Psilocybin as a healer
Kavita Golia
Consciousness, Spirituality & Transpersonal Psychology September 12, 2022 DOI: 10.53074/cstp.2022.37 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Individuals who microdose psilocybin |
| Intervention | psilocybin microdosing |
| Dose | sub-perceptual amount |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Creativity Mental health Feeling Perception Lived experience Psychotherapist Clinical psychology Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Seven themes emerged from the lived experiences of psilocybin microdosing, including improvements in mental health, wellbeing, productivity, and creativity for those with a musical background. |
Abstract
This phenomenological research explored the fast-growing societal trend in psilocybin microdosing, whereby a sub-perceptual amount of the psychedelic is consumed regularly. Anecdotal reports of microdosing have suggested that individuals can experience the relief of depressive symptoms, greater creativity and focus, deeper connections, and improvements in several mental health issues. Research on the lived experience of psilocybin microdosing, however, is lacking. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 individuals to explore their lived experiences of microdosing. Seven central themes were observed in most individuals: 1) Mental Health; 2) Dose effects; 3) A feeling of connection to self, nature, or something ‘bigger’; 4) An increase in productivity; 5) An increased state of wellbeing; 6) Navigating problems more effectively; 7) Participants with a musical background experienced an increase in their levels of creativity. By providing support for the use of psilocybin microdosing, the findings are valuable in the growing field of psychedelic research. However, as these purported benefits are based on self-reports, further controlled studies are necessary.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression enrolled in an open-label trial of psilocybin | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 20 |
| Patient Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Adults aged 22 to 69 with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 13 |
| Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study | 2018 | Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis | n = 12 |
| Response of cluster headache to psilocybin and LSD Cluster headache patients who used psilocybin or LSD | 2006 | Qualitative study | n = 53 |
| Cancer at the Dinner Table: Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Cancer-Related Distress Adult participants with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis | 2017 | Qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis | n = 13 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 1
Cites 27
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology November 8, 2017
- Mystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness Journal of Psychopharmacology September 28, 2011
and 22 more in the library