Expectations or Reality? The Potential Placebo Effects in Psychedelic Microdosing

A new study reveals that people’s expectations of a psychedelic microdose may be responsible for their mood enhancing effects.

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Over the past few years, people have testified to the enriching effects of ‘microdosing’. The practice of taking tiny amounts of psychedelic substances has exponentially risen, and is being used for a variety of reasons. Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are microdosing to boost their creativity and productivity, while mums and dads are doing it to quell anxiety and sharpen their parenting skills.

But while the anecdotal evidence is mounting, researchers remain cautious about the effects of microdosing. Studies investigating the practice are scarce. This begs the question: is microdosing the real deal, or are we seeing placebo effects?

The Power of Placebo

It’s important to keep placebo effects in mind when conducting research. The placebo response happens when your mind convinces your body that a treatment is effective. Put simply, the belief that you have received treatment can sometimes be as effective as treating the issue.

To give an example, telling a participant they are receiving antidepressants, when they are simply receiving an inactive sugar pill, can reduce…