Taking small doses of psychedelics is common among adults with ADHD to reduce symptoms. A preliminary study shows an improvement in their “mindfulness” after four weeks of microdosing at home. Future controlled laboratory research may support these results.
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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity. Surveys have shown that some adults diagnosed with ADHD report regularly self-administering low doses of psychedelic substances (called “microdosing”) to relieve their symptoms and thus improve their daily life.
Compared to the general population, people with ADHD have a different personality and “mindfulness” profile. “ These individuals typically exhibit lower levels of mindfulness, characterized by difficulty maintaining attention in the present moment and difficulty not reacting to emerging thoughts and emotions. In addition, their personality structure differs from that of people without ADHD, marked by a neuroticismneuroticism increased (i.e. an affectaffect negative and emotional instability) and difficulty organizing “, explained Eline Haijen from the Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology at Maastricht University and co-author of a new study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Research based on self-medication
What is the impact of microdosing on mindfulness and personality traits of adults diagnosed with ADHD? Does the concurrent use of a conventional ADHD medication influence the results? The preliminary study recruited adults with ADHD – or severe symptoms typical of ADHD – who intended to voluntarily microdose psychedelics. Which means that unlike a controlled laboratory study, requiring uniformity of medications and doses, this research included all types of substances and doses used by participants.
An average mindfulness score equivalent to the general population
The researchers collected data at three different time points: at baseline, two weeks, and then four weeks after starting microdosing. There were 233 participants at baseline, 66 after two weeks, and 44 after four weeks. After two and four weeks of microdosing, participants reported higher levels of mindfulness compared to baseline, and in particular the ability to describe and non-judgment of inner experience. “ Their mean mindfulness score after four weeks was comparable to mean mindfulness scores of general population samples “, said Eline Haijen. At the personality level, only neuroticism decreased after four weeks of microdosing. However, this average neuroticism score was still higher than the average neuroticism levels of general population samples.
The authors specify that using conventional medications did not modify the effects induced by psychedelics on mindfulness and personality traits after four weeks.
Future controlled laboratory studies will make it possible to validate or not these results. Additionally, research could examine whether these microdosing-induced effects on mindfulness and personality traits are long-lasting by conducting follow-up measurements several months later.
