Taking LSD or psychedelic mushrooms before work probably wouldn’t go over well, but taking a “microdose” could actually improve mood and productivity. A recent PsyPost article discussed new preliminary research published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs that shed more light on the concept. A team of researchers recruited over a thousand volunteers from 59 countries to microdose every three days for a month and complete daily evaluations on their emotional state.
The results found that the subjects reported an increase in positive emotions, easier social interactions, fewer headaches, and improved productivity. One subject said, “Feeling productive, able to focus on what I choose, enjoying relationships, good energy, and not recalling that I took anything.”
Microdosing apparently doesn’t induce the intense effects associated with psychedelic drugs, but is linked to higher levels of connectedness, contemplation, creativity, focus, happiness, etc. However, it’s also associated with increased neuroticism and isn’t suggested for people who suffer from anxiety. The research is still going and the team is accepting new volunteers, but long-term placebo-controlled studies are necessary to validate the effects.
