When you think of psychedelic drugs like psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), you might imagine an array of mind-boggling visuals. Yet psychoactive substances can be good for more than just a tremendous trip. For thousands of years, they’ve been used to treat psychological disorders and promote well-being. In fact, when taken in small doses, experts say they can even produce comparable effects to antidepressants.
Called microdosing, this idea is nothing new, but it’s taken off in popularity over the last several years. Scientists are pushing for more clinical trials to investigate how microdosing can impact our serotonin levels. But, existing studies have already shown that psychoactive substances could change the game for mental health treatment.
“We see people report greater levels of mindfulness, greater connectedness, reduced stress,” says Joey Rootman, a doctoral student at the University of British Columbia. “All these types of things can unfold within the microdosing experience.”
