#15 The Healing Potential of Microdosing: James Fadiman & Ayelet Waldman
Dec 14, 2022
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James Fadiman, top psychedelic authority & Ayelet Waldman, author, discuss microdosing benefits. They explore healing potential, history of LSD, personal experiences, and mental health enhancement. Fascinating stories and need for double-blind studies highlighted.
Microdosing of psychedelics, such as LSD, can have positive effects on anxiety, creativity, mood elevation, reducing substance dependence, improving mental clarity, focus, and physical skills.
Microdosing with psychedelics has gained significant attention and popularity, leading to a global movement of microdosers sharing anecdotal data and community support as well as ongoing research studies to explore the efficacy and safety of microdosing for various conditions.
Deep dives
Overview of Microdosing and its Effects
Microdosing refers to the practice of taking small subperceptual doses of various drugs, including LSD, marijuana, and even chocolate. While microdosing was popularized by psychedelic researcher James Fadiman, it has been used by indigenous cultures for thousands of years. Microdosing involves taking one-tenth to one-twentieth of a recreational or transformational dose of a psychedelic drug. Research shows that microdosing can have positive effects on anxiety, creativity, mood elevation, reducing substance dependence, improving mental clarity, focus, and physical skills. It has also been associated with improved well-being and changes in habits. Although more rigorous scientific studies are needed, the popularity and anecdotal evidence surrounding microdosing have led to its increased exploration and acceptance as an alternative approach for mental health and personal growth.
Rediscovering Low-Dose Psychedelics
Psychedelic researcher James Fadiman recounts his journey of discovering the potential of low-dose psychedelics, specifically microdosing LSD. Previously focused on high-dose experiences, Fadiman found interest in lower doses after learning about Albert Hoffman's reference to a low-dose formulation. Indigenous cultures had also traditionally used low doses for certain purposes. While traditional research ignored low doses, the emergence of microdosing brought attention to the subtle yet significant effects of low-dose psychedelics. Fadiman's extensive data collection from microdosers revealed numerous benefits, including anxiety reduction, creativity enhancement, cognitive abilities improvements, motivation enhancement, addiction reduction, and general well-being improvements.
The Rise of Microdosing: Media Interest and Research Efforts
The concept of microdosing gained significant media attention and popularity. Numerous articles and YouTube videos were produced, and several platforms and organizations, such as Reddit and the Third Wave, were created to connect and educate microdosers. Public interest and personal experiences contributed to a citizen science approach, where microdosers shared anecdotal data and benefited from community support. This collective sharing of information led to the emergence of a global microdosing movement. Additionally, formal research studies on microdosing, involving double-blind, controlled experiments, are underway in countries such as Canada, New Zealand, and potentially the USA. The research aims to shed light on the efficacy and safety of microdosing for various conditions.
Personal Experience: Microdosing as a Tool for Mental Health
The speaker shares a personal account of using microdosing as a tool for mental health. Struggling with severe depression and suicidal ideation, she turned to microdosing as an alternative to traditional treatments. After thorough research and obtaining a small vial of LSD, she embarked on a month-long journey of microdosing every three days. The effects were profound, lifting her depression, enhancing her mood, and expanding her ability to experience beauty and pleasure. She found that microdosing not only provided relief from her mental health challenges but also opened the door to new ways of thinking and personal growth. Ultimately, microdosing became an effective tool to complement therapy and promote a sense of well-being.
In this entertaining talk from SAND18, James Fadiman, "America's wisest and most respected authority on psychedelics and their use," describes the citizen science of his recent investigations into the effects of microdosing, and shares some fascinating stories from the hundreds he has gathered in his ongoing research.jamesfadiman.com
Ayelet Waldman is the author of several novels, and A Really Good Day, a book that documents a month microdosing LSD as a radical solution to a life of suicidal depression. With humor and candor she introduces us to this story and describes the outcome. As a woman who has taught the legal implications of the War on Drugs at the UC Berkeley law school, Ayelet Waldman does not neglect the legal ramifications of the therapeutic use of psychedelics. ayeletwaldman.com
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