Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

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C40
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Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by C40 »

(AFAIK, Psilocybin are what people generally know as "magic mushrooms")

I've heard very good things about this from people on the Tim Ferriss podcasts, but it didn't build much interest in me (He's always talking about some new sort of "best thing ever!", and then there's a new one 6 months later).

But.... Someone I know, who's judgement I trust, and knows basically nothing about psilocybin was given some by another person I also trust, and took one microdose (and so did their partner) and the effects were so positive that they're starting to grow their own mushrooms. They described effects of micro-dosing just once as every bit as good as folks said on the podcasts:
- Big improvements in productivity tasks requiring mental effort or attention - through better mental clarity and ability to focus
- Significant improvement in their mood (sort of a happiness/optimism/contentment) and life outlook
- Most striking of all - that improvements in the two points above lasted a LONG time - like an entire month - from just one microdose that did not make them feel high or produce any noticeable side effect.


I'm quite conservative with trying drugs. I feel the best way I've learned about the effects of recreational (and similar) types of drugs is to have people I know and trust who have done them describe the effects. This way I know whether or not they are exaggerating, sugar-coating, or leaving out details, and I know they aren't some "whoooooaaa dude! racial" hippy/druggy/whatever person that gets all excited about something like it's magic.

I'm typically not interested in this kind of stuff as I feel that I'm capable of being productive, happy, etc. on my own, and I feel those are skills to be improved. But I find myself very interested in what I'm hearing about psilocybin microdosing. I can read about it on sites like this and this (I want to find better information, I'm just right at this moment getting started reading about it).... but I'm curious if anyone here has personal experience to share. (or if you just know a lot about the subject, please share your thoughts)

bryan
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by bryan »

negative. Commenting to share my view on the matter, to only try crazy stuff (enhancer drugs) if in a position that the leverage (or profound/significant effect) they might provide is channelled towards some meaningful purpose.

7Wannabe5
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

I think it works for the same reason that VERY occasionally getting very drunk or purposefully going without sleep can reset your chemicals. IOW, I think a moderate dose, maybe once a year max, could possibly offer a sort of "spring tonic" utility, but it is unlikely that a micro-dose administered routinely would continue to offer consistent benefit. One of my lovers ingested some on his 70th birthday and then wandered around naked on his extremely well-maintained arboretum like estate, and suffered no ill effects. Of course, he was also the type (EXTJ) who would choose to inject himself with some sort of voodoo mix of testosterone and B12 once a month and consume giant plates full of homegrown asparagus every evening through the season, and force his girlfriend to take Vitamin D with red wine chaser, so YMMV, grain of salt,..etc. etc. etc.

Spartan_Warrior
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by Spartan_Warrior »

I tried 'em once back in the day. Saw no noticeable effect on top of the alcohol buzz--didn't even puke, which is apparently common. Nothing "micro" about the dose, either. Probably a bad batch.

Check out https://www.erowid.org/ as a reference. Many user reviews. This is my go-to site as an author seeking to write about drugs I haven't personally experienced.

On a semi-related note, I've heard that edible mushrooms are a really profitable food to grow yourself. I imagine the returns could be even higher for the outlawed variety.

James_0011
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by James_0011 »

Yeah do it all the time. I also have a lot of experience with high doses. The things those people report are true. What do you want to know?

ThisDinosaur
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by ThisDinosaur »

James_0011 said:
What do you want to know?
Do you ever get any life-altering insights from using it?

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C40
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by C40 »

James_0011 wrote:Yeah do it all the time. I also have a lot of experience with high doses. The things those people report are true. What do you want to know?
My questions are only about microdosing:
- To what extent do the reported effects occur for you? (How much more focused? 50%? How much happier? etc.)
- How long do the effects last for you? What is the rate they taper off? How often do you microdose?
- How much does it cost? (how much does it end up being per microdose) How hard is it to get them?
- Any side effects? Any ~addiction/reliance?

