The use of psychedelics is becoming more popular every day, and with it the practice of microdosing. However, scientific information on this tool remains scant, and as its popularity increases, misinformation is more common.
If you are new to this practice, you may have some questions such as what exactly is a microdose? How should I take it? How should I feel during the treatment? When is it recommended? or what are the risks?
In this article we answer those questions and leave you with some recommendations so that you can make the most of this tool.
Let's start with the first thing, what is a microdose?
A microdose consists of a very small -almost imperceptible- dose of some psychedelic substance. Actually, we mean a dose that is between one tenth and one twentieth of a dose that would give you hallucinations. Typically the most popular microdoses are psilocybin or magic mushrooms, or LSD .
In the case of PrajnaDose, our microdoses are with the psilocybin mushroom in combination with other non-psychedelic medicinal mushrooms such as lion's mane , cordyceps, maitake, and reishi.
So that you can appreciate the benefits of microdosing, it is recommended that you carry out a treatment for a prolonged period (at PrajnaDose we recommend at least 10 weeks of treatment).
You must understand this tool in a similar way to psychological therapy: the most lasting benefits do not occur immediately and require your own work.
Microdosing is a tool that can be of great help for personal work. It can help you process emotions and internalize learning, and is also widely used to promote creativity and focus , which in turn improves productivity.
There are already multiple studies where they are used to treat symptoms of anxiety, depression or some other neurodivergent condition.
Unlike macrodosing, microdosing can be a more useful tool for everyday life; This is because the basic precept of microdosing is that it should not perceptually alter your state of consciousness . Its work is more subtle and thus allows you to continue functioning in your day to day.
That is, you should not feel hallucinogenic effects, symptoms such as frequent yawning, an excited stomach feeling or too much volatility in mood are indications that the dose was too high.
The more specific effects are highly variable depending on each person; of his mental state, his personal intention and the environment where he performs it. Commonly, greater mental and emotional presence and/or more energy are reported during the day.
What are the risks?
Psychedelics in this format have been little studied so far, but no real risks to the health of patients have been reported. It is not recommended to mix these substances with conventional psychiatric medications (antidepressants, anxiolytics, antiepileptics, etc.) without the supervision of a psychiatrist.
In surveys carried out in forums such as microdose.me, certain cases have been reported where some people have come to feel more anxiety. But these reports of empirical experiences may result from an inappropriate dose.
Another current risk is the purity of the substance with which they perform the microdose, since the current regulatory framework prevents quality control from existing because they are produced illegally. So it's very important that your microdoses inspire confidence.
We leave you some additional recommendations
In this article we leave you some recommendations to integrate this practice into your routine and get the most benefit from this tool .
Another important recommendation is to do some kind of physical activity during treatment to connect your body and mind.
Finally, the best recommendation we can give you is that you have a clear intention to start the treatment. This will serve as a guide and give you more clarity about your progress, since you will be able to see tangible results more easily.
You want to know more?
If you are looking for more information, we recommend these other articles that can guide you in this process.
- Find Your Intention
- What is a Microdose?
- Microdose of Psilocybin or LSD?
- Integrate Microdosing into your life
REFERENCES
- Hutten et al. (2019). “Motives and Side-Effects of Microdosing With Psychedelics Among Users” https://academic.oup.com/ijnp/article/22/7/426/5509881?login=true
- Stamets et al. (2021). “Adults who microdose psychedelics report health related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-01811-4