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What's better? Psilocybin mushrooms or ayahuasca if you have to choose?
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10 augustus 2025 10:37
At Triptherapie, we prefer psilocybin mushrooms over ayahuasca for several reasons. Firstly, psilocybin mushrooms, or magic truffles, are legal in the Netherlands, making them more accessible for therapeutic use. In contrast, ayahuasca and its active component DMT is illegal in many countries, including the Netherlands, which complicates their use in therapeutic settings.
Secondly, psilocybin allows for a degree of control during the experience. While a light psilocybin trip can be somewhat guided, ayahuasca experiences are often less controllable, which can be overwhelming for some individuals, particularly those who may struggle with anxiety or a need for control. A high dose of magic mushrooms can be just as intense as ayahuasca or even more that that.
Thirdly, the absence of MAO inhibitors (MAOIs) in psilocybin sessions means that there are fewer risks of complications associated with dietary restrictions and interactions that are necessary when consuming ayahuasca. This makes psilocybin a safer option for many individuals.
Rresearch from institutions like the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has shown a growing interest in psilocybin for therapeutic applications, particularly in treating conditions such as depression and anxiety. This scientific backing further supports our preference for psilocybin mushrooms as a therapeutic tool.
In summary, the legal status, controllability of the experience, safety profile, and scientific research supporting psilocybin's efficacy contribute to our preference for psilocybin mushrooms over ayahuasca in therapeutic settings.
Ultimately, the choice between psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca should be based on individual circumstances, preferences, and the specific goals of the experience. It is crucial to conduct thorough research and consider consulting with professionals to determine which option aligns best with your needs.
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10 augustus 2025 10:44
If you have to choose, psilocybin is the safer, more practical and better-supported option for most people—especially in the Netherlands, where psilocybin truffles are legally available for guided work and ayahuasca (DMT-containing brews) is prohibited by court rulings.
Why psilocybin usually wins
Psilocybin has the strongest modern clinical evidence across depression and related conditions, including a large randomized trial showing that a single 25 mg dose reduced depressive symptoms more than a very-low-dose control, and a head-to-head study against escitalopram where secondary outcomes generally favored psilocybin. Ayahuasca does have promising data, notably a randomized, placebo-controlled trial showing rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression, but its evidence base is smaller and less standardized than psilocybin’s.
Safety and interactions
The biggest practical divider is drug–drug and diet interactions. Ayahuasca’s harmala alkaloids act as monoamine-oxidase-A inhibitors, which raises the risk of serotonin syndrome with SSRIs/SNRIs (for example, venlafaxine) and requires tyramine-related dietary care; these constraints don’t apply to psilocybin in the same way. If you use serotonergic antidepressants, psilocybin is usually the safer path; ayahuasca should be avoided.
Legal and practical reality in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, ayahuasca is illegal following High Court decisions that rejected religious exemptions; DMT in ayahuasca falls under the Opium Act. By contrast, psilocybin-containing truffles (sclerotia) are sold legally in smartshops, even though “magic mushrooms” themselves are banned. That legal clarity is why guided psilocybin-truffle sessions are straightforward to arrange, while ayahuasca is not.
Bottom line
Choose psilocybin if you want a well-studied, legally accessible option with fewer interaction pitfalls and more predictable dosing. Choose ayahuasca only if you can guarantee a legal pathway and you are not on serotonergic medications, since its MAOI component changes the risk calculus significantly.
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12 augustus 2025 13:24
Accorindig to my experience: I prefer magic truffles of mushrooms over ayahuasca for casual and healing psychedelic sessions. But I like sometimes Ayahuasca over psilocybin for the whol ritual when I have the time for the ritual. But ayahuasca needs a lot of work before the trip (dieta).
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