How to Microdose Psychedelics
Microdosing is all the buzz in health and wellness.
But what exactly is it and what is it for? We cover all of this and more in this article.
Put simply, microdosing is the process of ingesting a small amount of a psychedelic substance regularly over time (e.g., one month, two months) in order to achieve positive mood, creativity, and social connection. [1]
It sounds amazing, and anecdotal reports suggest that it is. [2]
At the same time, there isn’t much research on it and despite its popularity, there are less popular, yet important considerations to make around legality and risks.
How then does one go about safely and successfully microdosing?
In this article, we'll provide a comprehensive overview of microdosing psychedelics and provide a template for getting started.
What is Microdosing?
As the name implies, microdosing involves taking a small dose of a psychedelic substance [3].
Microdosing effects are subtle.
People often describe the microdosing effect as a small "lift" in one's mood and energy - about a 3% lift:
3% more energized
3% more happy
3% more creative, and so forth…
The 3% idea is entirely subjective, not actually measured through quantitative reports. It helps illustrate the idea that the effect is small, but certainly noticeable and beneficial.
And since effects are small, people typically go about their daily lives as normal.
Microdosing stands independent of psychedelic therapy, which typically involves higher doses. However, some people will choose to microdose ahead of or after a psychedelic therapy experience.
Like all things with psychedelics, microdosing is best done carefully and intentionally. [4]
It's crucial to know exactly what and how much you’re taking. This precision helps ensure that the consumption of the psychedelic won't lead to a moderate or strong experience.
The microdose experience is said to be "sub-perceptual". It shouldn't produce any of the same visual or experiential effects common in an altered state of consciousness onset from a large-dose of a psychedelic.
We'll cover more about the effects and benefits of microdosing in the next section.
Is Microdosing A New Thing?
Yes and no.
People are microdosing psychedelics in higher numbers than ever before. (Petranker, 2022) However, there's convincing evidence that human beings have taken various amounts of psychedelics, including microdoses, for millennia. [5]
There's been some microdosing research, largely self-reports from participants microdosing psilocybin or LSD. That said, there's further research underway to see how these medicines might fit into the Western medical model of treatment. [3]
While it's most common for Americans to microdose psilocybin containing magic mushrooms and lysergic acid diethylamide or "LSD", one could in theory microdose other types of psychedelics too, even THC or cannabis.
As we'll see, people are microdosing for a variety of reasons and the reported benefits are encouraging.
The logistics of microdosing these other compounds gets a bit trickier and safety considerations are also different. For the purposes of this article, we'll largely stick to the idea of microdosing psilocybin mushrooms.
The Benefits of Microdosing Psilocybin Mushrooms
With microdosing growing in popularity, people are pursuing it for a wide array of desired effects.
Here are some commonly reported benefits: [6]
Improved mood and positive well-being
Decreased anxiety and depression
Increased levels of energy and creativity
Greater focus and cognitive function
Greater physical stamina and performance
Increased sense of connection to others
Alleviation of physical ailments and headaches
Individuals who choose to microdose may experience overlapping effects. Additionally, some positive effects, like improved mood, may come over time rather than in just one sitting.
Bob’s Story With Microdosing
One Pivot client named Bob tried microdosing after years of talk therapy and antidepressants.
He had heard of microdosing through a friend of his who was doing it and decided to try it.
He started microdosing psilocybin mushrooms, as he was tapering his antidepressant medication.
The positive effects of microdosing seemed to "off-set" the negative side effects of coming off of his pharmaceutical meds. He said the microdosing gave him a boost and helped him appreciate parts of his life he had gone years without recognizing fully.
With the help of his psychiatrist and a psychedelic guide/microdosing coach, he has successfully moved off of his antidepressants and reports feeling happier, more full, and more alive.
Microdosing seems to have tremendous potential to support our lives, from increasing creativity to helping our social lives.
These prospects beg the question: Can microdosing help with mental health?
Mental Health and Microdosing Psychedelics
We see people with mental health issues turning to microdosing as an alternative to conventional options.
On the one hand, it's true that some people do well with talk therapy and pharmaceutical medication.
However, these and other traditional solutions may fall short for some people.
Microdosing presents a new treatment approach and it holds great promise, despite the relative dearth in scientific research. Regardless of what clinical trials remain to be completed on microdosing and other mental health disorders, people are taking matters into their own hands and it seems to be working for them.