James_0011
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by James_0011 »

ThisDinosaur wrote:
James_0011 said:
What do you want to know?
Do you ever get any life-altering insights from using it?
Kind of, in my experience its not so much any particular insight that one is likely to get, but rather the whole experience that may change a person's life outlook. Before I took psychedelics I was a fairly closed off person, I didn't have a very open, optimistic view of the world, but a pretty closed minded negative view. I didn't really have that many friends, and was afraid to try new things. I think a few high dose trips really did a lot in terms of opening me up to the possibilities of life and encouraged me to try new things and experiment in other area of life. It really improved my empathy skills, and made me a lot more interested in other people in general. Before psychedelics I kind of just saw other people as an annoyance in life or like an obstacle.

Since taking mushrooms I've tried new diets, new places to live, new jobs, new relationships, etc... I don't think that I would have been nearly as open to these things if I had never used mushrooms.

I know it sounds kind of fantastical, but its incredibly strange that we live in a culture that makes such a powerful experience taboo and kind of demonizes it, and the realization that the authorities are lying about psychedelics made me want to go see for myself what else they are lying about. I think this is the main insight of the whole experience.

The other part to the whole thing is kind of cliche, but I also realized that I am just going to die some day - along with everyone else. So, being driven by fear or approval is dumb. It literally doesn't matter what you do with your life as its all going to be over at some point, so fitting in is useless. Again, this might be pretty obvious to people here.

I cant properly put any of it into words, its just something people need to try for themselves.

James_0011
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by James_0011 »

C40 wrote:
James_0011 wrote:Yeah do it all the time. I also have a lot of experience with high doses. The things those people report are true. What do you want to know?
My questions are only about microdosing:
- To what extent do the reported effects occur for you? (How much more focused? 50%? How much happier? etc.)
- How long do the effects last for you? What is the rate they taper off? How often do you microdose?
- How much does it cost? (how much does it end up being per microdose) How hard is it to get them?
- Any side effects? Any ~addiction/reliance?
- Significantly happier, the effect is long term I'd say, after the acute effect is over there is an 'afterglow' that could last up to a month.
- The extent to which the effects occur depends on how much I take, I can't quantify it but is dramatic.
- I grow them myself, I think people buy an eighth of a ounce for thirty five dollars, and a microdose is like .2 grams. I'll give you some for free if you want.
- No side effects, they are non addictive there is a ton of research that supports this. Actually it is a little known fact that the founder of alcoholics anonymous originally included lsd in his treatment plan. He used it himself to get clean from alcohol. The effect is nice, but its not something a person would want to do a lot - its just not that kind of 'feeling'. Really hard to put into words.
- There is a great book on microdosing: The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys by James Fadiman
Last edited by James_0011 on Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

SustainableHappiness
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by SustainableHappiness »

Between the ages of 18-25 I was using mushrooms 1-3 times per year in larger than microdoses. They provided perspective in my life that was not apparent prior and I believe they have changed my life for the positive. I agree you feel mentally clear for weeks after a good trip on them (I have no experience with microdosing).

That being said, the last 2 times I used them the experiences were dramatically different than the first times using them and finally on my last experience I said (during my high), "ok, well that's enough of these for the rest of my life" and have never felt the urge to try them again even while they have been readily accessible (now 2 years later).

I've haven't experimented with too many drugs, but this is the one I would highly recommend someone try on a sunny day and go for a walk in the woods with a friend or someone you trust.

As for the perspective given, they helped me see the scope of my life (and absurdity) in relation to nature in general. This actually may be one reason why I find ERE and MMM so appealing a concept.

BRUTE
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by BRUTE »

+1 psychedelics

life altering

Smashter
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by Smashter »

Very interesting. I've only ever heard of people microdosing LSD. You might appreciate this in-depth analysis of one man's Randomized Controlled Trial with LSD microdosing. Tons of charts :) (he says he noticed no benefits)

https://www.gwern.net/LSD%20microdosing

My opinion is that the effects your friend is describing are very unique. I've done my share of psychedelics, and I've never noticed day to day positive benefits months afterward. But maybe it's a whole different story with microdosing.

distracted_at_work
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by distracted_at_work »

This is fascinating stuff. I wasn't aware micro-dosing mushrooms was a thing.

