The Basics of Microdosing
You are said to microdose when you take quantities of a psychedelic, low enough to reduce the potency of its hallucinogenic properties at a regular interval. This practice is widespread in the psychedelic world and is said to have a spectrum of health benefits. These benefits include better mood swings, increased creativity and boosted focus. Other benefits include decreasing stress and anxiety and helping with menstrual pains and emotional troubles. It could also help users make better choices regarding lifestyle and health.
When we talk of microdosing, it is usually in three stages or sections;
- The use of a low psychedelic dose
- Usage of the dose in a scheduled manner
- The decision to use these dossing sessions improves your mental and physical well-being.
This article will discuss the basics of microdosing, touching on the process, things to consider, benefits, and the risk involved in micro-dosing.
Selecting the Ideal Dose
Many users have opined that 125mg of psychedelics is the perfect dose for them. While this may be true, it is essential to remember that an ideal dose is different for everybody. You should not endeavour to work with another person’s dose, as your body and experience with psychedelics may be different.
Thus, when you start with 125mg, watch out for your body’s reactions. You can reduce the dose to about 75mg if the effects prove too strong. If, however, the effects of the dose go unnoticed, you can increase it to about 250mg. You should also remember that psychedelics have more potent effects on the body when the stomach is empty.
Expectations with Microdosing
One of the feelings you would most likely get with microdosing on psychedelics is a tremendous personal feeling. You will focus on yourself and find yourself in a great headspace. While the effects of the microdose last for 4 to 6 hours after use, you can still feel its after-effects the next day after using it. Thus, the microdosing experience is divided into two;
On the Days of Use
At this point, the effect of the microdose is not well pronounced, but you can feel it very well. This means you can do the things you routinely do without any issues. On the first day of microdosing, you will notice more empathy, hear the music better, laser-type focus, become more observant of the environment and nature, and feel more energetic. You may also be able to stay on track while becoming more thoughtful and thinking before speaking.
On Days After Use
According to many years, the effects of the microdose drag on to the next day after the microdosing. There is also an afterglow experience the day after using the psychedelic. You will need two days of non-usage to return to your normal state.
After A While
After using a microdose of psychedelics for a while, you need to start monitoring your baseline. Is it increasing already, or does it remain the same? After using it for a while, people report that they witness a stronger desire to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. They also find themselves with stronger memory and feelings and a better zeal to become more involved with life.
All the doses mentioned in this piece (125mg/250mg/75mg) all refer to a psilocybin capsule. You should also be careful when using psychedelics with coffee, ADHD drugs, energy drinks, and other stimulants.
Establishing your Schedule
It is advisable to microdose two days a week. You can choose which days of the week you want to schedule for microdosing. This schedule is the baseline for people who are just starting. You can increase the frequency if your experience matches up to it. You are good to go as long as the days are chosen will not interfere with your activities and lifestyle. However, you must take at least two days off microdosing every week.
It is important to note that some experts have devised protocols and schedules for psychedelics. Examples include Paul Stamets’ 5 days on, two days off plan or Dr. James Fadiman’s one day on, two days off plan.
While you are free to plan your schedule as you wish, it is advisable to take your first microdose on a day when you have nothing to do, for instance, on a Sunday. This allows you to monitor the effect in a controlled and less chaotic environment. You should also take a week’s break from microdosing after microdosing for two months. This helps you note how your body feels and your experiences.
Defining your Intentions
You must understand why you are microdosing in the first place. The reason for engaging in this activity should be established and related to something personal to your core fulfillment or individual experience. After establishing the reason for microdosing, find a way to remind yourself every day, especially when you are about to start.
Another important tip is to try to complete your daily tasks while on the psychedelics. The purpose of microdosing is to improve your life using psychedelics, not make you abandon your life for some high. One of the ways to ensure that you have a great psychedelics experience is by journaling. Journaling helps you document the feelings, changes and experiences you observe from using these psychedelics. You will also be able to document if you feel the things you planned on the feeling when you start to microdose. Finally, journaling helps you note the differences between dose days and non-dose days.
Upsides of Microdosing
While there are many microdosing benefits, only a few are documented. So, this article will address the documented advantages of microdosing. The following are some of the benefits of microdosing;
- Laser focus
- Better relational skill
- Increased creativity
- Improved athletic coordination
- Pro-social behaviour
- Better social abilities
- Increased energy
- Better clarity of the mental state
- Reduced psychosomatic issues
- Less anxiety and depression
- Helps you handle ADHD better
- Improved handling of addiction
Downsides to Microdosing
The biggest and most serious downside to using psychedelics on a microdose basis is its legality. There is more information about the legality of psychedelics and their microdoses here. You can also check out the safety of microdoses from the report on the Global Drug Survey carried out in 2019.
Flow States
One of the advantages of microdosing is that it provides an improved flow state. But new users have no idea what a flow state is. A flow state is the same thing as being in the zone. When you are in the zone, you are completely absorbed by the experience you are currently feeling. For example, have you been so focused on a task or activity that you didn’t know when time passed? If yes, that is an example of a flow state. Medical research has shown that using psychedelics such as psilocybin allows the cells in the brain to gravitate towards alpha oscillations. This type of oscillation is also noticed when the human body transitions to a flow state. Also, the transition into flow states comes with increased production of serotonin, and the use of psilocybin increases the production of serotonin in the body.
The most important discovery of these studies is that psychedelics can shut down the default network mode in the brain and allows the brain to make unique connections that it would not normally make to parts of the brain with which the body doesn’t communicate in the first place. This is an important part of accessing the flow states.
Uses for Therapy
Evidence also proves that a microdosing schedule helps people treat mental issues such as depression, ADHD, addiction, PTSD, and mood disorders. Examples of this evidence include the study carried out by the Harm Reduction Journal which contained the experiences of 278 people who are microdosing. The study was one of the thorough works done on the effects of microdosing, and it showed that the effects included better focus, improved mood and lessened anxiety, among others.
Many clinical trials prove that using psychedelics in larger quantities helps with addiction, depression and anxiety. It was also discovered that microdosing helps with psychotherapy, as microdosing makes it easier to talk about the issues that were previously difficult to explain or process. It could also provide a broader insight and creative perspective into your life, your past interactions with people, and the relationship that was difficult to comprehend. This helps you understand yourself better and provides room for personal growth.