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Microdosing Information/Education

Psilocybin (“magic” mushrooms). Psilocybin may act as an antidepressant  for those with major depression. Users have also reported feeling more empathic and emotionally open. The goal is to achieve the positive results of the substance (more focus, energy, and emotional balance) without the negative (hallucinations, sensory shifts, and other extreme experiential side effects).

Why do people microdose?

Microdosing began gaining popularity between 2010 and 2013 in Silicon Valley as a way to increase energy and productivity to help brainstorm and tackle roadblocks in strategies and coding.

While some people still look to microdosing to help improve their professional efficiency, there are said to be a number of other benefits . Here are a few of the most common:

  • better focus
  • higher levels of creativity
  • relief from depression
  • more energy
  • less anxiety in social situations
  • emotional openness
  • help quitting coffee, pharmaceutical drugs, or other substances
  • relief from menstrual pain
  • heightened spiritual awareness

Steps to microdosing

  1. Take the first dose. On a day without any major obligations and without any children present, take the first microdose.
  2. Pay attention. Sit back and observe the experience. The individual should notice whether or not it matches their initial goals. Keep a log of the day to track the effects. Note: the length of each microdosing experience will vary depending on person to person
  3. Adjust (if needed). Did the first time create the desired result? If so, this is the ideal dose. If not, adjust accordingly.
  4. Proceed with regular use. To start a regimen, follow the “one day on, two days off” principle and continue for up to 10 weeks. This will help avoid building up a tolerance.

NOT ALL DOSES ARE CREATED EQUAL

A microdose for most folks can be a major dose for some. A “bad trip” can occur for those who are highly sensitive or if the drug has accumulated in the bloodstream over time. Effects of magic mushrooms, cannabis, and others can vary in active drug concentrations, even when using carefully prepared products. The variance of active content can be down to small changes in growing conditions, like the weather or soil.

“BABYSITTING”

Looking after or “babysitting” someone who does not know their limit or who’s never microdosed before is also recommended. The person microdosing may want to have someone in the room to reassure them if they accidentally have too much or have a bad trip.

The negative side of microdosing

Though microdosing has its fair share of claimed benefits, there are a few negative side effects to note. These include:

Unintended tripping

Don’t chase a “feeling.” Microdosing produces sub-perceptual, or very subtle, changes. The goal is to unleash a slightly better version of “you.” Once the person starts “feeling” something, chances are they have gone too far.

Unintended terrible tripping

While tripping can be unpleasant, a bad trip is even worse. In fact, a bad trip can, in some cases, even trigger past trauma.

In conventional psychedelic use, it is thought that “set and setting” are the biggest factors influencing the experience.

“Set” refers to a person’s state of mind, or the condition of their thoughts, emotional state, and anxiety levels. Meanwhile, “setting” is about the external environment. If either set or setting are not safe or supportive, having a bad trip is a real possibility.

If someone is having a bad trip, try the following steps to help that person through their difficult experience:

  • Find a safe space. Move the person to a comfortable, calm, and noise-free area.
  • Sit with them. Act as a meditative presence for the person. Don’t try to guide the person’s experience, but rather let their experience guide them.
  • Talk them through it. Discuss with the person what they’re currently feeling. Encourage them not to resist what they are going through.