While psychedelics are known for their deeply personal and powerful hallucinogenic effects and experiences, it might seem counterintuitive to use a dose of a psychedelic substance so small that it doesn’t induce these profound effects.
Imagine a world where you perceive everything through a more positive lens while also soothing troubling symptoms. Psychedelics make a transformative journey possible, and the beauty lies in the fact that a full-blown psychedelic experience is not needed.
Within recent years, microdosing has certainly gained popularity thanks to its cognitive and creative benefits. While the term ‘microdosing’ is relatively new, the practice itself has existed for centuries.
Indigenous cultures incorporated low doses of psilocybin mushrooms in their spiritual practice for thousands of years. These cultures utilized shamans, who provide services similar to what psychedelic facilitators offer today, to facilitate these experiences.
In this article, we will dive into the fascinating world of microdosing by fully explaining what microdosing is and exploring the array of benefits it has to offer, along with its history.
To finish, we will explore the different types of psychedelic professionals that can be helpful in your journey, what unique experience they can bring to the table, and how to determine if their guidance is suitable for you.
For an in-depth understanding of microdosing, we encourage you to read our article on how to properly microdose psilocybin and how microdosing can be incorporated into your day-to-day life.
What is Microdosing?
Microdosing can be defined as consuming small amounts of a psychedelic substance to promote positive changes in mood, creativity, and productivity without inducing a change in consciousness.
The primary objective of microdosing is not to achieve a state of being “high” or to have a full-blown psychedelic experience. Instead, it provides a means to experience the therapeutic effects of psychedelics in a more subtle manner.
While psilocybin mushrooms are most commonly used for microdosing, any psychedelic can be used, such as LSD, ayahuasca, or mescaline.
Microdosing involves using a fraction of what is considered to be a therapeutic dose, typically around 10%. Since different psychedelics have varying potencies, there is no universally prescribed dose for microdosing.
Indigenous cultures have long recognized the therapeutic properties of psychedelics, utilizing them as plant medicines as communication with the divine. Spiritual awareness can be achieved through both high and low doses of psychedelics guided by shamans.
The popularity of microdosing has increased significantly, particularly after the discovery of its potential benefits in creativity and cognition through LSD microdoses, and has become more widespread in the 21st century.
After being the first to synthesize and ingest LSD, Albert Hofmann used subthreshold levels of LSD to enhance his nature walks. Hofmann even suggested that microdosing LSD could be more beneficial than traditional ADHD medications.
The concept of microdosing gained further attention when James Fadiman began studying the practice and eventually authored the groundbreaking book “The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys”.
After a few years of research, Fadiman proposed a microdosing protocol that is still widely recommended. His protocol includes microdosing days, transition days, and off days.
All the years of research and experience have led us to where we are today when it comes to microdosing psychedelics. While seemingly positive, there are also some risks when it comes to using any psychoactive substance.
However, psychedelics aren’t for everyone, whether taken at high or low doses. Please refer to our article on who shouldn’t use psychedelics and always consult with your healthcare provider before partaking in psychedelic experiences.
Benefits of Microdosing
Microdosing offers many benefits that contribute to overall well-being and enhance emotional and cognitive processes.
In particular, microdosing has been found to increase levels of focus, creativity, happiness, energy, concentration, and productivity. Additionally, microdosing provides social benefits and improves problem-solving skills.
While microdosing can help with cognitive enhancement, many have found that microdosing can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.
Like traditional treatments today, microdosing psychedelics typically don’t come with many negative side effects, making it an appealing option for those seeking long-lasting mental health improvements.
Another advantage of microdosing is that it’s able to maximize the benefits in the shortest amount of time while minimizing the likelihood of experiencing negative effects.
Microdosing is generally considered to be safe, especially when adhering to recommended dosing regimens, such as the one proposed by Fadiman. This specific regime has proven to be effective, particularly for first-time microdosers.
Potential Risks of Microdosing
It’s important to acknowledge that along with all of the positives, there are also potential negatives and risks involved, just like any other medication. Before embarking on your microdose journey, be sure to educate yourself on the potential risks of microdosing.
In the United States, psychedelics are illegal substances under the Controlled Substances Act. This means that they are unregulated, making it difficult to determine the exact dosage and purity of the drug you are consuming.
Therefore, the illegal status of psychedelics makes it challenging to conduct FDA-approved studies on microdosing, limiting the availability of reliable scientific data. Most of the evidence available today is based on self-reported stories, which can be biased.
It’s also worth noting that psychedelics are not considered addictive drugs. However, consistent use of small doses may lead to an increase in tolerance and psychological dependence.
