Psychedelic Microdosing, Mindfulness, and Anxiety: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Study
This survey study assessed the relationship between microdosing and trait anxiety through an online survey with current microdosers (n=186), former microdosers (n=77) and microdosing-naïve controls (n=234). Current and former microdosers reported lower STAI-T scores compared to microdosing-naïve controls while associations of current and former microdosing with trait anxiety were mediated by trait mindfulness. All associations between microdosing and STAI-T scores became non-significant when participants with previous macrodose experience (n=386) were excluded.
Authors
- Hartong, V.
- van Emmerik, A.
Published
Abstract
While anecdotal reports claim that psychedelic microdosing reduces anxiety and mood symptoms, evidence supporting these claims is scarce. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between microdosing and trait anxiety. Furthermore, it was investigated if trait mindfulness mediated this association. Participants completed anonymous online questionnaires and were divided into three groups: current microdosers (n = 186), former microdosers (n = 77) and microdosing-naïve controls (n = 234). Trait anxiety and trait mindfulness were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Trait subscale (STAI-T) and the 15-item Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15) respectively. Current and former microdosers reported lower STAI-T scores compared to microdosing-naïve controls. Furthermore, associations of current and former microdosing with trait anxiety were mediated by trait mindfulness, with small effects of FFMQ-15 Total, Non-judging and Non-reactivity scores. However, in an exploratory analysis, all associations between microdosing and STAI-T scores became non-significant when participants with previous macrodose experience (n = 386) were excluded. Our findings suggest that RCT<apos;>s are warranted to test causal hypotheses concerning the effects of microdosing and the role of trait mindfulness in the effects of microdosing, while controlling for previous macrodose experience.
Research Summary of 'Psychedelic Microdosing, Mindfulness, and Anxiety: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Study'
Introduction
Microdosing denotes the routine ingestion of sub-hallucinogenic amounts of classical psychedelics such as LSD or psilocybin, typically around one-tenth of a full dose and taken several times per week. Popular reports claim benefits for productivity, mood and anxiety, but empirical findings have been mixed: some observational studies report improved mental health among microdosers while others report elevated anxiety. By contrast, clinical research on moderate to large (“macrodose”) psychedelic sessions has produced promising results for anxiety and treatment-resistant depression and has also linked psychedelic use to changes in personality and increases in mindfulness. Neurobiologically and phenomenologically, psychedelic states and mindfulness meditation share overlaps (for example, effects on the default mode network and self-referential processing), motivating investigation of whether microdosing might relate to trait mindfulness and anxiety. Hartong and colleagues set out to test three hypotheses in a cross-sectional sample: (1) current microdosers report lower trait anxiety than microdosing‑naïve controls, (2) former microdosers also report lower trait anxiety than controls, and (3) trait mindfulness mediates any associations between microdosing (current or former) and trait anxiety. The study therefore combined self-report measures of trait anxiety and mindfulness with questions about microdosing and prior macrodose experience to explore associations and potential mediation effects.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Topics
- APA Citation
Hartong, V., & van Emmerik, A. (2023). Psychedelic Microdosing, Mindfulness, and Anxiety: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Study. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 55(3), 310-320. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2022.2080616
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