Psychedelics and ADHD: Could Microdosing Be the Breakthrough We’ve Been Waiting For?
ADHD—Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—is like having 25 browser tabs open in your brain, and none of them are loading. Millions of adults and kids live with this condition. The problem with traditional treatments is that they seem to focus solely on trying to balance its hallmark symptoms: inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Prescriptions of medications are on the rise, and especially amongst children.
Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin have been the go-to remedies for decades, but they don’t always work for everyone—and let’s face it, the side effects (hello, insomnia and anxiety!) are not to be taken lightly. Pharmaceuticals always seem to come with these disclaimers regarding side effects that are often pretty serious. Think of SSRIs and their prescription for treating conditions like depression.
But, what if a better option exists? Well research is showing that this may be the case.
Believe it or not…
Psychedelics are emerging as a promising option to treat conditions like ADHD. On top of treating ADHD symptoms, studies are hinting at the possibility of additional benefits like enhancing your creativity. The studies in question are looking at psychedelic microdosing which involves taking a small, non-hallucinogenic dose of substances like LSD or psilocybin (the magic in “magic mushrooms”). Although we’re still at the early stages, these findings could change the way we think about ADHD treatment.
Let’s break down some of the research.
Why Microdosing for ADHD?
When exploring psychedelics for ADHD, researchers faced a key question:
Should they study microdosing (tiny doses with subtle effects) or macrodosing (the “trip-inducing” doses commonly associated with psychedelics)?
The answer was clear for several key reasons.
Safety First
Let’s be real—inducing a full-blown psychedelic trip in someone trying to improve focus might not be the best starting point. Macrodosing can involve intense experiences that demand a controlled therapeutic environment, making it far less practical for daily life or ADHD treatment.
Functionality Matters
People with ADHD need solutions that help them tackle everyday tasks—not treatments that require them to set aside hours for introspection. Microdosing fits the bill by allowing people to do their regular day-to-day activities while reaping potential benefits like improved focus, emotional stability, and mindfulness.
Subtlety Wins
ADHD is already a condition of overstimulation. So putting study participants through full blown psychedelic journeys wouldn’t really make sense. The subtle, non-disruptive nature of microdosing makes it an easier tool to test. It’s less about rewiring your entire consciousness and more about giving your brain a nudge in the right direction.
In a sense, it’s a prudent approach to start with microdosing when investigating whether or not psychedelics can treat a given condition. We’ve seen and covered several different studies that looked at microdosing. For example, there’s the study that looked at microdosing LSD and its impact on mood related disorders. With that in mind, let’s explore what researchers found when studying the impact of microdosing on ADHD symptoms.
What Does Science Say? Let’s Get Into the Data
In this article, we’re going to go through the results of two different studies.
- Published in European Psychiatry, 2024
- Published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2023
Study 1: Effects of psychedelic microdosing vs. conventional ADHD medication
Study Goal
The researchers set out to answer three big questions:
- Can microdosing reduce ADHD symptoms like inattention and impulsivity?
- Does it help with emotional regulation, making it easier to stay calm and manage stress?
- Could it even improve empathy, helping people connect better with others?
And they weren’t just looking at surface-level changes—they wanted to see how these effects might reshape everyday experiences. In short, they were asking: “Can microdosing do what traditional medications often miss?”
The Approach
No complicated labs or long hospital visits here—this study was conducted in the real world. Researchers followed two groups of adults with severe ADHD symptoms. One group began microdosing psychedelics on their own, while the other either stuck with their current treatments or didn’t receive any at all.
Participants checked in at three points—before starting, two weeks in, and again at four weeks. They reported changes in their ADHD symptoms, emotional regulation, and empathy levels through self-assessments.
It’s a straightforward setup, but that’s part of its charm. By keeping things natural and letting people continue their routines, the researchers got a clearer sense of how microdosing could fit into daily life. Or, as you might put it, they weren’t looking for miracles—they just wanted to see if this approach made Mondays a little easier to handle. Another reason why we like this sort of study is because it considers the fact that microdosing needs to be done over a period of time for the results to really be noticed. We discuss this in our microdosing 101 article which you can check out here:
The Results
ADHD Symptoms: A Clear Win
Participants who microdosed reported significant improvements in focus, clarity, and impulse control. For many, it was like flipping on a mental light switch—tasks that once felt impossible suddenly became manageable.
Emotional Regulation: A Game-Changer
Emotions are tricky for people with ADHD, but microdosing seemed to help in two key ways:
Cognitive Reappraisal: Instead of spiralling when something went wrong, participants could reframe situations more positively.
Expressive Suppression: They also found it easier to keep their emotions in check, avoiding outbursts or impulsive reactions.
Picture this: You’re stuck in traffic, and instead of screaming at the steering wheel, you think, “Maybe the person ahead of me is having a worse day than I am.” That’s the kind of shift participants described.
Empathy: A Mixed Bag
The effects on empathy were less consistent. While some participants reported better perspective-taking—i.e. imagining what others were feeling—the changes weren’t as pronounced across the board.
Revisiting the key question: How does microdosing stack up against ADHD meds?
So what did we learn from this study? The bottom line is this…
Traditional ADHD medications like Adderall or Ritalin are still the gold standard for managing core symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. They’re reliable and backed by decades of research. However, these medications often leave gaps, particularly when it comes to emotional regulation and social challenges, areas that can significantly affect quality of life for people with ADHD.
