These days, the practice of taking small doses of psilocybin-containing mushrooms has become widespread worldwide. According to users` reports, microdosing therapy helps them fight anxiety and depression, increase concentration and energy, and develop creativity. While magic mushrooms are still illegal in numerous states, scientists research the true benefits of microdosing shrooms for mental health. Today, we will discover the question: can microdosing affect your mental health, and if yes, how is it possible.
Magic mushrooms microdosing at a glance
Microdosing shrooms typically mean the experience of taking tiny amounts of mushrooms that contain the active compound psilocybin. These fungi are also known as magic mushrooms. There are practices of taking full and small doses where small ones are around 1\10 to 1\20 of a standard dose (10 to 20 micrograms). Taking a full amount of shrooms leads a user to experience the so-called psychedelic trip with sensory or auditory hallucinations and changes in world perception.
On the other hand, microdosing won’t produce such strong effects but is likely to treat stress, anxiety and improve general mental health conditions. To notice the long-lasting effects, there is a common belief that microdosing should be regular.
Microdosing psychedelics and effect on mental health
An active compound in magic mushrooms psilocybin is similar to serotonin – a chemical messenger in the human brain that influences mood regulation. Typically, an imbalanced level of serotonin can provoke anxiety or depression. Psilocybin is considered a stimulator of the human serotonergic system and helps to adjust the balance of serotonin in the body. That is why tiny doses of magic mushrooms for mental health work in most cases.
Existing studies on magic mushrooms are mainly based on participants’ self-reports, although the official medical trial is still in demand. According to some research surveys, members stand out for improved productivity and performance as the main benefits of microdosing they have experienced. Participants also mentioned other health benefits of microdosing mushrooms, including an increase in energy, creativity development, improving focus and mood.
Microdosing has the potential to deal with depression and anxiety as well. It is worth mentioning that the 2021 study incorporates surveys to find out the potential benefits of microdosing with psychedelics. The results of this research showed that microdosing helped reduce the symptoms of both depression and anxiety in participants.
Besides, the study’s authors aimed to compare reasonable expectations of taking tiny doses of psychedelics with the outcomes themselves. It turned out that participants who have better expectations about microdosing have reported more improvements in their general wellness. According to this fact, we can talk about a placebo effect in the practice of microdosing. It doesn’t mean that microdosing mushrooms aren’t as effective as they might seem to us, but we have to take into account a placebo effect, too.
