This is part 3 of the series: Can microdosing psilocybin treat addiction?
Previous in the series: Can I get addicted to psilocybin when I microdose?
Scientific evidence on the effects of microdosing psilocybin for addiction is emerging slowly.
So far, the main evidence comes from self‑reports via surveys, which indicate reductions in substance use following microdosing. For example, participants in the study by Anderson et al. (2019) indicated reduced use of caffeine (44.2%), alcohol (42.3%), cannabis (30.3%), tobacco (21.0%), psychiatric prescription medications (16.9%), and illicit substances (16.1%) whilst microdosing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or psilocybin‑containing mushrooms, or both.
To date, no objective tracking or randomised, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled clinical trials have confirmed the efficacy of microdosing psilocybin specifically for addiction.
In the meantime, some studies in healthy participants report that microdosed psilocybin improved mood, attention, motivation, focus, and cognitive control, and decreased depression, anxiety, and dysfunctional patterns. As these psychological factors play a role in addiction, such findings plausibly support the role microdosing psilocybin can play in addiction recovery.
Emerging anecdotal evidence and case studies on microdosing psilocybin for addiction recovery should not be undervalued. Documenting these usually constitutes the first step in mobilising interest and enabling funding for empirical research.
Unfortunately, despite recent improvements, the legal and bureaucratic climate makes direct empirical investigations of the effects of psilocybin difficult. The already scarce resources available for investigating psilocybin in addiction recovery are often directed to research on the efficacy of a full‑dose treatment, which induces a temporary altered state of consciousness.
This is actually a markedly different method, but since these studies look into the effects of the same compound, psilocybin, their predominantly positive results support biological plausibility for microdosing’s potential.
Whilst double-blind, placebo-controlled experiments remain the gold scientific standard, addiction treatment often also relies on what proves helpful in real-world practice, alongside ongoing research. In many areas of medicine, clinical use and scientific evidence develop in parallel, rather than in strict sequence.
See sources.
Do you have any questions about this text? Ask them in the comments below. They are answered by Lina B. Russell, an addiction recovery coach specialised in microdosing psilocybin.
Read next: What is the advantage of microdosing psilocybin over taking prescription medication?
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Can microdosing psilocybin treat addiction?
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