Consider the Microdose
Microdosing is the practice of experiencing psychedelics in very small quantities to enhance mood, creativity and mental clarity. This practice will not melt your brain. To the contrary, the dosage is designed to hit just below conscious perception. Microdosing reportedly improves mood, cognitive function and mental concentration, as well as enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills. Other surveys show it to promote cognitive flexibility, positively affect empathy and reduce levels of mind wandering. Individuals have also reported to use microdosing to treat cluster headaches, depression and anxiety. One must simply search for microdosing podcasts to see the vast ecosystem of microdosing theories, therapies and advocates.
Indeed, popularity in microdosing is booming.
NPR reports that internet search history for psychedelics has increased 1,250% since 2015. Billions of dollars have now been invested into potential medical treatments. In 2023, psilocybin became the most popular psychedelic in the US with an estimated 8 million users according to the RAND Corporation. Despite a growing chorus of anecdotal support for microdosing, there is scant academic research on the subject to support claims. This is not invalidating though. The passage of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970 effectively killed psychedelic research for 50 years and only recently have scientists been allowed to return to the subject.
In the absence of academic leadership, psychedelic practice has been largely defined by the continued underground work of the old guard, such as Terrance McKenna, Bruce Damer, Stanislof Grof, Charles Grob and James Fadiman. Dr. Fadiman, an American psychologist, writer, and researcher known for his pioneering work in psychedelic studies, is notable for popularizing the modern microdosing practice. Born in 1939, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and later obtained a Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University. His career has been dedicated to exploring the therapeutic and cognitive benefits of psychedelics, particularly their role in self-discovery, creativity, and mental health treatment.
Fadiman’s interest in psychedelics began in the 1960s when he participated in early research at Stanford, studying the effects of LSD on problem-solving and creativity. During this period, he worked closely with influential figures in the field, such as Richard Alpert (later known as Ram Dass) and Timothy Leary. However, with the criminalization of psychedelics in the late 1960s, mainstream research was halted, and Fadiman shifted his focus to transpersonal psychology, consciousness studies, and alternative healing practices.
Despite the legal barriers, Fadiman continued his research in underground psychedelic therapy and later became one of the key voices in the psychedelic renaissance. His 2011 book, The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys, became a seminal text, providing insights into responsible psychedelic use, microdosing, and therapeutic applications.
Fadiman has served as a lecturer and educator, contributing to institutions such as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University). His work continues to bridge scientific research with spiritual and psychological exploration, making him a respected figure in the resurgence of psychedelic science. Today, he remains an advocate for responsible psychedelic use and its potential to improve mental well-being.
Despite gushing reports, the scientific community is much more reserved. Anecdotal evidence is well documented, but it often lacks appropriate controls, is based on self-selected samples and is woefully vulnerable to confirmation bias. The paper “Microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study”, published in 2022, attempts to address this. The researchers dosed out 0.5 grams of psilocybin to 34 individuals in a double-blind placebo-controlled procedure and then measured subjective experience, behavior, creativity, perception, cognition and brain activity. They found that if the participant could identify the active dose, they reported acute effects significantly more intense than placebo. Despite brain scans showing distinct changes in EEG rhythms, only small changes towards cognitive impairment were recorded. They concluded that microdosing psilocybin did not provide evidence to support well-being, creativity and cognitive function. Ultimately expectation was deemed responsible for at least some of the reported anecdotal benefits.
How to reconcile anecdotal evidence and published science? The double-blind study showed that expectation is undoubtedly responsible for some of the therapeutic benefits of microdosing. Initially this paper might be considered invalidating, but the research fails to address the power of psilocybin in a therapeutic space. The secret to microdosing is that taken alone
To be continued…
