People with treatment-resistant cluster headache and migraine often turn to online forums to discuss alternative pharmacological treatments, including illicit psychoactive substances. A qualitative thematic analysis of discussions on three forums found that patients are in a desperate and vulnerable situation, viewing such substances as a last resort. Psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and related psychedelic tryptamines were reportedly effective for both preventing and treating attacks, while cannabis results were more unpredictable. Users showed little interest in psychoactive effects, often using sub-psychoactive doses to avoid them. No severe adverse events were reported, but desperation sometimes led to risky behavior in obtaining and testing treatments.
Psychedelic microdosing—taking tiny, repeated doses of substances like LSD or psilocybin—is used for therapeutic and enhancement purposes, with predominantly beneficial effects reported, especially for depression. Intentions for use influence outcomes. Social interactions on YouTube focus on discussing views, strategies for optimal results, minimizing risks, and sharing emotional support. Microdosing may offer some benefits of full-dose interventions with fewer adverse reactions, but repeated exposure over extended periods could introduce additional risks.