While we acknowledge there's a lack of research on microdosing, we also see clients experience great benefits from microdosing to help with their own mental illness. Here's how:
Depressive symptoms
Enhances mood, increases feelings of optimism, and may help to rewire brain pathways associated with depressive thoughts.
General Anxiety
Alleviates feelings of anxiety, promoting a sense of calmness and contentment
Social Anxiety
Increases empathy and openness towards others, potentially reducing fear and discomfort in social situations.
PTSD
May facilitate emotional processing and reduce the intensity of traumatic memories
ADHD
Improves focus and concentration, potentially aiding in the management of ADHD symptoms.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Interrupts repetitive thought patterns and compulsive behaviors associated with OCD.
Substance Addiction/Dependence
Assists in reducing cravings and dependency, and may offer introspective insights into the root causes of addiction.
Fatigue
Boosts energy levels and physical stamina.
Migraines
Anecdotal reports suggest potential in reducing the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches.
Creative or Mental Blocks
Enhances creativity and promotes cognitive functions, potentially aiding one's work process.
Burnout and Stress
Promotes relaxation, emotional resilience, and coping with stress.
We see clients with these and other mental health concerns using microdoses of psychedelic substances and having success. In the same breath, we encourage everyone to consider the positive and negative consequences of microdosing.
Microdosing Safety, Risks, and Legality
Microdosing seems to have tremendous potential for our lives, but like anything it deserves careful consideration.
One helpful approach we've seen is for individuals to consider microdosing from the lenses of safety, risks, and legality.
Microdosing Safety
Individuals who microdose should conduct their due diligence around safety.
One of the best ways to do this is to consult with a healthcare professional. It's imperative that the individual is checked for pre-existing mental health conditions, physical health conditions and medications that could be a contraindication for microdosing.
A medical professional like a physician or a psychiatrist can help provide an assessment and discuss with you potential risks in greater detail.
Risks of Microdosing
While there's growing popularity and strong anecdotal evidence supporting positive effects from microdosing, there can be challenges too.
Here are some possible risks with microdosing:
Physiological Discomfort: some moments of a microdose might bring on discomfort like nausea, headaches, or dizziness
Cognitive Disruption: some people may experience some temporary difficulties with memory or attention
Improper Dosage: depending on the quality of one's substance, variance in dosage and potency can result in either a weaker or stronger effect than anticipated
Although negative side effects typically subside with time, it's crucial to keep these considerations in mind when choosing to microdose.
Future research could shed more light on microdosing risks and safety and these findings could help policy makers and individuals navigate this practice.
Legality
Another important point of consideration is legality. In the United States, psychedelic substances like LSD and magic mushrooms that contain psilocybin remain illegal.
Some states, cities, and local jurisdictions are passing legislation that allows for or decriminalizes possession of psychedelic drugs. It's critical to know the legality of these substances for your area and take seriously the potential legal consequences.
Microdosing seems to work well for many, but it remains largely unstudied and certainly unregulated. Please make an informed decision about microdosing only after consulting with a healthcare professional and doing so in line with legal frameworks.
How to Microdose
To get started microdosing, it's important to consider dosage, schedule, duration, and set and setting. [7]
Dosage
The typical microdose is a small fraction of a regular psychedelic dose. For mushrooms, this translates to between 0.1 to 0.3 grams of dried psilocybin mushrooms.
For anyone getting started, the mantra "Start low, go slow" can be helpful.
Some people will end up microdosing at a higher dose level than others. The variability can be due to factors like individual sensitivity and mushroom strain.
Schedule
There are two popular microdosing schedules or what's often called microdosing "protocols":
Fadiman protocol - named after Dr. James Fadiman, a psychedelic pioneer and researcher.
One day on, two days off
Stamets protocol - named after mycologist Paul Stamets.
Four days on, three days off
The idea for both approaches is to give the brain and body both an adequate amount of exposure to the psychedelic substances and a natural time to reset without the substance.
For folks just getting started, the Fadiman protocol (i.e. one day on, two days off) can be helpful for finding the optimal dosage.
Duration
So if you have a microdosing schedule picked out, how long do you do it?
Most individuals choose to microdose for 6-8 weeks or two months and then take a break for 2-4 weeks.
