Results from the largest survey study of microdosing published last week further validate the many reported benefits of microdosing psychedelics.
In the largest survey study of microdosers conducted to date, renowned mycologist Paul Stamets and his team concluded that "adults who microdose psychedelics report health-related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers".
The researchers surveyed a group of 8703 self-selected participants; 4050 microdosers and 4653 non-microdosers. 85% of the microdosing participants were utilizing psilocybin with a wide range of variable dosage, frequency, and stacking which refers to the practice of combining psilocybin with other non-psychoactive ingredients like lion's mane and cacao. The sample groups were similar across demographic characteristics with the micordosing group more likely to report a history of mental health concerns.
The researchers found that amongst individuals who reported mental health concerns, the microdosing group exhibited lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress across gender.
Those respondents who reported currently having a mental health or addiction concerns and who completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress subscales of the DASS-21, microdosers demonstrated lower scores than non-microdosers on Anxiety, Depression, and Stress.
Microdosers reported Enhancing Mindfulness, followed by Improving Mood, Enhancing Creativity and Enhancing Learning as their dominant motives for microdosing. Enhancing Mindfulness and Enhancing Creativity was the main motive for microdosing across all groups while respondents without mental health concerns were more likely to report microdosing to Enhance Learning, and those who reported mental health concerns were more motivated to Reduce Anxiety, Decrease Substance Use, and Improve Mood. Women were more likely to report Improve Mood and Decrease Anxiety as a motive for microdosing while men were more likely to seek Enhancing Learning, Increasing Sociability, and Decreasing Substance Use as their main motivation.
The researchers concluded:
"This examination of a large international sample of adults highlights the prominence of therapeutic and wellness motivations for microdosing psychedelic drugs and identified lower levels of anxiety and depression among microdosers relative to controls. We also identified a diversity of microdosing practices with substantial variations in dose, frequency and use of combinations of psychedelic and non-psychedelic substances (i.e., stacking). Future research is warranted to better determine the impact of these distinct practices—and of microdosing more broadly—on the aspects of cognition, mood, and well-being which microdosing is intended to enhance."
