Microdosing 101

“Microdosing is not a psychedelic experience; it’s a sub-perceptual one. The idea is that it can help you think more clearly, be more productive, and have an improved sense of well-being.”

I discovered microdosing back in 2019 when I first moved to Bali. I quickly realized that it has been a tool used for decades in Silicon Valley where all the biggest tech companies in the world have been created.

The person who introduced it to me in Bali said their creative director would put small drops of LSD in their drinks before brainstorming sessions - that was a bit shocking but let me know it was clearly a thing.

I had a few full trips and what I remember seeing was something that looked like the fabric of reality as a tunnel that I was riding in - and when I went to see if the fabric could be stretched I realized it was infinite in every direction with the tunnel acting as the default experience with me having the power to customize the shape form and experience.

Microdosing is nothing like that because you are literally taking the smallest amount to avoid a psychedelic experience. However, from my experience you can still feel ‘something’ physically and mentally.

When you microdose if you go for a walk you will notice subtle parts of the environment that you may not pay attention to otherwise. I believe it’s the best way to participate in the present moment and that can be more powerful than a psychedelic experience.

The Fadiman schedule, named after James Fadiman, a prominent researcher and advocate for psychedelic studies, is a popular method for microdosing with psychedelics like psilocybin mushrooms or LSD.

In his book "The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide", Fadiman outlines a microdosing protocol designed to optimize the benefits while minimizing the risks.

The Fadiman schedule generally involves the following:

1. Dosage:

A microdose is typically 1/10 to 1/20 of a recreational dose. For psilocybin, this often means around 0.1 to 0.3 grams of dried mushrooms, and for LSD, it might be about 10 to 20 micrograms.

2. Schedule:

The standard schedule involves dosing every three days. This pattern allows a day for the microdose, a day for effects to taper off, and a day to return to baseline. A common recommendation is to start on a Monday, take the microdose, and then skip the following 2 days (Tuesday & Wednesday), allowing the effects to wear off. The next microdose would be on Thursday, followed by 2 more days off (Friday & Saturday), then microdosing again on Sunday, and so on.

3. Duration:

Fadiman's typical recommendation is to follow this schedule for a cycle of four to six weeks, followed by a break to assess any changes in mood, creativity, or overall well-being.

4. Purpose:

The goal of this microdosing schedule is to potentially improve creativity, focus, mood, or other aspects of well-being without experiencing the full psychedelic effects of higher doses.

5. Observation:

People following the Fadiman schedule are encouraged to keep a journal to track their experiences, including mood, energy levels, creativity, and productivity. This helps to identify patterns and understand personal responses to microdosing.

It's important to remember that while the Fadiman schedule is widely discussed in the context of microdosing, the scientific research on microdosing is still in its early stages.

Moreover, laws and regulations regarding psychedelics vary by country and region, so it's critical to understand the legal context and potential risks before starting any microdosing regimen.

Additionally, individuals with underlying health conditions or those on medications should consult with healthcare professionals before considering any form of microdosing.

This is the brand I am using, but this can be done with any psilocybin mushrooms. And microdosing itself can be used with any substance such as caffeine, nicotine, cannabis etc. If you were to microdose cannabis it would be the equivalent of taking 1 hit of a joint (pure cannabis) every 3 days.

“Taking LSD was a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life. LSD shows you that there’s another side to the coin, and you can’t remember it when it wears off, but you know it. It reinforced my sense of what was important—creating great things instead of making money, putting things back into the stream of history and of human consciousness as much as I could.”

Steve Jobs