Can Microdosing Psychedelics Improve Your Mental Health?

Find out about the latest trends in the use of microdosing products containing psychedelics that can improve and enhance your mental wellbeing

These days, pretty much any MoM dispensary will stock a wide range of psychedelics in amounts and packages small enough to qualify as microdoses.

Various studies have shown that small doses of the psychoactive compounds found in marijuana, mushrooms and cannabis extracts, can have some beneficial effects both on mental health and general physical wellbeing. So let’s take a look at some of the latest research into microdosing psychedelics, and how you, too, can use these products to boost your own mental health.

By the way, we are going to get a little bit technical in this one, but don’t worry…it won’t be like a high school chemistry class!

What is Microdosing?

Let’s get the terminology and jargon out of the way first, shall we?

Microdosing psychedelics is the practice of consuming very low doses of certain psychedelic substances, such as my lysergic acid or psilocybin-containing mushrooms.

By consuming these substances in very small doses, users can access the health benefits of the products, without the hallucinogenic aspects or side effects that usually accompany the use of full-strength doses.

The New Normal

The practice of microdosing psychedelics has recently grown in popularity. Anecdotal reports in popular media point towards the fact that there is a large public interest in microdosing, and the need for more scientific studies into the effects of microdosing.

However, while there has been some research into the effects and benefits of full-dose psychedelics, little research has been conducted into microdosing as an effective form of mental health improvement.

A study published in the Harm Reduction Journal described findings that point to a number of beneficial outcomes of microdosing, such as improved mood and focus.

The report also noted that people experienced fewer negative outcomes, such as those that produce certain physiological discomforts and anxiety, when microdosing substances such as psilocybin. It was also observed that participants in several trials and studies, reported that the benefits of microdosing outweighed even the small negative outcomes experienced.

A Challenging Subject to Study

The challenge associated with studying the effects of any form of psychedelic, whether at full dose levels or microdose levels, is that participants in the studies may be placed under considerable psychological risk.

As the Harm Reduction study pointed out in its preamble: “in a survey targeting specific [side effects], respondents reported that they had experienced at least one challenging bad trip with psilocybin-containing mushrooms…” and that “…39% of respondents rated the experiences as among the top 5 most psychologically difficult and challenging experiences of their lives.”

A Brighter Future

So as you can see, research into the effects of microdosing on both the human body and mental health poses some challenges.

But let’s put the academic stuff to one side for a moment, and look at some of the extremely positive benefits and experiences that people who practice microdosing have discovered.

The Benefits of Microdosing

Following the publication of The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide by American psychologist and researcher James Fadiman, microdosing began to attract mainstream attention.

In his book, Fadiman set out information about appropriate dose rates for microdosing, and included a number of first-hand accounts about the positive effects of microdosing.

Productivity

The effects of microdosing on productivity are popular among coding circles in Silicon Valley, where long periods of complex calculations and data entry are required.

Increased Alertness and General Well-Being

Taking tiny amounts of psychedelics such as psilocybin (O-phosphoryl-4-hydroxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine), the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”, or lysergic acid, the active compound in LSD, create feelings of well-being and alertness without the “tripping” effects usually associated with these drugs.

Many people find that microdosing helps them cope with the everyday stress of life without having to resort to anti-depressants or alcohol.

Increased Creativity

Among the artistic and gaming communities, microdosing is currently finding a great deal of support for its ability to enhance creativity and promote inventiveness.

Relief of Anxiety and Depression

In these strange and troubling times, the relief of anxiety and depression is the number one reason that people are looking to microdosing psychedelics as a viable alternative to the usual pharmaceutical treatments.

An Alternative to Alcohol and Cocaine

Some recent reports suggest that millennials (ie people born between 1981 and 1996) are turning away from the excessive consumption of alcohol, and “hard” drugs such as cocaine, and replacing them with microdosing psychedelics instead.

The most commonly reported benefits include improved mood, better sleep, and a desire for healthier food.

Other Good Stuff

A couple of the “side effects” noted by proponents of microdosing are better sex and decreased coffee consumption. Well…decreased coffee consumption might be a bit of a drag, but if the other one is true, time to go get some psychedelics!

How Does Microdosing Work?

All psychedelics are known to affect serotonin production. Serotonin is a chemical messenger that allows nerve cells to communicate.

Happiness…and Other Things

Although serotonin is usually portrayed as a substance responsible for happiness, its function is vastly more complex. Serotonin is associated not only with mood, but with eating, sleeping, memory, thermo-regulation of the body, and cognition.

The mechanism by which psychedelics can interact with serotonin is not yet fully understood. However, one hypothesis suggests that psychedelics lead to the creation of new neural connections which may fight inflammation, increase perception, reaction times and cognizance, and boost immunity.

Initial reports seem to suggest that people who microdose don’t feel any psychoactive high at all, but do notice subtle changes in their mood. Others may feel a mild euphoria or body high, but not the hallucinations or intensity of feeling that may come with a full dose of a psychedelic.

Canada Leads the Way in Microdosing

Canada is one of the few countries in the world that is moving towards legalizing the consumption of psychedelic mushrooms for people who have depression and other mental illnesses.

According to Dr. Pamela Kryskow, a Canadian psychedelic researcher: “The proof is in the research and patient improvement. We’ve seen positive clinical evidence that shows that psilocybin-assisted therapy works tremendously well for addressing many mental health challenges where other options are ineffective. The healthcare practitioners are ready, the patients deserve this, and we’re ready to provide this medical service to Canadians.”

The Future is Bright

The staff at Salishtrails.org are experts in microdosing and the many different products available to use for this. They can give you advice about the best psychedelics for your particular needs, and help you to make the best choices when it comes to selecting products suitable for you.

Among the many products containing micro-dose psychedelics available from Salish Trails, their range of psilocybin products is especially good for users seeking to improve their mental wellbeing.

Check them out here and embark on your microdosing journey to better mental health.

* * All views expressed here are from a third-party source and do not necessarily represent the entity of Salish Trails itself. This blog post is intended to be used for informational purposes only

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