People who microdose classic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin do not excuse their practice but instead justify it using six main strategies: denying that it causes harm, claiming it helps sustain themselves, pursuing self-fulfillment, appealing to normality, citing loyalty to valued groups, and emphasizing their knowledgeable. These justifications help align their actions with societal expectations. The findings come from interviews with 30 individuals who had microdosed.
Microdosing involves taking very small amounts of classic psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin to enhance well-being rather than to get high. This review of 14 qualitative studies from the past decade finds that people microdose to manage anxiety, depression, and stress, and that the practice is distinct from traditional illicit drug use because it avoids euphoria. The findings help explain why microdosing has become a rapidly growing trend, while also identifying gaps for future research.
Microdosing—taking tiny amounts of LSD or psilocybin mushrooms without experiencing euphoria—has become a fast-growing trend in illicit substance use, driven by perceived self-enhancing and therapeutic benefits such as reducing anxiety, depression, and stress. Interviews with active microdosers reveal motivations ranging from improving general wellbeing to helping abstain from other substances participants consider more harmful. This distinguishes microdosing sharply from traditional recreational drug use.