Microdosing

A Brief History of Psychedelic Microdosing

Psilocybin microdosing has gained some well deserved attention. From the 2010s Silicon Valley, it became a mainstream backed up by science. Over the last 5 years, microdosing took huge steps to break into the world of  common knowledge and medical standing.

But what exactly is psychedelic microdosing?

Simply put, it’s the act of taking a small amount of a psychedelic substance (10-20% of a normal dose), like psilocybin or LSD. However, microdosing is not consumed everyday, because we regulate certain positive effects from the substance without “tripping.”

Microdosing is your new “morning coffee.”

The idea of taking a substance to “not to trip” sounds a little strange to some, even crazy. So, why would anyone microdose? Well, psilocybin microdosing (one of the main focuses of microdosing studies) has provided many benefits:

• An increase in creativity, alertness and focus
• More energy and enthusiasm
• A greater awareness and connection to one’s surroundings
• More open and appreciative to social settings and forming relationships

These benefits may seem overly miraculous and cutting edge, but the testimonial evidence, and the clinical evidence is very much pointing in this direction.

Where did psilocybin microdosing all start?

This full history of microdosing is hard to know in its entirety, but the practice has most likely dawned from the heydays of LSD (way back in the 1930s). Unfortunately, there is little real evidence though.

But, let’s jump forward to the year 2011 and the time where microdosing made its true debut on the world stage by virtue of psychedelic pioneer: James Fadiman. 

James Fadiman on microdosing

The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide, (a great read for any psychonaut or science fan). It introduced the idea of microdosing to the mainstream audience and broadened the conversation on psychedelics in general.

Fadiman to thank for spreading awareness.

In the book, Fadiman laid out a regulated and simple schedule of how a person should microdose. The standard routine he encouraged was a course of taking a morning microdose once every three days (see Option 1).

Many people across the globe were interested and Fadiman began sending out microdosing instruction sheets to anyone who was willing. The instructions also included a request for “trip reports” from the users.

In his own words

“Write a few notes to yourself about how your day went. Consider, for example, the amount of work you did, how productive or creative it was, and the level of ease or discomfort you felt. Notice any changes in how you are relating to others. Notice any differences from normal in mood, food, physical strength, or symptoms of any condition.”

Overwhelmed with hundreds and hundreds of reports, Fadiman had a lot data on microdosing and its effects. It’s to no surprise that the reports were largely positive.

While the numerous trip reports stood as strong evidence for the case of microdosing, the fight for it’s true experimentation and future use had to be taken up by larger, more in-depth studies with the ability to gain proper government clearance.

Encouraging psilocybin clinical trials

Small scale clinical studies and trials started to take place in both the US and across Europe with an increase around the 2010s. Microdosing as a practice was starting to build a case for itself with real reputable data.

In November 2018, microdosing got its big break

A group of UK professors carried out the world’s first “randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study” of microdosing LSD, it was published in the medical journal Psychopharmacology. 

The study had full government control and clearance. It got the ball rolling on changing the mentality of drug companies and politicians to otherwise “taboo” substances. Plus, it opened the door for further clinical trials.

Taking inspiration from this trial and published in the same journal the following year

a study into the effects of microdosing  magic truffles took place with largely positive results. One of the events of this study was organized by the Dutch Psychedelic Society. They had a group of 38 volunteers faced with a set of problem solving tasks and intelligence tests before and after a microdose was administered.

The study found that microdosing psilocybin had potential to increase and enhance a person’s creativity in regards to both critical and emotional thinking.

A bright future for psilocybin microdosing

Many more trials are taking place as we speak and 2020 stands to be a year of large gains for psychedelic microdosing as a cutting edge medical practice.

Though the field of microdosing as a science is no much older than a teen, the evidence so far has been largely encouraging. One shouldn’t be shamed for expecting it to become a regular practice over the coming decade.

Due to hard working researchers and influencers carrying out both trials and awareness campaigns, the world of psychedelic microdosing grows every day. Its history increasingly cemented as a possible major step in the world of pharmaceuticals.