In this video, I want to talk about the differences between
microdosing psilocybin (from magic mushrooms) and microdosing
LSD. If you'll recall from my first video about microdosing,
I only started microdosing earlier this year in January
and what I started microdosing with was magic mushrooms.
That practice worked so well for me that by the time June
came around, I naturally started feeling like I no longer
needed to be doing it anymore.
And so, I stopped microdosing. Microdosing magic mush-
rooms had enhanced my ability to stay present in the "here
and now" —among a whole host of other benefits that I was able
to tangibly notice.
It had gotten me to the point where I felt like I could manage
on my own and that's exactly what ended up happening.
I was able to manage on my own and more than thrive on my
own. But about three weeks ago,
I started microdosing again and this time, it was with
a substance that I had never tried before. As you know, there
are a number of myths floating around about LSD and I didn't
know what I didn't know. There was also a part of me that
thought, "Why fix what isn't broken?" If LSD and psilocybin mushrooms
are two of the most popular substances for microdosing and
I'd already had such a positive experience with one of them,
why experiment with the more stigmatized substance? But as
I started learning more about that substance, I became more
and more curious about trying it for myself.
For instance,
did you know that the person who first synthesized LSD called
it "medicine for the soul"?
This was Albert Hoffman, who we got introduced to in a previous
video. Albert Hoffman lived to the age of 102 and he was a
regular user of LSD in small doses.
Did you also know that if it hadn't been for a breakthrough
he had had on an acid trip, Nobel Prize winner Francis
Crick might never have discovered DNA? Steve Jobs himself
was reportedly a psychonaut, so who knows. Maybe if it hadn't
been for LSD,
we might never have had the personal computer as we know
it today.
So I'm three weeks into microdosing LSD now.
And I feel like I'm at a point now where I can make this
video and can talk about the differences between microdosing
psilocybin mushrooms and microdosing LSD.
If you're interested in an LSD microdosing FAQ video, I
can also make that and we can chat about the nitty-gritty
of microdosing LSD in a future video.
So... let me know in the comments below if you want to see that.
Let's begin with the basic differences between LSD and magic
mushrooms. The first obvious difference is the form that
it comes in. Magic mushrooms come
from the ground, whereas LSD comes from a lab.
There's also a naturally-occurring version of LSD that
comes from fungi that apparently grow in certain regions
after an unusually wet season, but from what I've read, that
fungi is apparently really rare. So for the most part,
the better-known version of LSD is the synthetic version.
The second obvious difference between the two drugs is the history
behind them. Magic mushrooms have been used by civilizations
for thousands of years,
whereas LSD is a more modern invention. A standard dose of
magic mushrooms is 1 to 2.5 grams.
Whereas a standard dose of LSD ranges from 50 to 150 micrograms.
(And there are a million micrograms in a gram.) A microdose
is about 1/10th of a standard dose.
So this means that a microdose of magic mushrooms ranges
from 100 mg to 250 mg.
Whereas for LSD, a microdose ranges from 5 to 15 micrograms.
Two other obvious differences between the two substances are
onset and duration. For magic mushrooms,
you can start to feel its effects within 30 minutes to an
hour of ingestion.
Whereas for LSD, you can expect to feel its effects within
20 minutes. The primary effects of magic mushrooms last between
4 and 6 hours, while the primary effects of LSD last
between 10 and 12 hours. A standard mushroom trip is often
said to come in waves,
whereas a standard LSD trip peaks at around two hours in
and declines to half of the peak experience approximately
1 to 2 hours later.
So you can use your imagination to fill in the gaps when
I say that a microdose is approximately 1/10th of a standard
dose. In a previous video,
I referred to a "microdose" as a "sub-perceptual dose."
I want to take the opportunity to clarify what that really
means. "Sub-perceptual," in the context of microdosing, doesn't
mean "unnoticeable."
You're not supposed to NOT notice that you're on a microdose.
Frankly, whether you're microdosing LSD or magic mushrooms,
you should still be able to notice a slight alteration of
your perceptions.
The difference is that on a standard dose, you wouldn't be
able to go about your day as usual because all of your attention
would be invested in the experience of the trip. On a microdose,
however, you should still be able to conduct most of your
day-to-day activities. The effects of microdosing can still
be felt, however small and unobstructive
they are compared to standard dosing.
Of course,
if it's your first time microdosing, you should avoid
activities like driving. Everybody's tolerance is different
and even at the level of microdosing, no two dosages are exactly
the same because we can't precisely measure what goes into
a single microdose.
