Can microdosing provide support for depression? Stress, anxiety, and depression are mental health issues that are common in our modern society (and especially this year). The symptoms can be managed with medication, for which sedatives and antidepressants are used. But there are some disadvantages associated with these.

There is growing interest in the possibilities of microdosing. Mushrooms and truffles contain the mind-expanding substance psilocybin, and its effects can have a positive impact on depression. If you’re wondering whether microdosing could be beneficial for you, continue reading below.

The Characteristics of Depression

We all say sometimes, I feel a bit depressed. But being truly depressed is quite different. When you have depression, the feelings are more intense, the symptoms more severe, and you suffer from them for a longer period. About 5% of the population is depressed to some degree. With mild depression, the symptoms are still manageable, but with severe depression, you usually cannot function normally. It’s best to seek help then, and you may need medication.

Symptoms of depression:

• Lack of energy, fatigue
• Little interest and pleasure in life
• Gloominess
• Feeling sad
• Lack of motivation
• Insomnia
• Concentration problems

In principle, anyone can suffer from depression. It is true that more women than men have depressive symptoms. Furthermore, age, education level, or ethnic background doesn’t matter. On average, people suffer from symptoms for about three months before recovering. However, one-fifth of people continue to have problems, and recovery can take years.

Microdosing for Depression: What Does Research Say?

Microdosing is using a psychedelic substance in very small amounts. You take a tenth of a normal dose. This way, you’ll be able to experience the positive effects and address your symptoms without getting high.

The benefits of microdosing are gaining more attention. As a result, more research is being conducted, especially into the possibilities for mental health issues such as depression. One of the researchers focusing on the power of psychedelics for depression is Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris. He works at the British Imperial College as head of the research group Centre for Psychedelic Research.

He has been researching the influence of drugs like LSD and psilocybin on the brain for 15 years. He is also very interested in how these substances could be used for disorders like depression. In his research, he tries to determine whether psilocybin can be used in treatment, alongside psychotherapy for depressions that are difficult to treat. He indicates that the results are positive. Psilocybin makes a big difference where conventional antidepressants have not shown results.

Currently, a large-scale study is underway. Participants receive psilocybin along with an antidepressant (an SSRI, similar to Prozac) for six weeks. Carhart-Harris indicates that the initial results are impressive. But at this moment, unfortunately, no data from this research has been made public yet.

The Difference between Psychedelics and Regular Medication

The use of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) has several disadvantages. First, they are addictive and difficult to stop using. But people also report feeling numbed because both negative and positive emotions are suppressed. If you use psilocybin, this is not the case.

Doctor Carhart-Harris reports that participants in his studies experienced something quite different. They felt an emotional release, allowing them to reconnect with themselves. Another advantage of psilocybin is that it works quickly. Normal antidepressants need several months to take effect, and even then, it’s often difficult to find the right dosage. These medications also have many (serious) side effects, especially in the long term. This is not the case with psilocybin. The substance is not addictive and has only minimal side effects.

Why Microdosing for Depression?

Although normal doses of psilocybin are used in this research, you might also achieve good results with microdosing. By taking a small dose each time, your brain still receives the stimuli from the psychoactive substance. Just to a lesser degree. Psychedelics seem to stimulate brain plasticity, as shown in a review of multiple studies. They can therefore deal more flexibly with change and adapt better.

With normal use of a psychedelic substance, when you’re high, you experience a completely different reality. When you take a microdose, you don’t get high, but on a subtle level, your brain is encouraged to think more creatively, to be open to possibilities. This can help alleviate certain symptoms of depression.

It seems that opinions about psychedelics are changing. This is evident from the fact that the FDA in America has allowed several studies in recent years on psilocybin as a treatment method for depression. Would you like to try microdosing for depression? Try our convenient ready-to-use packages Microdosing XL Truffles. Each 1-gram dose is packaged separately, so you always have the right amount and the truffles stay fresh for a long time.