Microdosing is the practice of regularly taking small amounts of psychedelic drugs such as LSD on a semi-regular schedule. Dose amounts used when microdosing are typically 5-10% of the regular amount consumed. So, what is microdosing and why do people do it? 

Why Do People Microdose?

People typically use LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), psilocybin mushrooms, and other psychedelic drugs in order to achieve a high. They achieve this result when using a standard dosage amount.

Microdosing has become popular among people who find it offers certain benefits. Believers report a host of positive results from microdosing. These benefits include: 

• Improved energy
• Cognitive benefits
• Social benefits
• Creativity
• Improved mood
• Physiological enhancement
• Self-efficacy
• Reduced anxiety
• Improved focus

Many people take full dosages of LSD and other psychedelic drugs in order to affect their creative streaks and open their minds to new concepts. They end up “tripping” for hours and use that experience to provide creative inspiration. Fans of microdosing find it causes positive benefits without the tripping effect. Tripping can include hallucinations and flashbacks that recur sometimes for years. 

Negative Effects of Microdosing

While many report positive effects from microdosing, plenty of people also experience negative results as well. These include:

• Impaired energy
• Impaired mood
• Increased anxiety
• Cognitive interference
• Social interference
• Self-interference
• Impaired focus

Impossible to ignore is the fact that psychedelic drugs are illegal to possess, sell, or purchase. Regular purchasing and using of them may result in a person being arrested, jailed, and incurring expensive fines. 

Addiction also can be a factor with any type of narcotic. What may start as experimentation can turn into a substance use disorder. With many narcotics, a person believes they will stick to a low dosage or irregular usage of the substance, but this plan changes over time. They may end up increasing the dosage amount repeatedly and use it much more regularly than they initially planned.

Types of Populations That Microdose

Many fans of microdosing come from within the creative community. A wave of writers, artists, actors, musicians, and others who rely on the creative muses in their work utilizes microdosing to inspire them.

Microdosing may also help increase a person’s ability to concentrate. Students and employees report a rise in their ability to study, do school work, and complete work duties.

Other Drugs Used to Microdose

While people primarily use LSD, mushrooms, and other psychedelic drugs to microdose, there are other options. Some people use cannabis, either by smoking or vaping. People find more success with this by using edible products that contain THC. Popular choices are gummy bears, cookies, and oils. While THC edibles produce a high, they are different from CBD edibles, which do not cause the sensation of being high.

Some people experiment with using MDMA to microdose. It’s typically not as effective, owing to the fact that it is not psychedelic. Classified as an amphetamine, MDMA in any dosage proves to be risky to the user. 

Steve Jobs, Silicon Valley, and LSD

Steve Jobs, co-founder and previous CEO of Apple Inc., used LSD in his early days of inventing his mega-corporation. He felt it inspired his creativity and ability to expand his concepts related to reinventing the computer wheel.  

Although Jobs ended this practice around the time he officially launched Apple, some Silicon Valley employees now embrace microdosing in order to enhance their creative skills. Many also report that microdosing assists in helping them stay productive and have more energy.

What Does Science Say About Microdosing?

While microdosing has grown in popularity recently, large amounts of scientific studies about it have yet to be completed. Research has been limited so far, and the positive benefits attributed to microdosing often come from anecdotal sources. 

Some of the studies completed show that certain categories of results from microdosing show up on both the positive and negative sides. For example, some people experience improved energy and a reduction in anxiety, while others report impaired energy and a higher rate of anxiety. 

Several things factor into the question of if microdosing can be considered safe. One concerns the amount of the dosage. Measuring exact amounts of psychedelic drugs takes know-how. Many people do not understand how to do it, and end up ingesting more than they realize. 

The type of substance used presents a conundrum for many. While a person buying or receiving psychedelic drugs may feel confident they know what they are getting, this doesn’t always prove to be the case. Drug suppliers notoriously sell whatever they can without regard to the risk to their buyers. 

Mushrooms can be particularly challenging in that it takes an expert to understand which ones to use and how much. Often people ingest the wrong species or amount and end up with detrimental effects. 

Detox From Drugs in the Comfort of Your Own Home

If you are ready to enter a detoxification program but don’t want to leave the comfort of your own home, we can help. MD Home Detox offers detox services in your own home that is medically supervised. We provide round-the-clock nursing care and other services to help you achieve your recovery goals. 

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