Psilocybin vs SSRI for mood
Short answer: For mood, more users report improvement with Psilocybin — 90% of 110 reports, versus 50% of 34 for SSRI.
Psilocybin has 189 meta-analyses and 138 randomized trials on PubMed; the other has not been graded.
Based on 319 reports about Psilocybin and 85 about SSRI. Not medical advice.
| Psilocybin Substance | SSRI Medication | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 75%helped140 reports · high confidence | 14%helped54 reports · medium confidence |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mostly negative |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | Not graded |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 189 / 138 | — |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Mood % reporting improvement | 90% (110) | 50% (34) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 87% (45) | 73% (11) |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 93% (29) | 50% (2) |
| Libido % reporting improvement | 80% (5) | 0% (14) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 100% (13) | 25% (4) |
| Common side effects | mania, hppd, psychosis risk, paranoia | anhedonia, brain fog, erectile dysfunction, emotional blunting |
| Typical dose reported | 0.2-0.5 g / occasional | Not listed |
A review of open-label trials showed robust decreases in depressive symptoms following psilocybin administration. These findings provide preliminary evidence for antidepressant efficacy with psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, however, further studies are needed to evaluate safety and efficacy and to optimize treatment protocols.
Psychiatry Res, 2023 ↗“Mushrooms make me a better husband and a better human all around. Sometimes I don’t feel the urge to have sex while I’m on a dose, but I feel much more connected afterward. Low dose is definitely an aphrodisiac in my experience.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate