Microdosing psychedelics: Demographics, practices, and psychiatric comorbidities

People who microdose psychedelics—taking small, non-hallucinogenic amounts of LSD or psilocybin—are less likely to report a history of substance use disorders or anxiety disorders than non-microdosers, but more likely to report recent recreational substance use. Among 909 participants recruited from Reddit, most microdosers used LSD (59.3%) or psilocybin (25.9%) on a one-day-on, two-days-off schedule. The findings suggest that microdosers differ from non-microdosers in psychiatric and substance-use profiles, and well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate safety and potential benefits in clinical populations.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Rationale: Microdosing psychedelics – the practice of consuming small, sub-hallucinogenic doses of substances such as LSD or psilocybin – is gaining attention in popular media but remains poorly characterized. Contemporary studies of psychedelic microdosing have yet to report the basic psychiatric descriptors of psychedelic microdosers. Objectives: To examine the practices and demographics of a population of psychedelic microdosers – including their psychiatric diagnoses, prescription medications, and recreational substance use patterns – to develop a foundation on which to conduct future clinical research. Methods: Participants ( n = 909; M age = 26.9, SD = 8.6; male = 83.2%; White/European = 79.1%) recruited primarily from the online forum Reddit completed an anonymous online survey. Respondents who reported using LSD, psilocybin, or both for microdosing were grouped and compared with non-microdosing respondents using exploratory odds ratio testing on demographic variables, rates of psychiatric diagnoses, and past-year recreational substance use. Results: Of microdosers, most reported using LSD (59.3%; M dose = 13 mcg, or 11.3% of one tab) or psilocybin (25.9%; M dose = 0.3 g of dried psilocybin mushrooms) on a one-day-on, two-days-off schedule. Compared with non-microdosers, microdosers were significantly less likely to report a history of substance use disorders (SUDs; OR = 0.17 (95% CI: 0.05–0.56)) or anxiety disorders (OR = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.41–0.91)). Microdosers were also more likely to report recent recreational substance use compared with non-microdosers (OR = 5.2 (95% CI: 2.7–10.8)). Conclusions: Well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of this practice in clinical populations and to test claims about potential benefits.