-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.

For those of you who are still wary about microdosing and the effects, here are some people who have tried it. After reading through some of these, I hope you have a better understanding of microdosing and eliminate the inner stigma you may have about it. Or maybe, you or someone you care about are in the midst of dealing with some of the mental problems that these people have dealt with too. 

Listed below are just some anonymously reported experiences that REAL people have had with microdosing. 

Microdosing in daily life: 

“I dose 10 mcg LSD twice per week. I came to this amount by administering doses at 5 mcg intervals within the following range [5–25]. I have found that 10 mcg is the most beneficial. Any more and I’m a little too impressionable to (be) distracted, any less and there’s no benefit.”

“In the last year, I have been experimenting with LSD microdoses quite frequently. But in the past two months, I have gone from taking it every third day to every day. What amazes me is the fact that I don’t seem to feel any tolerance build up at all.”

As you can see, the amount of psychedelics they are taking are very small and they can avoid building the tolerance or dependence on the drug by consuming it only every other day or twice a week. The amount of times per week depends on the individual and they find out their personal doses by experimenting in their own times. Microdosing to treat mental illness is a trial and error process, so an individual must be aware of these precautions. 

PRECAUTION!!!

“I experimented with microdosing mushrooms, but went a bit too far with 0.25 g while at work. I don’t know if it was because of the situation, my empty stomach or because I was extra sensitive during that period – but I started tripping quite noticeably! Fortunately it turned out alright. At this level of dosage the peak only lasts for about an hour.”

“I was feeling very tired and had a martial arts class to attend for the first time, so I didn’t want to make a bad impression. This was my second time microdosing shrooms, and I dosed around 0.25–0.35 g a few hours before in an attempt to peak well before the class and still just be stimulated and in a good positive mood for it. This backfired massively as I had a large meal around the time of dosing and it only really kicked in once I got to the class. I found it very hard to follow instructions and had a huge body load.”

Of course, there are precautions that one must take when microdosing. After all, they are drugs and therefore could lead to the same effects drugs have on our body including dependence. However, an individual needs to check with their own body to see what their body can handle for microdosing and experiment frequently when they start out. The two individuals that shared their stories both share mistakes that they made when experimenting and can offer insight and possible solutions to those who are interested in microdosing or are in the midst of experimenting.

Citations:

Johnstad, P. G. (n.d.). Powerful substances in tiny amounts: An interview study of psychedelic microdosing – Petter Grahl Johnstad, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1455072517753339

You’re saying that microdosing can be used as an alternative to medication to treat mental illness? Yes. That is exactly what we are saying. From the numerous studies that have been conducted, there is a list of positive effects that patients and people have been experiencing throughout their journey with microdosing. 

1. Alleviate anxiety and depression
2. Increase perception
3. Increase creativity levels
4. Lower dependence on other drugs like alcohol
5. Betters their mood
6. Sharpens focus
7. Improves outlook on life
8. Becomes more optimistic
9. Improves outcomes from people suffering from PTSD

Citations:

Johnstad, P. G. (n.d.). Powerful substances in tiny amounts: An interview study of psychedelic microdosing – Petter Grahl Johnstad, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1455072517753339

When you hear the terms, abuse, dependence, addiction, and overdose, where does your mind take you to? Most would probably say confidently: drugs. When you look back at the terms, you may notice that these are all negative words. However, drugs are not necessarily such a bad thing. When used irresponsibly, of course, it can lead to all of the words above. However, when used in controlled amounts for medical purposes, drugs can be useful to treat some of the mental illnesses that society sees in people of all ages today. Here, we will show you that with microdosing, the terms listed above are in no way related to each other. 

According to Macmillan Dictionary, abuse is defined as the use of alcohol or illegal drugs in a way that is harmful to your health. An individual is not able to abuse the drugs that are used in microdosing practices because the amount of consumption of the psychedelic drug is that of a tiny amount compared to a regular dosage of the drug that may be used recreationally. 

Dependence is defined as the fact that someone is addicted to a drug or alcohol. An individual is not able to develop a dependence, or tolerance of the drug because the drug that is taken for microdosing is provided in small amounts and is taken only a couple times per week. It can only be built if an individual were to be taking normal doses regularly. 

Addiction is defined as a strong need that someone feels to regularly take an illegal or harmful drug. An individual cannot be addicted to the drugs they are microdosing with because the drug is consumed in miniscule amounts. The individual may choose to take the drug if they are dealing with mental illness or if they want to enhance their cognitive abilities in their workplace; however, this is a choice that the individual is able to make since they do not depend on the drug. 

Overdose is defined as too much of a drug that someone takes at a time. An individual cannot overdose when they are microdosing because in order to overdose, an individual must take more than the normal dosage; however, when microdosing, an individual is taking just one tenth of the normal dosage, so there are no problems with overdosing while practicing microdosing.

Citations: Relating to using illegal drugs – synonyms and related words: Macmillan Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2020, from https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/thesaurus-category/american/relating-to-using-illegal-drugs