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Microdosing psychedelics: personality, mental health, and creativity differences in microdosers
Open accessAbstract
Rationale Microdosing psychedelics-the regular consumption of small amounts of psychedelic substances such as LSD or psilocybin-is a growing trend in popular culture. Recent studies on full-dose psychedelic psychotherapy reveal promising benefits for mental well-being, especially for depression and end-of-life anxiety. While full-dose therapies include perception-distorting properties, microdosing mayprovide complementary clinical benefits using lower-risk, non-hallucinogenic doses.Objectives This pre-registered study aimed to investigate whether microdosing psychedelics is related to differences in personality, mental health, and creativity.Methods In this observational study, respondents recruited from online forums self-reported their microdosing behaviors and completed questionnaires concerning dysfunctional attitudes, wisdom, negative emotionality, open-mindedness, and mood. Respondents also performed the Unusual Uses Task to assess their creativity.Results Current and former microdosers scored lower on measures of dysfunctional attitudes (p < 0.001, r = - 0.92) and negative emotionality (p = 0.009, r = - 0.85) and higher on wisdom (p < 0.001, r = 0.88), openmindedness(p = 0.027, r = 0.67), and creativity (p < 0.001, r = 0.15) when compared to non-microdosing controls.Conclusions These findings provide promising initial evidence that warrants controlled experimental research to directly test safety and clinical efficacy. As microdoses are easier to administer than full-doses, this new paradigm has the exciting potential to shape future psychedelic research.
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“the data on human psychedelic microdosing are equivocal”
From Psychedelics and Other Psychoplastogens for Treating Mental Illness. (2021) · cites this paper as [245]
In the citing paper
“therapeutic benefit of low doses of psychedelics remains to be demonstrated in a well-controlled clinical study”
From Psychedelics and Other Psychoplastogens for Treating Mental Illness. (2021) · cites this paper as [245]
In the citing paper
“Interestingly, openmindesness (i.e., openness) was higher and negative emotionality (i.e., neuroticism) was lower in current and former microdosers compared to MD-naïve controls (27).”
From Trait mindfulness and personality characteristics in a microdosing ADHD sample: a naturalistic prospective survey study (2023) · cites this paper as [27]
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Demography of Microdosing Community SurveyPreprint
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Metadata
- Authors
- Anderson, T., Petranker, R., Rosenbaum, D., Weissman, C. R., Dinh-Williams, L.-A., Hui, K., Hapke, E., & Farb, N. A. S.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- York University (CA)
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Anderson, Thomas
- Petranker, Rotem
- ORCID
- Venue
- Psychopharmacology
- Published
- 2019-01-02
- Volume
- 236
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 731-740
- ISSN
- 0033-3158 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-2072
- OpenAlex
- W2907379922
- Cited by
- 174
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 18
- FWCI
- 26.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Keywords
- microdosing, psychedelics, LSD, psilocybin, personality, mental health, creativity, dysfunctional attitudes, negative affectivity, wisdom, open-mindedness, mood
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anxiety, Creativity, Depression, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Emotions, Female, Hallucinogens, Humans, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Male, Mental Health, Perception, Personality, Psilocybin, Surveys and Questionnaires
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