The break allows the brain and body to return to baseline. It also gives permission for you to adequately process the psychedelic insights from microdosing.
After the break, some people will return to the microdosing protocol and others will abstain.
Set and Setting
When most people microdose, they go about their daily lives as normal. While this has many advantages, it's also key to remember that psychedelics are powerful, even at small doses.
Take into consideration your set, or mindset, when microdosing, as well as your physical environment or setting.
By creating intentions for microdosing, such as I want to relate better to my surroundings, you can calibrate your mindset for an optimized experience
Similarly, remember the place, people, and things in your environment when you microdose. Try to be around the energies that support you.
Maximize Microdosing Benefits
Microdosing is a long-term strategy. It requires careful consideration and commitment of time and energy.
We also know that many people looking to microdose have exhausted other options (e.g., therapy, meds, meditation).
To help you get the most out of your microdosing journey, we recommend the following:
Record Your Experiences
Find Support
Recording Microdose Experiences
A lot can happen when we microdose.
We might find it opens up important emotions, brings us insights into our work, or encourages us to pursue a relationship.
Effects can also change from day-to-day, week-to-week. For example, week 1 of microdosing could help with mood, but week 2 involves more of a call to meditate and calm the mind.
Both of these things could be great and beautiful, but if we don't take the time to record these insights, reflect on what they mean, and work towards building them into habits, then some of the real therapeutic potential is lost.
There's no way to accurately predict what microdosing effects will look like.
For this reason, try journaling to record what your microdose experience is like.
It can be as simple as writing down notes at the end of the day on how it felt or as complex as exploring deep emotions and the impact microdosing has had on them.
Journaling can also help you stay accountable and organized, as you record your dosage and schedule.
Other helpful solutions include working through a dedicated psychedelic integration process and finding a microdosing coach for greater accountability and insight.
Find Microdosing Support
Getting started with microdosing can be a lot.
As you can see, there are several factors that need to be considered:
Substance
Dosage
Schedule
Duration
Set and Setting
Safety
Risks
Legality
One great way to make this process easier is to find social support. You could join a local community, find a friend, or work with a psychedelic professional.
When you work with a psychedelic guide or microdosing coach they can serve as both your accountability partner and your dedicated support person for mental health and wellness improvements.
Here are some of the advantages of working with a professional:
Optimize microdosing regimen for maximum benefits
Provide harm reduction information around substances
Keep you on schedule and accountable
Support you on emotional and personal development progress
Help you achieve your wellness goals
If you're looking to get started with microdosing, request a complimentary consultation with us at Pivot to learn more.
Disclaimer: This article is a general guide and should not replace professional medical advice or treatment. The effects of microdosing can vary greatly among individuals, and more research is needed to fully understand and validate these practices. Always consult with a healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment or making adjustments to medications.
Sources:
Petranker R, Anderson T, Maier LJ, Barratt MJ, Ferris JA, Winstock AR. Microdosing psychedelics: Subjective benefits and challenges, substance testing behavior, and the relevance of intention. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2022;36(1):85-96. doi: 10.1177/0269881120953994
Rosenbaum D, Weissman C, Anderson T, et al. Microdosing psychedelics: Demographics, practices, and psychiatric comorbidities. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2020;34(6):612-622. doi:10.1177/0269881120908004
Fadiman, J., & Korb, S. (2019). Might Microdosing Psychedelics Be Safe and Beneficial? An Initial Exploration. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 51(2), 118–122. doi: 10.1080/02791072.2019.1593561
Hartogsohn I. Set and setting, psychedelics and the placebo response: An extra-pharmacological perspective on psychopharmacology. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2016;30(12):1259-1267. doi: 10.1177/0269881116677852
McKenna, T. K. (1992). Food of the gods: the search for the original tree of knowledge : a radical history of plants, drugs, and human evolution. New York, Bantam Books.
Anderson, T., Petranker, R., Rosenbaum, D. et al. Microdosing psychedelics: personality, mental health, and creativity differences in microdosers. Psychopharmacology 236, 731–740 (2019). doi: 10.1007/s00213-018-5106-2
Studerus, E., Gamma, A., Kometer, M., & Vollenweider, F. X. (2012). Prediction of psilocybin response in healthy volunteers. PloS one, 7(2), e30800.