I typically use 1-3 times a year in varying dosages, a la SustainableHappiness above. I'll give some warning from one experience, not related to micro-dosing. I was an idiot last summer and decided to take the lions share of ~6 grams (this is a guess friend and I made in hindsight) and I had a truly terrifying couple hours. It should be obvious but do not take arbitrary amounts of psychedelics (especially in tea form, on an empty stomach). I swear I'm still a bit slow from that experience :shock:

Every other time has been a fantastic life experience or a great party enhancer.
James_0011 wrote: - Significantly happier, the effect is long term I'd say, after the acute effect is over there is an 'afterglow' that could last up to a month.
- The extent to which the effects occur depends on how much I take, I can't quantify it but is dramatic.
- I grow them myself, I think people buy an eighth of a gram for thirty five dollars, and a microdose is like .2 grams. I'll give you some for free if you want.
- No side effects, they are non addictive there is a ton of research that supports this. Actually it is a little known fact that the founder of alcoholics anonymous originally included lsd in his treatment plan. He used it himself to get clean from alcohol. The effect is nice, but its not something a person would want to do a lot - its just not that kind of 'feeling'. Really hard to put into words.
- There is a great book on microdosing: The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys by James Fadiman
Great info. I'm going to see if they have that book at the library :D
This is something I would be interested in to get me through the winter "funk" as it were.

BlueNote
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by BlueNote »

Sounds like a placebo effect to me.

I'd need to see very strong scientific evidence (large sample, double blind, peer reviewed and replicated experiments) before I'd ever consider attempting starting a micro dose regimen like that. I figure if these strong scientific results were ever discovered then you'd probably be able to get it administered by a doctor. Also long term side effects are probably not well documented so like any new drug it would take a lifetime before it proves a net benefit.

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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by slowtraveler »

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Last edited by slowtraveler on Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

chenda
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by chenda »

''A hallucinogen found in magic mushrooms can "reset" the brains of people with untreatable depression, raising hopes of a future treatment, scans suggest.

The small study gave 19 patients a single dose of the psychedelic ingredient psilocybin.

Half of patients ceased to be depressed and experienced changes in their brain activity that lasted about five weeks.''

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-41608984

ThisDinosaur
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by ThisDinosaur »

James_0011 wrote:
Mon Mar 06, 2017 11:28 am
- I grow them myself
How might someone get started with this? [Asking for a friend ;) ]

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C40
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by C40 »

BlueNote wrote:
Sat Mar 11, 2017 1:06 pm
Sounds like a placebo effect to me.

I'd need to see very strong scientific evidence (large sample, double blind, peer reviewed and replicated experiments) before I'd ever consider attempting starting a micro dose regimen like that. I figure if these strong scientific results were ever discovered then you'd probably be able to get it administered by a doctor. Also long term side effects are probably not well documented so like any new drug it would take a lifetime before it proves a net benefit.
That all won't happen for something like this that people can easily grow in a closet.

I've tried them (just macrodosing) a handful of times so far. I don't notice the effects nearly as much as people have described to me. The most promising use I've found so far may be to use before going on a (long) bike ride. Seemed to have a useful effect on perceived exertion.

slowtraveler
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by slowtraveler »

@Dinosaur
https://www.erowid.org/plants/mushrooms ... tion.shtml

Here is a purely educational index of articles that knows far more than I on this stuff.

James_0011
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Re: Anyone have experience with psilocybin mushroom microdosing?

Post by James_0011 »

ThisDinosaur wrote:
Sun Oct 22, 2017 3:56 pm
James_0011 wrote:
Mon Mar 06, 2017 11:28 am
- I grow them myself
How might someone get started with this? [Asking for a friend ;) ]
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showfl ... r/11585613

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