Golia, K. (2020). The shared experiences of individuals who microdose psilocybin: a transcendental phenomenological study [Unpublished Master’s thesis]. Alef Trust & Middlesex University.

Evidence is mounting that microdosing could have beneficial effects in the areas of treatment-resistant depression, addiction, PTSD, anxiety disorders, and creativity. However, no literature has addressed the lived experience of psilocybin microdosing. This study used transcendental phenomenology to explore the experiences shared between individuals who microdose psilocybin mushrooms. The study included a sample of 12 participants (five males, five females) aged between 24 and 38. All participants were Caucasian consisting of five from the UK, four from the US, one Italian (residing in Tel Aviv) one Swede (residing in the UK) and one Australian (residing in Mexico). The interviews were conducted via zoom, and transcribed interviews were analysed using the phenomenological method outlined by Moustakas (1994). There were seven central themes: 1) Microdosing meant different doses to different individuals, the effects differed between participants and differing protocols 2) Changes in mental health were experienced by participants in both positive and negative ways 3) A feeling of connection to self, nature or something ‘bigger’ was felt by some participants in varying degrees 4) Some participants felt an increase in productivity 5) An increased state of wellbeing was shared by some individuals 6) Some individuals felt that they could navigate problems more effectively 7) Participants with a musical background experienced an increase in their levels of creativity. By providing support for the use of psilocybin microdosing, the findings are valuable in the growing field of psychedelic research and the possibility that the practice could be used in clinical settings in the future.