It's impossible. We can get as close as we can and certainly
there are lots of benefits to doing it that way, but there's
no such thing as "perfect consistency" when it comes to measuring out
the amounts.
For this reason, I personally don't drive on microdosing
days and especially not when the substance is peaking. Now,
what about the difference in experience between the two substances?
On magic mushrooms,
I feel more introspective.
I feel like I'm more open to perspectives that I normally
wouldn't consider and there's more of a sense of reverence
that comes with a feeling of being "one" with my surroundings.
Magic mushrooms
help me feel more connected to my body.
They provide more of a grounding bodily
sensation, which I believe is what makes magic mushrooms such
a great tool for use in meditation. On LSD,
I feel more extrospective.
I feel more energized and creative. Whereas magic mushrooms
make me feel more grounded and at peace, LSD makes me want
to go out and do things. Write things. Create things.
Sometimes even talk to people (which is a big deal because
I consider myself an introvert). LSD fills me with stimulating
clarity, whereas magic mushrooms fill me with a grounding
sense of peace.
A microdose of LSD seems like it was designed to enhance my
worldly endeavors,
whereas microdose of psilocybin helps me get anchored to
the core of my being. Hopefully that made sense. Now, which
is better?
Of course,
there's no way to answer this question because we're comparing
apples to oranges in some ways. In the long run, psychedelic
compounds are psychedelic compounds. That means you can
expect to gain the shared benefits of neuroplasticity, neurogenesis,
and a reduction of activity in the default mode network of
the brain, which enables ego death. All psychedelics in the
long run can enhance your creativity, spirituality, and overall
mental health. But in acute cases, there are tangible differences
between various different psychedelic substances.
I want to frame this bit of the video in the way that I would
offer advice to a friend,
so take my two cents for what it's worth.
If you're planning to microdose for mental health or pain
management reasons, I would recommend starting with magic
mushrooms. If you're depressed, chronically anxious, or are generally
on a lower vibrational setting, magic mushrooms can help lift
you out of your negative mood state.
This doesn't mean that magic mushrooms are an instant "happy
pill." If anything, they can be better understood as "therapy
pills." Anybody who's been to therapy will tell you that therapy
can be hard work. The work of healing yourself doesn't always
leave you feeling like a million bucks in the immediate aftermath.
Therapy can be hard, but you can trust that it is certainly
good for you.
The more you can trust and surrender to the process, the
smoother the experience will go and the same goes for magic
mushrooms. If you fight it, it won't go smoothly for you.
Knowing now what I didn't know then, would I have still started
with microdosing magic mushrooms? Up until earlier this year,
I felt like I was in a place where I needed to raise my emotional
and energetic vibration and that I had some inner healing
that I needed to do before I could be fully present sitting
before you. I feel like I was able to do everything that I
sought out to do with the assistance of magic mushrooms, among
other practices like regular meditation and therapy.
But now that I've gotten to a point where I feel confident
in the healing that I've done, my intention now is to create.
So if you were to ask me today what my preference is for
microdosing, I would say LSD and here's why: LSD enhances
my ability to problem-solve and come up with new ideas.
It stimulates me, enhances my focus,
and I can channel all that energy into work that I deeply
care about. Microdosing LSD enables me to maintain more flexibility
in my day.
I can be out in nature, sitting in front of a screen, or talking
to friends and still feel like I'm getting an added boost
from the experience.
Whereas psilocybin, I prefer to do it on days on which
I have more of an open schedule to myself.
In summary, this is what I would say to you. If you're
looking to microdose for mental health reasons, try magic
mushrooms to start. If your mental health is already in a good
place and you're looking to microdose for creative or productivity
reasons, I feel like you would really like LSD. Of course,
every experience is different and so are our individual preferences.
So I would never claim to be the final authority on anything.
No matter how you choose to go about this practice,
however, it's important that you treat it as a sacred practice.
This means taking the time to do your own research, which
I know many of you guys are. It also means "starting low
and going slow."
I'm going to provide some links to further readings for you
in the description box below. These are articles that
I've consulted prior to scripting this video because I wanted
to verify that my experiences weren't total anomalies.
(I'm happy to report that it doesn't seem like they were.)
I hope you enjoyed this video, and if you liked it, please
leave a comment below.
Give me a "like," subscribe if you haven't already, and I will
see you guys next time.
Also, don't forget to let me know whether you'd like
to see another video just about the nitty-gritty of LSD
microdosing. Okay.
Bye.