LSD: Microdosing LSD in the Name of Self-Improvement
DW (2019)
Film Review
As it’s title suggests, this documentary concerns LSD “microdosing,” a fad originating with Silicon Valley tech executives. They discovered that tiny doses (10-15 micgrograms) of LSD greatly improved their mood, energy, focus and creativity. Microdosing has since taken off in Germany and other parts of Europe.
The film begins with testimonials from anonymous German microdosers who believe that LSD has totally turned their life around. One man whose depression failed to respond to any other treatment (including antidepressants, psychotherapy and alternative medicine) finally obtained relief after a brief period of microdosing.
Filmmakers also interview Paul Austin, a Silicon Valley microdosing coach, and James Fadiman, leading expert on LSD and psilocybin microdosing and author of the 2011 Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide.
Researchers in Germany and Switzerland are conducting double blind studies of LSD microdosing. At doses between 10-15 mg, their subjects experience a clear improvement in concentration, mood and anxiety in contrast to placebo control groups. Moreover, unlike antidepressant trials, there are no apparent adverse effects.
The film also looks at promising double blind research of the psychedelic psilocybin (“magic mushrooms”) in treating depression. Unlike LSD, “shrooms” are legal in the Netherlands and have been decriminalized in a number of US cities. Portugal legalized all mind-altering drugs in 2001 (see British Medical Journal Calls for Legalization of All Drugs)
Other research has shown psilocybin and other psychedelics to be helpful in treating PTSD and alcoholism. See Why Are We Sending Vets to Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico
The Most Revolutionary Act 
My opinion (and not a small amount of observation) says this will turn on them, like every other chemically induced “miracle” drug. Microdosing will lead to more… and more, desired, then needed. Then it’s another addiction. Change must come from within.
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It would be a great shame if your opinion, which is flatly contradicted by research from some of the worlds most highly respected medical research hospitals, were to assist in impeding a treatment which is hailed by many as being of the same magnitude as the discovery of penecillin. I for one would not thank you. I have suffered from severe depression my entire life and psychedelics offer real hope.
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Incorrect. Totally incorrect in my subjective opinion. Psychedilcs are physiologically and psychologically non addictive. And anecdotally I can confirm success in the relief of depression. So Sha Tara I must respectfully wholly disagree with your point of view.
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I have no problem with you disagreeing with my point of view, and yes, it’s just a point of view, but I remember the 60’s only too well, and how the drugs decimated most of my family. I hate drugs, all drugs. They are a crutch to a collapsing society and never, ever, an answer to its mega problems, probably even less than religion is. When a drug enhances a part of the psyche, it automatically destroys other parts. A particular drug may be claimed non-addictive in itself but it always leads to other drugs, other short cuts, finding other mental weaknesses and exploiting them. The main problem with drug users is their lack of self control, the thinking being that if one ounce of a particular “shit” is good, two ounces must be twice as good, and so on. Admittedly my personal experience with substance abuse has made be biased and bitter.
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Sorry, typo: “made ME biased…”
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I too am a child of the 60s but mercifully never got caught up in that scene and nor did any of my family or friends. I was guilty however of self medicating my depression with alcohol. It was unknowing really ~ i did not understand my condition nor that I was drinking to cover my misery. As for looking within, I have always done that but with a physiological condition it can only take you so far, in my experience of my own condition anyway. Happily I no longer have any such tendency but I think that is probably because of age and hard won wisdom. I can see that an escapist or one of a very different temperament to mine could be in grave danger. I agree that outlr society sucks but then human nature sucks. We are violent and dangerous thanks to evolution. I don’t believe we will ever change without these tendencies being bred out. It is a sad, dangerous vicious world.
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Hi Anthony, you’ve discovered the same basic “truths” I discovered over the years. Now, so it seems to me, we’re really staring down the black hole of entropy and we’ll be able to cling to the edge only so long as the pull increases. There comes a point where one has to let go and face a new beginning.
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I guess I am of two minds about microdose LSD forr the treatment of depression. I would predict that LSD will eventually be FDA-approved for the treatment of depression. Part of me is really happy to see there might be effective pharmaceutical treatment for depression – since SSRI’s clearly are no more effective than placebo (according to outcome studies). I spent most of my 32 years of practice trying to help patients with refractory depression who responded to no treatment. Approximately 50% of depressives don’t respond to any recognized treatment – which is an extremely high number.
Based on new research into intestinal bacteria, I am now of the opinion that depression starts in the gut. However it’s proving more difficult than scientists predicted to restore healthy gut bacteria. So treatment-wise there seems to be a lot more work done before we can reliably use that approach to treat depression. In my view, Anthony is very lucky to have found something that works for him.
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