In a survey of 1,116 microdosers, the most common reason to microdose was to boost performance, and about one in five reported a mostly short-lived, psychological downside
A 2019 online survey of 1,116 people who microdose psychedelics asked about their reasons for microdosing and any negative effects they had experienced.
Microdosing means taking psychedelic doses too small to cause a full trip, and it is often talked about as a way to work or feel better. This survey asked 1,116 people who already microdose about their reasons and any downsides. The most common reason was to boost everyday performance (37%), followed by better mood, curiosity, and self-medication. About one in five people reported a negative effect; these were usually psychological and came on acutely, in the window when the dose was active. Notably, the main reason people had stopped was that they felt it was not working, not side effects. Because this is a one-time survey of self-selected users with no comparison group, it describes what people report rather than proving microdosing caused anything.
In a cross-sectional online questionnaire circulated on psychedelic websites and forums between March and July 2018, 1,116 adults with microdosing experience (79.5% currently microdosing, 20.5% in the past) reported their dosing schedule, motives, and negative effects. The most commonly used psychedelics were LSD (~10 mcg) and psilocybin (~0.5 g), taken 2-4 times per week. Performance enhancement was the leading motive (n = 409; 36.6%), followed by mood enhancement (n = 325; 29.1%), curiosity (n = 170; 15.2%), and symptom relief (n = 156; 14.0%). About one-fifth of those who microdosed (n = 225; 20.2%) reported negative effects, most of which were psychological and occurred acutely while under the influence. The most common reason for stopping was perceived ineffectiveness rather than side effects.
The authors flag that up to 67% of respondents did not know the dose they were consuming, so reported doses are uncertain. They caution that the survey was advertised on psychedelic-focused forums and therefore specifically targeted the psychedelic community rather than a representative sample, and that people who had stopped microdosing after negative experiences would be less likely to complete it, potentially undercounting harms. The survey also did not let respondents specify the kind of negative effect, and the cause of the negative effects is unknown. Beyond the authors' own caveats, this is a cross-sectional, self-report survey with no comparison group, so it cannot establish that microdosing caused the reported benefits or harms; the sample was general-population psychedelic users, not a veteran or clinical group; and there was no long-term follow-up. The authors call for experimental placebo-controlled studies.
The most reported negative effects were psychological in nature and occurred acutely, and about one-fifth (n = 225; 20.2%) of those who microdosed experienced negative effects (Hutten et al., 2019).
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