Psychedelic therapy continues to gain acceptance among psychological researchers - and more everyday people are wondering if psychedelics could be a valid alternative therapy for them. However, that brings the next question: which psychedelics should a person try?
So, in this series, we'll be looking at comparisons between various psychedelic drugs under investigation for their therapeutic value. What are the known scientific benefits, and what is the subjective experience like?
To start out, let's look at a fairly apples-to-apples comparison: ayahuasca vs mushrooms.
Ayahuasca vs Psilocybin Mushrooms: What You Need To Know
The Similarities
Fundamentally, ayahuasca and psilocybin act on the body in similar ways.
Ayahuasca is a brewed tea made from two primary ingredients: Psychotria Viridis leaves and Banisteriopsis Caapi vine. The leaves contain a chemical that converts into the hallucinogen DMT in the body, while Banisteriopsis is a MAO inhibitor that prevents your body from breaking down the DMT quickly. This lengthens the overall trip, to anywhere from 4-8 hours.
Psilocybin is a different chemical, but still in the same basic family as DMT, with very similar hallucinogenic properties. Likewise, a magic mushroom trip will typically last several hours, or a "heroic" dose could potentially last up to a day.
Even activation times are similar, requiring around 30-45 minutes after consumption for the trip to begin.
Another major similarity is the need for safety. Neither drug should be used alone, because it is entirely possible for a user to hurt themselves while hallucinating. Always have a sober minder or spiritual guide, such as going to a guided psychedelic retreat.
In addition, both can have significant negative interactions with a variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications. Doing plenty of research - or consulting with an open-minded doctor - is absolutely necessary to use them safely, if you're already taking other medications. Even basic everyday drugs like caffeine can potentially affect the experience.
Finally, they both have similar cultural backgrounds. Ayahuasca and magic mushrooms have been used in traditional spiritual and magical ceremonies for millennia. This gives them a certain mystique that they've retained to this day.
The Differences
While both drugs produce similar effects within the body, the subjective experience can be significantly different. The short version is that ayahuasca tends to be more intense than psilocybin, an important distinction to keep in mind when weighing ayahuasca vs mushrooms.
Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is almost always taken as part of a ceremony overseen by a native shaman, or a person who has trained under shamans. This, by itself, gives the experience a mystical quality - which is also enhanced by the ayahuasca itself. Ayahuasca users typically report feelings of awe and spirituality early on.
There may be visual hallucinations, similar to shrooms or LSD, but the core of the ayahuasca experience is that it opens the mind to spiritual experiences. It is extremely common for users to report conversations with otherworldly spirit guides, animal entities, or dead friends or family.
That said, the actual subjective experience of ayahuasca can be extremely difficult to predict. Different batches can have very different effects, and even the same batch can react with every user differently. Some people will have good trips, others may have terrifying visions. There's a certain mental gamble any time a person takes ayahuasca. The experience is typically described as life-changing, no matter exactly what happens.
Also, the body effects of ayahuasca are more extreme than mushrooms. Expect a purging effect involving vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal unpleasantness. In addition, it can significantly elevate a person's heart rate and blood pressure, which could be dangerous for people with existing heart conditions.
Psilocybin Mushrooms
Generally speaking, the experience from magic mushrooms is milder. The focus is more on the visual and auditory hallucinations, although there is still the possibility of spiritual experiences. Users on shrooms are also typically more lucid than people on ayahuasca, which may make them a better option for people using psychedelics for mental therapy.
Another major difference is that dosing of shrooms is much easier to control, and the effects are more predictable. It's possible to microdose psilocybin, which generally leads to slightly more intense sensory perception and an overall feeling of well-being, without going on a full trip. One can function normally in daily life while microdosing psilocybin. This cannot be done with ayahuasca.
High doses of mushrooms can cause similar purging effects as ayahuasca. However, generally speaking, those effects will also be milder, and you may not experience them at all with smaller doses.
Shrooms could be seen as "ayahuasca lite" and a better fit for people who want a more controllable experience.
Scientific Research on Mushrooms vs Ayahuasca
Both drugs have received some scientific interest in recent years, although most ayahuasca research is typically wrapped into larger studies on DMT.
For example, two papers from 2023 and 2024 respectively looked at the effects of intravenous DMT delivery on psychological patients. Both showed few dangerous side effects, while aiding in psychological treatment, particularly for reducing effects of clinical depression.
Studies into ayahuasca use itself do exist, but have the problem of not being randomized or placebo-controlled. Never the less, this Frontiers in Psychiatry study of people participating in an ayahuasca ceremony did find positive psychological effects as well.
Meanwhile, the benefits of psilocybin are being taken very seriously by researchers. Johns Hopkins University has put millions of dollars into psychedelic research, finding positive outcomes in easing depression, stopping dangerous drug additions, and more.
Likewise, a 2022 review of psilocybin studies found the literature to be positive about mushrooms' therapeutic potential. It concluding that "Psilocybin offers a wide range of possible medical applications, according to clinical studies."
Ayahuasca vs Mushrooms? Both Have Potential!
In short, both ayahuasca and psilocybin have strong potential as alternative psychedelic therapy. Of the two, psilocybin has the stronger scientific background, is more easily controlled by users. Ayahuasca, on the other hand, has the potential to induce rapid - but possibly unpredictable -psychological changes due to the intensity of the experience it brings.
As always, if you're considering either drug, do plenty of research into their effects and local legality before partaking. Stay safe!