This is where microdosing seems to shine. Participants in the study reported improved emotional resilience, better management of frustration and stress, and even subtle personality shifts, like becoming more conscientious, and open to new experiences. These are not areas where traditional medications tend to have much of an impact.
Rather than thinking of microdosing as a replacement for ADHD medications, it might be better to view it as a complementary approach—a way to “fill in the gaps.” For those struggling with emotional dysregulation or interpersonal challenges, microdosing could offer benefits that conventional medications don’t always address. That said, it’s always important to keep in mind the interactions between psychedelics and prescription medications like those used to treat ADHD. We have an article exploring this in our learn section so we recommend you check it out.
That’s a wrap for the first study. Let’s cover the second one now shall we!
Study 2: mindfulness and personality characteristics in a microdosing ADHD sample
Study Goal
ADHD doesn’t exist in isolation—it affects the way people approach life, interact with others, and regulate their emotions. Mindfulness (the ability to stay present and aware) and personality traits like conscientiousness and openness are often underdeveloped in people with ADHD, impacting their relationships, decision-making, and overall well-being.
The study aimed to explore whether microdosing psychedelics could:
- Boost mindfulness, helping participants stay more grounded in the present.
- Improve specific personality traits like conscientiousness (organization), agreeableness (cooperation), and openness (creativity and adaptability).
- Reduce neuroticism, which is often associated with anxiety and emotional instability in ADHD.
The Approach
The researchers designed a naturalistic, four-week prospective survey study. Here’s how it worked:
Who Participated: Adults who had severe ADHD symptoms and independently chose to start microdosing psychedelics. There was no controlled dosing—participants followed their own regimens, reflecting real-world use.
What They Measured: Researchers assessed mindfulness and personality traits at the beginning (baseline), two weeks in, and again after four weeks.
How They Gathered Data: Participants completed self-reported questionnaires, rating their mindfulness and personality traits on validated scales.
The Results
The results painted an encouraging picture of how microdosing might influence both mindfulness and personality in adults with ADHD symptoms.
Mindfulness: A Clear Improvement
Participants reported significantly higher levels of mindfulness after four weeks of microdosing. This means they felt more present, attentive, and self-aware. For someone with ADHD, that’s a big deal—it’s like quieting the mental noise and finally being able to focus on the moment at hand.
Personality Traits: Subtle but Meaningful Changes
Several personality traits showed noticeable improvements, including:
Conscientiousness: Participants became more dependable and organized—a major win for anyone who’s ever forgotten their keys three times in one day.
Agreeableness: They were more cooperative, empathetic, and better at navigating social interactions.
Openness: Creativity and willingness to embrace new experiences saw a boost, which could translate into greater adaptability in both work and personal life.
And here’s the kicker: neuroticism—a tendency toward anxiety and emotional instability—decreased. That’s an important shift, especially for people with ADHD who often struggle with heightened emotional reactivity.
Implications
Like the first study, the results here have some interesting implications. They reveal that psychedelics may offer benefits beyond symptom management for individuals with ADHD. By enhancing mindfulness and positively influencing personality traits, microdosing could contribute to improved emotional regulation, better interpersonal relationships, and overall well-being. However, it’s important to note that this study was observational and relied on self-reported data. Further research, particularly controlled clinical trials, is needed to confirm these results and fully understand the potential therapeutic applications of microdosing for ADHD.
Looking ahead – Where do we go from here?
Microdosing psychedelics is still a relatively new frontier in ADHD research and these studies raise as many questions as they answer. Here are some key areas where further research is needed:
Long-Term Effects
What happens when someone microdoses for months or even years? Do the benefits sustain over time, or does tolerance develop? Understanding the long-term implications is critical before microdosing can become a mainstream treatment option.
Optimal Dosing Protocols
Microdosing is as much an art as a science right now. Researchers need to determine the most effective dosing schedules and amounts, as well as how individual factors like age, gender, or ADHD severity might influence outcomes.
Interactions with Medications
Many people with ADHD already use stimulant medications. It’s essential to study how microdosing interacts with these treatments—whether it enhances their effects, reduces the need for higher doses, or causes complications.
Mechanisms of Action
What exactly is happening in the brain during microdosing? Early evidence suggests increased connectivity and neuroplasticity, but pinpointing the mechanisms could help refine treatments and make them more effective.
These are but a few of the questions that future studies looking at the potential for psychedelics in treating ADHD should consider. As more studies emerge, we might just see psychedelics move from the fringes of mental health research to the forefront of ADHD care. Until then, keeping an open mind (and maybe a few fewer browser tabs) is a good place to start.
References
Haijen ECHM, Hurks PPM, Kuypers KPC. Trait mindfulness and personality characteristics in a microdosing ADHD sample: a naturalistic prospective survey study. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Oct 16;14:1233585. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1233585. PMID: 37915796; PMCID: PMC10617390. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.10617390
Haijen ECHM, Hurks PPM, Kuypers KPC. Effects of psychedelic microdosing versus conventional ADHD medication use on emotion regulation, empathy, and ADHD symptoms in adults with severe ADHD symptoms: A naturalistic prospective comparison study. Eur Psychiatry. 2024 Feb 14;67(1):e18. doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2024.8. PMID: 38351594; PMCID: PMC10966614. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10966614/#sec32
PsyPost. (2024). Psychedelic microdosing: A new frontier for treating ADHD symptoms and emotional dysregulation. Retrieved from https://www.psypost.org/psychedelic-microdosing-a-new-frontier-for-treating-adhd-symptoms-and-emotional-dysregulation/
