Last Updated on July 19, 2023
I live in LA, so I am no stranger to new health trends and experimenting with new practices to enhance my well-being. One trend that got my attention recently is microdosing mushrooms, a practice that involves taking small doses of psilocybin mushrooms to improve your mood and aim to replace anti-depressants if it works for you.
Before I begin, I want to state that I am not a doctor, and you should consult with your physician before blindly taking my advice. This is my own experience I want to share with you.
Living in a stressed-out city can often feel overwhelming and can take a toll on your mental health. So many people are turning to microdosing mushrooms to help them to feel more creative, focused, and productive. Being a creative myself, I’m always looking for ways to enhance my artistic abilities; give me that magic wand!! The psilocybin in mushrooms can increase the activity of the default mode in the brain, which helps with self-reflection and imagination. This can lead to more flexible and creative thinking.
Some of the other claims out there are that when psychedelics like mushrooms are taken, it can lead to a change in how our brain processes information and makes connections. Essentially, the experience of taking mushrooms can create new pathways in our brain, allowing us to see things from a new perspective and potentially break out of old patterns of thinking that could last a lifetime after the initial process. So you may not have to take it forever. Bye-bye, Prozac!
When you microdose mushrooms, you take a small enough amount that you don’t experience the intense psychedelic effects as with a full dose. However, you still get some benefits from the chemical interaction with your serotonin receptors. This could be helpful for people struggling with conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction. These conditions are often characterized by a kind of “stuckness” in the brain – we get stuck in negative thought patterns or addictive behaviors, and it can be difficult to break out of them.
The Harvard Journal says experts in the field anticipate that some psychedelics may become fully legalized — for medical usage, under supervision — within the next few years, specifically psilocybin and MDMA. Lawmakers and public health experts believe that the safety of these psychedelics would be enhanced if they were decriminalized and if their cultivation and production were monitored and regulated. At least one state (Oregon), and many cities around the country, have decriminalized psychedelics at the local level. If I was a betting woman – and I am – I would say this will progress to the prescription level like weed did in no time. I actually have some friends that are developing their prototype jars and formulas as we speak.
My Journey:
The first step was to find a reliable source of mushrooms. Fortunately, I had a friend who could hook me up, but I know that’s not always an option. If you want to try micro-dosing, you must ensure you’re getting your mushrooms from a trustworthy source. Do your research and ask around for recommendations.
Here’s my 10-day diary exploring this new trend that turned into religion for me. I’m taking a chocolate mushroom bar broken into pieces the same shape and size as a regular block of chocolate. I break one small piece the way the bar is cut and then section that into four from one square. So the dose is REALLY small, but I definitely feel a change. This is no placebo dose.
Day 1: Today is my first day of microdosing mushrooms; I took a small dose this morning, one-fourth of one cube of chocolate, and within 40 minutes, I felt more alert and focused, like I would after drinking a few cups of caffeinated tea. I even noticed that my anxiety lessened a bit immediately. Usually, my mornings bring a certain fear of all the tasks I should be completing and who’s calls I’ve missed, etc., but this has alleviated all of that, but not in a lazy way. Instead, it’s a slight confidence that is more purposeful and clear without any of the drama my mind creates, and this is just day 1!! So you see immediate results, but I definitely don’t feel high.
Day 2: I’m feeling really good today after taking my second dose of mushrooms, the same fourth of a cube. I slept better than usual. I immediately fell asleep with a warm but still not buzzed feeling and no dreams. Still, I woke up feeling well rested with a carryover of not freaking out at my alarm or any texts I had to get back to right away; I didn’t even look at my phone, which is usually the first thing I do when I wake up. It’s such a bad habit!
Day 3: Not feeling much different today. I’m going to try and up the dose. I’m more irritated today, but it is a particularly stressful day, and I added too much coffee, which could be messing with me. I’m still hopeful; stay tuned.
Day 4: I took my fourth dose of mushrooms this morning, a little more than yesterday, so half the cube, and it helped me to stay focused and grounded. Finding the correct dose may be the most challenging thing because I imagine when they make these chocolate bars, you can exactly manage where most of the mushrooms end up spreading out, which is why I think this could really use being regulated and having more access to FDA controlled procedure as to have exactly the correct dosing in each bite/dose.
I had a particularly stressful day at work, with a backlog of content that I knew I’d been putting off, but my anxiety was much more manageable than usual. I just wrote a list and told myself I would get it all done today, and no one was going to kill me for being late from now until this afternoon, something that would usually trip me out all day and just give me unnecessary anxiety feeling like something bad was already happening. I love this new level-headed me!
Day 5: I’m feeling really creative today, and I’m loving it! I’ve been working on a writing project with my publicist and canvassing new ideas for new articles for Thrissle. I feel more present, so I’m not distracted by a million things. I just focus on the task at hand and enjoy the topics I’m researching. And my ideas are flowing more freely than ever before; it’s like little downloads from wherever. I should ask my psychic about it because even as I’m writing, it’s like the text flows in a more eloquent way that is not as clumsy as I would usually write. It’s like the mushrooms are unlocking a part of my brain that wasn’t awake a few days ago!!
Day 6: Today was a weird day; I’ve overtaken it. The more is more approach in me thought taking three quarters at once was a good idea; I feel edgy and have cold breath. Not tripping, but I am having the reverse effect. Definitely, the dosage is off.
Day 7: Taking the day five dosage after yesterday’s mistake, and I actually feel amazing. Better than usual, my anxiety is nonexistent! Day 5 dosage of just half the cube was the sweet spot! I have to remember my tolerance doesn’t reset in a matter of days. Slow and steady is my new mantra.
Day 8: Today was a really fun day. I went out with some friends, and I found myself feeling more outgoing and talkative than usual. I’m able to enjoy social situations without feeling anxious or self-conscious. It’s kind of amazing, plus I didn’t drink alcohol, so I wouldn’t mess with the shrooms, and usually, I need drinks to get through a social setting like this, but I was really content just being and knowing I had my secret little magic kit.
Day 9: I’m feeling so grateful for microdosing and that I didn’t drink! No hangover! That in itself wins this whole contest. I’m sleeping better, feeling happier, and managing my anxiety and depression more effectively. It’s like a Xanax when I used to take them at the good stage before they stopped working, and made me feel considerably more anxious because they’re synthetic and have a shorter and shorter half-life. It’s amazing what this stuff can do!
Day 10: So many positive changes in myself over the past ten days; microdosing will be a new tool I can use whenever I need it. I think I’ll keep taking it for now; there’s no downside yet as long as the dose never makes you high because that feels uncomfortable to me. It is a delicate dance for sure. But worth it.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE
The article is the author’s personal experience and is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Please note that microdosing is illegal in many jurisdictions, and readers should familiarize themselves with the laws and regulations where they live.