What is Microdosing?
Not a passing fad, not a cure-all, but a new method of improving your health.
If you haven't heard the term "microdosing" yet, it's time to tune in! It seems like microdosing is everywhere lately—from friends sharing stories of their latest experiments with natural substances to social media influencers touting its benefits. But what exactly is microdosing? Is it worth exploring as a way to try to balance work and home life? In this blog post, we'll discuss some of the basics about this phenomenon that has been gaining more attention day by day.
Read on for a comprehensive overview of how and why people are using microdosing for better mental health and wellbeing!
What is Microdosing?
Microdosing is a term for taking sub-perceptual amounts f a psychedelic drug. This means that either you don’t feel a microdose—the way you don’t really feel a vitamin or morning cup of coffee—or you barely feel it. Because you’re not tripping, you can go about your day as usual. Researchers generally consider a microdose to be about 1/10 or 1/20 of a “normal recreational” dose. For magic mushrooms, the usual dose is between 0.1 and 0.3 grams. The goal is to take enough to have potential benefits — but without causing someone to feel high or intoxicated.
Psilocybin is a natural psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, known for altering mood and perception. It binds to similar serotonin receptors that antidepressants bind to in the brain. This increased brain activity leads to new neural connections. Studies have shown that microdosing psilocybin can have a positive impact on mood, creativity, focus, and even motivation.
Microdosing can have a number of benefits. Some people use it to boost their creativity or productivity. Others use it to increase their awareness during meditation or prayer. And some people use it to simply improve their mood or provide relief from stress, anxiety or depression.
Microdosing can enhance:
Creativity
Energy
Flow states
Productivity/focus
Better relationships/increased empathy
Athletic coordination
Leadership development
The History of Microdosing:
Psychedelics are powerful substances with mind-altering properties that have been used for thousands of years in traditional healing ceremonies. In recent years, interest in the potential therapeutic and psychological benefits of psychedelics has grown dramatically, leading to a resurgence of research in the field. Microdosing, or taking small doses of psychedelics, is becoming an increasingly popular choice among people looking to take advantage of the reported benefits of psychedelics without the risk of full-fledged psychedelic experiences.
It’s important to remember that microdosing still involves taking a potentially powerful and potentially dangerous drug, so it’s important to approach it with caution.
Why Microdose?
Because microdosing involves such small doses, it’s not likely to produce an overpowering effect. Instead, users report feeling subtle changes in their mental and physical state after each session. These effects might include improved focus and concentration; increased creativity; enhanced problem-solving skills; improved mood; reduced stress and anxiety; better sleep quality; decreased pain perception; boosted libido and more energy overall.
How to Microdose:
First, you should be clear on your microdosing goals and intentions. Consider what you are hoping to achieve with this experience—are you looking to treat a specific ailment or enhance your problem-solving abilities at work? Perhaps you’re seeking athletic advantage in your fitness routine or seeking a general improvement in your daily mood.
You should also familiarize yourself with the safety guidelines for psychedelics. Make sure you know how to identify the correct dose, store it properly, and take it appropriately. You should find a trusted psychedelic guide or coach to assist you in your microdosing journey. A knowledgeable psychedelic coach or guide can help you stay safe and get the most out of your experience.
A typical microdose protocol is 2x per week for one month, followed by a minimum one-week break. It would look like this:
Day 1: Microdose
Day 2: Afterglow Day:
Day 3: Return to Baseline
Microdosing on back-to-back days should be done with caution, as it can lead to a rapid buildup of tolerance to psilocybin. This means that the effects of taking psilocybin will become less pronounced over time if it is consumed too frequently. It is best to maintain a microdosing cycle and avoid taking a daily dose for more than five days in a row.
What does a Microdose program include?
Setting your intention: Why you are microdosing?
Finding your container: Where and how you will microdose?
Setting a schedule: How often you will microdose?
Calibrating your dose: How to find the right dose for you.
Supports users with options to stop or pause when needed.
Advice on incorporating exercise, diet, and meditation to microdosing Helping you decide when to stop or pause.
Helps you weave your microdosing experience into your normal life, often called “integration.”
Context, history, research, and science on microdosing.
Offers a microdosing worksheet to track experiences.
Coaching is essential for your Microdose Protocol
Many individuals who microdose fail to fully utilize its advantages and end up quitting. They may not know how to properly use this tool, resulting in a lack of integration. Avoiding this scenario and making the most of this valuable opportunity is important. Microdose coaches have personally experienced their own journey with psilocybin and can offer guidance and support when a problem might arise during your microdosing protocol. A coach makes sure you have a successful microdose experience.
If you’d like to work with a certified microdose coach, a free consultation is available here.
The Benefits of Microdosing
Microdosing has been shown to offer a range of advantages, including enhanced neuroplasticity, better cognitive function, and increased vitality. Moreover, it can also help to increase the frequency and/or intensity of desirable states of being.
Here are three examples of how microdosing can benefit you:
Improved creativity: Microdosing can help to unlock your creative potential by enhancing your ability to think outside the box and come up with new ideas.
Reduced anxiety: Microdosing can help to reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm, making it easier to cope with stress and everyday challenges.
Increased focus: Microdosing can help to improve your ability to concentrate and stay focused, which can be especially beneficial for those who struggle with ADHD or other attention-related disorders.
A recent scientific survey uncovered evidence that microdosing can have lasting effects on cognition and creativity. The positive changes appear to be linked to psychedelic-induced brain changes, like enhanced neural plasticity and neurogenesis, as well as reduced neuroinflammation.
What else can it do?
It creates space for us to bring more awareness to the parts of ourselves that need healing.
One of the greatest applications for it is making better decisions. Decisions that are in more alignment with who you are and where you want to go with this process.
Emotional Regulation- grounded and present and allows us to make decisions from a very healthy responsive place and not a fear-based perspective.
The Risks of Microdosing
Overall, microdosing magic mushrooms or psilocybin is considered very safe. As with any supplement or drug use, there are certain risks associated with microdosing which should be taken into account beforehand: these may include interactions between different substances (and therefore potential allergic reactions); potential for dependency on the particular substance being taken regularly; long-term health implications from continuous low-dose exposure etc.
With these in mind, people considering microdosing should consult a qualified healthcare professional or certified microdosing coach before taking any form of drug or supplement.
How safe is Microdosing?
In 2010, David Nutt, a British psychiatrist and neuropsychopharmacologist , published an extensive study on the comparative harms of drugs. You can see that psychedelic mushrooms had the lowest risk of harm compared to other legal and illegal drugs.
(Image from Third Wave.com)
Comparative Harm of Drugs:
To Microdose or Not to Microdose?
In conclusion, microdosing can be an effective way to explore the subtle effects of psychedelics and other substances. However, it is important to do so safely and responsibly by following the appropriate precautions and consulting with a qualified healthcare professional. With proper care, microdosing can provide unique insight into self-exploration and healing that may not be achieved through more traditional means.
Psychedelics can be a powerful tool for personal transformation and gaining insights, especially when used intentionally and responsibly. Microdosing while attending therapy can help you gain a better understanding of issues and topics that previously felt difficult to comprehend. Additionally, you may experience newfound creative insights into yourself, your past, and your relationships. However, it is entirely up to you to decide whether or not to disclose your microdosing routine to your therapist.
Summary
Microdosing is not a miracle cure - lifestyle changes are needed to feel well and healthy. Sleep, journaling, diet and exercise are critical components of this. Additional wellness modalities such as yoga, breathwork, meditation, massage and chiropractic can also be helpful. Microdosing can help you focus on you on your health and wellbeing.