As drug interactions with psychedelics when microdosing is quite small, you should still talk to your doctor before microdosing if you are currently on any medications, like antidepressants, as they may suggest you tapering off the medication before microdosing psychedelics.
While microdosing poses little risks, it’s still recommend to conduct thorough research before microdosing. By doing so, you can ensure that you are well prepared and able to make informed decisions before beginning your microdosing journey. so you are able to make informed decisions.
The Difference Between a Psychedelic Therapist, Guide, & Facilitator
If you’re considering engaging in your journey with the assistance of professional psychedelic guidance, it’s important to know what options are available to you.
Psychedelic therapists are licensed healthcare professionals who incorporate psychedelics into their therapeutic practice. While they can support you throughout the preparation and integration stages, they legally are not allowed to be present during your actual psychedelic experience.
On the other hand, psychedelic guides and facilitators, who can be used interchangeably, provide similar services as psychedelic therapists but possess the ability to accompany you during your psychedelic experience.
However, it’s important to note that psychedelic guides that assist with microdosing often aren’t present during your “psychedelic experiences”, but instead offer support and coaching sessions.
Although guides may not hold medical licensure, their knowledge and expertise are derived from extensive experience in facilitating psychedelic healing sessions and their own personal encounters with psychedelics.
What is The Role of a Psychedelic Guide?
A psychedelic guide plays a vital role in enhancing your journey, while you are the one leading the sessions. This transformative process is centered around self-actualization, growth, and self-improvement, and your guide will be there to assist you.
While the term ‘guide’ may bring to mind someone who navigates your entire journey, it’s important to realize that they are just one tool in your toolbox of healing, much like the psychedelic medicine itself.
Before beginning your journey, your guide will assess if psychedelics are suitable for you through a health screening. They will go over your medical history, medications, and any previous psychedelic experiences.
Additionally, your psychedelic guide can provide information on what psychedelic to use during your journey along with its dosage. However, you are the one that has the say in what substance and dosage to use.
Once you have been cleared, you and your guide will work together to set your intention, the foundation of your journey. Initially, intentions may be too large, so your guide will help you narrow it down to something that can be reached.
Unlike macrodosing, your psychedelic guide typically isn’t present when you microdose, as this isn’t a full-blown psychedelic experience. Instead, they offer support through coaching sessions conducted online, such as Zoom.
For microdosing, a psychedelic guide’s role is really just to check in with you and offering you support when needed. They will also be there in case you have any questions about the process.
While the role of a psychedelic guide differs in macrodosing versus microdosing, you should still build a solid relationship with your guide. One of the most important qualities of a psychedelic guide is trust. If there is no trust, then there is no real support.
Is It Really Necessary to Hire a Psychedelic Professional for Microdosing?
When it comes to embarking on your microdosing journey, hiring a professional is not a requirement. It really depends on whether your concerns regarding microdosing without psychedelic guidance outweigh your disposition to go through the journey alone.
Because you don’t have a full psychedelic experience when microdosing, it’s not necessary to have a psychedelic guide help you navigate and understand your emotions during the actual “session”. However, you should still have a support system in place, such as a family member.
Unlike macrodosing, microdosing psychedelics pose a much lower risk for harm, as the process is intuitive and paced. Although a psychedelic guide isn’t required for microdosing, it can be beneficial if you are new to psychedelics or have questions about the process.
Psychedelic guides can help you set your intentions for the journey. Based on your intention, your guide can also help you choose the right psychedelic medicine, how to prepare an appropriate dosage, and determine a microdosing schedule.
So overall, it’s not necessary to hire a psychedelic professional when it comes to microdosing psychedelics, but it can be beneficial as they offer coaching sessions and support.
Speak With a Psychedelic Professional Today
Let us help you begin your microdosing journey by booking a consultation with one of our knowledgeable psychedelic concierges. They can help you find a psychedelic professional in your area who is right for your needs.
Our network of experienced guides offer a microdosing program, which includes 4x 1-hour long coaching sessions, a detailed microdosing guide, and text/email support with your facilitator.
The coaching sessions are conducted through Zoom at your convenience, whether that be once a week or bi-weekly, granting you access no matter where you’re located. During these sessions, your facilitator will provide one-on-one support throughout your microdosing journey.
Your facilitator will also address any questions you have about the microdosing process, such as how to determine and prepare your dosage, what microdosing protocol to follow, and how microdosing can fulfill your desires.
If you’re ready for that positive change in your life, you’ve come to the right place. But if you’re still left with questions, make sure to check out our resources page or explore our testimonials page to hear others’ success stories. Embrace the journey!
