Global Trends in Psychedelic Microdosing: Demographics, Substance Testing Behavior, and Patterns of Use

Area of Science:

• Psychopharmacology
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Psychedelic microdosing is a growing practice with limited scientific understanding.
• Previous research has focused on general microdosing characteristics, motivations, and practices.
• The demographic and substance use differences between exclusive microdosers and those using both micro and macrodoses remain unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the demographic, behavioral, and substance use differences between individuals who exclusively microdose psychedelics and those who use both microdoses and macrodoses.
• To contribute to the understanding of naturalistic psychedelic use patterns.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to 6193 psychedelic consumers.
• Data from 2488 microdosers, encompassing 11 different classical and atypical psychedelics, were analyzed.
• Statistical comparisons were made between exclusive microdosers and individuals using both micro and macrodoses.

Main Results:

• Exclusive microdosers were older (46.4 vs. 42.0 years), had a higher proportion of females (68.4% vs. 44.7%), and were more likely to be non-Caucasian (25.4% vs. 14.7%) and urban residents (43.9% vs. 38.5%).
• Exclusive microdosers reported lower average lifetime use of non-psychedelic substances (3.8 vs. 4.7).
• Psilocybin (74.5%), LSD (34.4%), and ketamine (15.8%) were common microdosing substances, with most users (64.6%) not testing their substances. Improving general wellbeing was the most common reason (73.0%).

Conclusions:

• Significant demographic and substance use differences exist between exclusive microdosers and those who also use macrodoses.
• The findings highlight distinct patterns in the naturalistic use of psychedelic microdosing.
• Further research is warranted to understand the implications of these differences for therapeutic and wellness applications.