The latest research suggests that microdosing mushrooms may offer a promising new treatment for depression. Researchers found that people who self-dose psilocybin mushrooms are more likely to report improvements in their mood and cognitive performance than those who do not. Earlier research also suggested that psilocybin could help improve depression and anxiety, but those findings were less conclusive.

Microdosing mushrooms depression has gathered anecdotal evidence from surveys and laboratory studies that show that psychedelics can have benefits for mental health. In general, the anecdotal data points to improved attention and cognition, fewer stressors, and feelings of well-being. Several lab studies of psilocybin microdoses have shown similar results. However, most of the studies were small and did not compare a dose of psilocybin to a placebo.

Microdosing Mushrooms for Depression: Potential Benefits

A recent survey of people who self-microdose psilocybin identified a variety of motivations for doing so. Most prominent among these was the desire to enhance emotional well-being and cognitive functioning. Other motivating factors included reducing stress, facilitating learning and creativity, and promoting mindfulness.

However, the few existing placebo-controlled trials of psychedelic microdosing have found that the benefits people report are probably due to the placebo effect. A 2024 study tried to counter this by asking participants to use their own drugs in a double-blind trial and not tell them what they were taking, but two-thirds of the study’s participants correctly guessed their condition, which makes it difficult to determine how much of the reported changes are due to the placebo effect.