quickly.

What Are the Risks and Side Effects of Taking LSD vs. Psilocybin?

Because these drugs cause different reactions in the body, there are unique risks and side effects to consider between acid vs. shrooms. Both will take about one hour to cause the impact on users, though people on mushrooms will experience more of a whole-body kind of trip as compared to the more cerebral acid trip.

It usually will take much less acid to cause hallucinations, altered perceptions, and other psychedelic effects than mushrooms. This means people can end up taking more LSD than they can handle, which is much more straightforward than overdosing on mushrooms, and that’s why stories of bad trips on acid tend to be much more common than magic mushrooms.

Can LSD or Psilocybin Trigger Long-Term Psychological Issues?

There are many adverse effects of acid vs. shrooms, including increasing the heart rate or blood pressure, sweating, tremors, and numbness. While the physical risks are relatively minor, users are at a much higher risk of suffering emotional or mental problems from these drugs.

Paranoia is common, as are intense feelings of dread or concerns about death. Hallucinations and altered perceptions of time are also common. People who frequently use these drugs can become mentally addicted to the substances as well, requiring them to get professional help to quit using these drugs.

While there are clear negative effects of using these drugs or other psychedelics, research suggests psychedelics do not actually cause long-term psychological issues. An analysis of more than 130,000 respondents to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health looked at their past-year mental health problems, mental health disorder symptoms, and psychosis. When everything was considered, there was no evidence that ever using psychedelics was a risk factor for eventually having mental health problems.

Resurgence Can Help If You’re Struggling With Acid vs. Shrooms Abuse

While there are similarities between acid vs. shrooms, these psychedelics can cause vastly different effects for different amounts of time in users. One significant similarity between them is they are both illegal drugs and both put users at risk of suffering negative mental health consequences and even addiction.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction to LSD or magic mushrooms, Resurgence Behavioral Health can help. Our team of experts knows getting sober alone vs. proper treatment is a recipe for disaster, and that’s why we provide you the support, guidance, and help you need to overcome drugs once and for all.

With our help, a lifetime of recovery is possible, and you can get to the brighter future you deserve. Call 855-458-0050 today to get started on the road to recovery.

External Sources

• Healthline – LSD vs. Mushrooms: Same But Different
• Nature.com – Direct Comparison of the Acute Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and Psilocybin in a Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study in Healthy Subjects
• National Institute on Drug Abuse – Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms)
• National Institutes of Health – Protein Structure Reveals How LSD Affects the Brain
• National Library of Medicine – Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study

David Rofofsky
After growing up in New York, David chose to get help with substance abuse in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than nine years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for eight years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. David remains passionate about the field because he understands how hard it is to pick up the phone and ask for help. However, once the call is made, someone's life can be saved.

Research | Editorial