The Atlantic

Here’s What Happens When a Few Dozen People Take Small Doses of Psychedelics

There’s new—and possibly dubious—evidence that “microdosing” hallucinogenic drugs makes people more creative.
Source: Mendowong Photography / Getty / The Atlantic

In high school, my rebellious friends used to tell me I was way too neurotic to handle hallucinogens such as mushrooms and acid. But science is beginning to show that some forms of psychedelics may be able to calm anxieties and lift people out of depression. Prominent thinkers such as Michael Pollan and Ayelet Waldman have begun exploring the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics in certain contexts.

In Silicon Valley and beyond, some people are taking small amounts of psychedelics, a practice known as “microdosing” that is to aid productivity. Now a new study suggests that microdoses of of magic mushrooms—can boost creativity, too.

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