Can Microdosing Save Your Relationship?

Microdosing is all the rage in the tech community, claiming it helps you work harder, feel more creative and avoid burnout. But there are also those who have started using small doses of psilocybin to improve their relationship satisfaction.

Psychedelics have been used in therapy for many years and MDMA has also been used in relationship therapy to help couples open up and connect with one another on a new level. Usually these are more significant doses that help the person to let go of their ego for a brief period so they can see things from the perspective of their partner.

Microdosing is not yet used in therapy, but many couples have chosen to give this less intense version of relationship therapy a try, on their own terms.

How Does It Work?

Microdosing is typically done every 3 days at about 250mg or less (though everyone is different and dosages change drastically from person to person.

The microdose should feel undetectable, other than a slick uptick in mood, creativity or general sense of well being.

Psilocybin works by binding to the 5HT2A receptor in the brain and spinal cord. This receptor is responsible for making people feel more open, satisfied and more empathetic, all of which could certainly benefit romantic relationships.

How Does Psilocybin Impact Relationships?

Though there haven’t been exhaustive studies and most of the evidence is anecdotal, there are some positive results that suggest that microdosing could improve relationships, romantic or otherwise.

It makes sense that similar results can be seen by those who microdose regularly as compared to those who take one-time full psychedelic doses.

Magic mushrooms affect the prefrontal cortex, which is the area of the brain responsible for mood, perception, thought processes and abstract thinking. These areas tend to become more active during the use of psilocybin, while other parts are dampened. Specifically, the part of the brain that connects us to our sense of self.

In a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, it was found that participants showed a 60 – 80% decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms six months after the initial study was conducted. Similar results were seen in another study at NYU, with their participants showing 60 – 80 % less symptoms 6.5 months after their initial use of mushrooms.

These results give us a glimpse into why psilocybin can be so helpful in relationships.

Anxiety is often what holds people back from seeing the perspective of their partner. When we are too focused on our own fears, we are less able to accept love from our partners.

Diminishing the ego and ‘sense of self’, through the use of psilocybin, allows you to see things from your partner’s perspective. 

Many people report being able to look at things from a less emotional perspective. They are able to come at their relationships from a more analytical and understanding place. It allows them to communicate their needs more clearly and not feel personally offended or respond with defensiveness when their partner expresses their needs.

That doesn’t mean that microdosing only has positive effects on relationships. Some have also reported coming to terms with the fact that their relationship wasn’t working. Microdosing encouraged them to deep dive into their relationship and they came to the conclusion that it wasn’t right for them.

So Should You & Your Partner Microdose?

Mushrooms are not a replacement for therapy. They can facilitate important conversations, bring up new thoughts and revelations, but they aren’t a substitute for real counselling. Microdosing may bring up something you’re not ready to deal with or it might be the conduit for impactful positive change between you and your partner.

They may be called ‘magic mushrooms’ but they are not magic when it comes to fixing established issues within your partnership. Only strong communication skills and a willingness to change can do that.

But microdosing can give you more patience, less anxiety, a more positive outlook and the ability to see beyond yourself and acknowledge your partner’s feelings.

We get so wrapped up in our own emotions (especially in long term relationships) that we forget that our partners have their own world, with it’s own stress, fear and trauma. If microdosing can help bring new understanding to your relationship and open up broken down channels of communication, then go for it.

Do your own research on the side effects of microdosing before trying it for the first time. Psilocybin is considered illegal in many places in the world. Be sure to microdose responsibly and safely.