Does the research support microdosing?

A summary of a recent study landed in my inbox with the subject line  New study finds microdosing effects "negligible."

This was a placebo controlled study of the impact of LSD microdosing.  There were three groups given either the placebo, a low or a medium microdose of LSD four times at 3-4 day intervals.  Participants did not know what group they were in and mood or affect performance was not meaningfully impacted.  From the study, "We conclude that within the context of a controlled setting and a limited number of administrations, repeated low doses of LSD are safe, but produce negligible changes in mood or cognition in healthy volunteers."

Here is the study.  Here are similar results using psilocybin

You might be thinking - Alison why are you sharing all this research that is well constructed and contradicts the effectiveness of the work you do with clients?

In fact these results are exactly what I would expect. I would not expect positive results in the studies as they are constructed. It is very unlikely that people taking psychedelic medicine will receive results unless they do the work of learning and growing through the medicine. And to do this they need a level of understanding and structured self-reflection and practices that support their intention.

The construction of the studies themselves indicates how deeply our paradigm needs to shift when considering psychedelic medicine.

While it is entirely possible to just feel better when microdosing LSD or Psilocybin and I will never discount a person's experience (one of my key principles of microdosing is bio-uniqueness) I do not expect results because you "took a pill".

Microdosing is not about symptom relief.  Nor is it about passive cures. While many have experienced it to be a life-changing alternative to SSRI's it does not operate in the same way and the comparison leads us down mistaken paths.

Microdosing gives us an opportunity to heal.  It shows us things we didn't see before, allows the mind to create new neural pathways, brings emotions to the surface and connects us to our bodies.  What we do with this is up to us.

With no intention, foundational understanding, self-reflection or practices to work with the experiences that you have when microdosing they will be just that - experiences.  And they may appear random or non-existent.  

I wonder what would have happened if the participants worked with an experienced facilitator while undergoing the study.

If they were working with me I would have done the following:

• supported them in clarifying their intention for microdosing 

• taught key pre-frames for what they may experience and how microdosing works

• given them structure for daily tracking of their experiences

• encouraged them to connect daily with their intention

• taught the participants how to connect with their breath and build a relationship with the medicine

• taught the participants how to connect with their intuition

• normalized and encouraged reflection on whatever emotional, mental and physical experiences they had

• offered my intuitive feedback based on my personal connection with the medicine

We don't heal alone.  We aren't alone.  We all need support.  To take psychedelic medicine and then go back to your life with no understanding and support will almost surely lead to no results at best and a whole bunch of stirred up chaos at worst.  

Expecting a medicine to passively fix us is the antithesis of the world psychedelic medicine is calling us into. 

Our world continues to give away its power.  

We do it personally by making others responsible for our lives and feelings.

We do it politically and collectively.

We do it medically.

We do it in education.

These medicines are calling us strongly right now. The current interest in them is no coincidence in my view. More and more people know at a deep level that some fundamental pieces need to change.

Psychedelic medicine asks that we meet it. These medicines don't want us disempowered. The want us empowered. The more power we bring the more they bring. 

When the possibility for change is there we still have to make it happen. 

Psychedelic medicine is not a short cut. But when we have direction and vision and capacity to think and feel in new ways the medicines can boost us along that track. We always have the choice as to how we respond to their offerings. 

And in that awareness. The awareness of our embodied heart-full choice. Lies everything the medicine so lovingly brings to human-kind.

Learn more about microdosing here. I can support you through a microdosing program through Expand: An 8 Week Microdosing Experience.