A new trend in the world of alternative mental health treatments is microdosing. You may have come across posts online promoting microdosing hallucinogens like acid or psilocybin to achieve open-mindedness or healing. Unfortunately, the data shows that this trend is far more likely to be harmful than helpful. The dangers of microdosing should not be overlooked.
Microdosing experimentation may begin with pure intentions. Unfortunately, it can quickly lead to addiction and other serious outcomes. If you find yourself on this path, know there is a better way. Consider evidence-based mental health treatment today.
Since microdosing involves taking a small amount of hallucinogens, we can't understand it unless we first understand what hallucinogens are and how they affect the body. So what are hallucinogens? Simply put, hallucinogens are drugs that alter your perception of reality.
Also called psychedelic drugs, these substances can alter your perception and overall state of mind. They can cause hallucinations and distort your concept of reality. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) also refers to them as dissociative drugs. This is due to their potential to make people feel detached from their bodies.
Other ways these substances affect the mind and body, according to the NIDA, include:
There are several types of hallucinogens, such as LSD, PCP, and ketamine, which have become increasingly common on college campuses. Substances like these are sometimes called club or party drugs because of their effects. Psychedelics or hallucinogens induce an altered state of consciousness that people may seek to heighten their experience at clubs, raves, and other parties.
Proponents of microdosing may say that hallucinogen use is safe in small doses. However, there is no way to know how a drug will affect you. Your body could react in many harmful ways, especially when using it for the first time. That is a risk people take when engaging in recreational psychedelic substance use.
Hallucinogens change the way you perceive reality. Altered perception can cause people to act in uncharacteristic or dangerous ways. This puts people using hallucinogens and those around them at risk.
Sometimes, this danger does not stop even long after the drug was taken. A rare but chronic condition that can be caused by hallucinogen use is Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD). This disorder causes people to experience altered states of perception even when they are not taking substances.
Additionally, people may knowingly use other drugs or drink alcohol with hallucinogens. Mixing such substances can be extremely dangerous.
Sometimes, people may not be aware they are mixing substances. Contaminants are frequently present in psychedelic drugs. For example, some dealers lace their drugs with fentanyl. This increases the risks of serious adverse effects, including overdose and death.
Hallucinogen use can lead to substance use disorder (SUD), including addiction. Using these party drugs long-term can cause you to become dependent on them. This is because party drugs impact the chemical balance in our brains. Over time, the body will begin craving these drugs, making it hard to stop substance use.
If you develop a SUD from using party drugs, know that treatment is available. NorthStar Transitions offers many treatment programs, including residential and outpatient programs.
No one intends to develop an addiction when they begin using substances. Unfortunately, many people turn to substance use to cope with other problems. That includes their mental health issues.
The microdosing trend promotes the use of hallucinogens for mental health. Some people claim that using hallucinogens in small amounts improves mental health without posing significant risks of side effects or addiction.
People microdose to reduce anxiety or depression, help with a panic attack, escape untreated trauma, or simply feel better and happier. Wanting to feel better is understandable, but microdosing is a dangerous way of coping. It puts people at risk of serious side effects and worse mental health in the long run.
There are many dangers of microdosing. Just because a dose is small does not mean it is safe. It doesn't take much for SUD to develop or for a laced psychedelic to trigger an overdose or other serious event.
If you recognize any of the following signs, you may be developing an addiction or experiencing other dangers of microdosing:
The best way to deal with your mental health is to seek treatment. Call NorthStar Transitions for help today. Evidence-based practices can help you heal without putting you and the people around you at risk.
There are always new studies and trends regarding healing and mental health. Many practices based on mindfulness and holistic modalities are safe to experiment with. However, many people are experimenting with potentially dangerous methods to improve their mental health. One of those methods is microdosing hallucinogens. Hallucinogens are mind-altering drugs that can have a number of unforeseen adverse consequences. Microdosing to improve mental health puts a band-aid on a bullet hole. To truly heal, therapy and other treatment methods are necessary. That's not to mention the increased risk of developing addiction. If you developed an addiction due to microdosing hallucinogens, know that treatment is available. Call NorthStar Transitions at (303) 558-6400 today.
