-Ryan He

We all had those slow, unproductive days and had no idea how to cure it. There are distractions around every corner making it difficult to concentrate. Microdosing could be the answer that people are looking for. Microdosing is when you take a tiny portion of psychedelics, an amount that is too little to get you high, to enhance daily performance. Many had tried it and found it to be extremely beneficial to their daily lives, so much so that they have incorporated it into their normal routine. 39 year old van der Meijden said that microdosing psilocybin had made him “energetic enough to skip coffee.” The effects of microdosing carry on throughout the day, making him very conscious of where his attention is going towards. When he gets distracted he would notice right away and correct himself. It also allowed him to be more creative in his work. He can “see more possibilities in how things can be or look,” he can approach his creative work from a different perspective which allows him to yield results that would have been otherwise out of reach without microdosing. Others such as Jakobien van der Weijden find microdosing helps him to be more productive. It allows him to “work more focused, more efficiently” as well as being more creative. 38 year old Alex struggles with racing thoughts and says that microdosing has helped calm his mind. He has an easier time doing tasks as he is not consumed by his thoughts.

It is important to remember that, as with any type of substance, if used without proper precaution, it may cause more harm than good. If you decide to microdose, it is a good idea to start small to find the right dosage for you as you want to avoid accidentally getting high.

The average adult attention span is about 8 seconds, and with distractions everywhere in this digital age, focusing is becoming a challenge. But microdosing can change that. Whether you want to increase productivity/creativity, focus, calm the mind, or be able to skip coffee, microdosing offers a solution to your everyday problems.

-Ryan He

Policymakers have to be aware of the current times and create laws or policies that change with the modern world. This extends to the medical field. Through many small clinical tests, researchers have found great therapeutic potential in psychedelics that can earn them a spot in the medical field as a legitimate treatment option. But the legal status of these drugs amongst other things such as ethicality prevents large scale testing. When many small tests all show similar results, it is safe to say that the results are reliable, but a large scale test can further solidify and bolster the benefits of incorporating psychedelics into clinical settings. With a growing number of people suffering from mental illnesses, having a new possible treatment plan is something that should not be overlooked. The healthcare system must keep up with the latest knowledge on psychedelics because sooner or later, patients are going to be asking their doctors about psychedelic-assisted treatment, and the doctors should be able to offer accurate information to the patient. In order to do so, policymakers must acknowledge the growing evidence in the field of psychedelic medicine and make new policies in response. That way, the healthcare system can offer the most up to date options to the public. To be unaware of the new emerging healthcare options is the same as doing a disservice to the general public.

-Ryan He

Psychedelics have a reputation for being a recreational drug, but it is so much more than that. By branding as a recreational drug, it undermines the other great potentials that psychedelics have. People need to realize that the schedule I (drugs that have a high chance of being abused and have no medical use) status of common psychedelics such as Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD, aka acid), marijuana and Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine (MDMA, aka ecstasy), does not mean those drugs can not be used for other purposes besides recreational. Many small clinical studies have shown that when used in the right way, psychedelics can be of extreme therapeutic value. Psychedelic assisted treatment has shown the capability to stop addiction and or abuse of substances, treat PTSD, anxiety, lower suicidal behavior and thinking, etc. A study done by a New Mexico team that tested psilocybin’s ability to treat alcohol dependence found the participants’ heavy drinking days were cut in half. In a pilot study done in 2011that tested the effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in treating PTSD, the results showed that the participants showed a significant decrease in symptoms. To say that psychedelics have no place in the medical world without considering the available information that shows the therapeutic potential of psychedelics is absolutely preposterous. For people who are not seeing the results they want from current treatment options, psychedelic-assisted treatment can be the answer.