Adults who microdose psychedelics report health related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers

Summary & key facts

This study used a smartphone app to compare 4,050 people who said they microdose psychedelics with 4,653 people who did not. Psilocybin was the most common microdose substance, and people who microdosed often said they did so for health and wellness reasons. In people who reported past mental health concerns, microdosers had lower reported levels of depression, anxiety, and stress than non-microdosers, but the study is cross-sectional and based on self-report, so it cannot show cause and calls for more research.

Key facts:

• The study sample included 8,703 anonymous, self-selected participants: 4,050 microdosers and 4,653 non-microdosers.
• Eighty-five percent (85%) of microdosers in this sample reported using psilocybin-containing substances as their microdose.
• Microdosers were generally similar to non-microdosers in demographics, but they were more likely to report a history of mental health concerns.
• Among participants who reported mental health concerns, microdosers reported lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress across genders compared to non-microdosers.
• Health and wellness motives were the most common reasons given for microdosing, and these motives were especially common among women and among people with mental health concerns.
• Many microdosers reported varied dosing, frequency, and a practice called “stacking,” which combines psilocybin with non-psychedelic substances such as Lion’s Mane mushrooms, chocolate, or niacin.
• Prior observational research cited in the paper reports typical microdose ranges of about 0.1–0.3 grams of dried psilocybin mushrooms and about 5–20 micrograms (μg) of LSD.
• The study used cross-sectional, self-report data collected via an iOS app from a self-selected sample, which limits the ability to draw cause-and-effect conclusions and may not represent the general population.

Topics

Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques Chemical synthesis and alkaloids Psychedelics and Drug Studies

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Anxiety Clinical psychology Depression (economics) Economics Hallucinogen Macroeconomics Medicine Mental health MicroDose Pharmacology Psilocybin Psychiatry Psychology