Ten years after becoming one of the first states to legalize the sale of cannabis, Colorado again made history in November 2022, becoming the second state in the U.S. after Oregon to allow adults 21 and older to grow and share psilocybin mushrooms, additionally creating state-regulated centers for people to make appointments and consume the substance.
As psilocybin use becomes more normalized throughout Colorado, a new and perhaps surprising group have taken to the psychedelic compound to pilot their own wellness journeys: mothers.
That’s right — mushroom moms could very well be the next wine moms, though according to Tracy Tee, the founder of Moms on Mushrooms, it’s not about getting high or tripping. Instead, these Coloradans are microdosing, taking small doses of psilocybin that won’t lead to a heavy, psychoactive trip but instead works to improve their mental wellbeing in conjunction with therapy.
“The point of microdosing is that it’s supposed to be completely sub-perceptual. That you are not high,” Tee told 9News. Rather than feeling high, Tee says that psilocybin helps to usher in calmness, maybe even more creativity, a higher sense of being present and open-hearted.
Tee and other group members invited the news outlet into their homes to share their microdosing practices, adding that these new routines have helped them to deal with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
One mother, Veronica Lightning Horse Perez, told the outlet that she was initially scared of psilocybin, “just as indoctrinated as a lot of people,” as she took a small dose. Ashley Ryan, a former teacher turned psychedelic coach, also shared that her anxiety and depression are more manageable after starting the psilocybin regimen, adding that the psychedelic compound “has given me my life back.”
Microdosing psychedelics isn’t a new phenomenon, as Silicon Valley tech professionals made headlines years back for similarly touting the benefits of microdosing psilocybin—namely more openness and increased creativity. The moms in Colorado similarly said that shrooms have a subtle effect on their consciousness, allowing for better reflection throughout the day, especially when symptoms of anxiety or stress come to the forefront.
The women also said that psilocybin microdosing in conjunction with therapy has helped them to avoid dependency on daily pharmaceuticals.
Those interviewed by 9News also embrace a full-blown psychedelic experience, along with the guidance of a therapist or leader, every few months, similar to the clinic model that will eventually help to guide Coloradans in need through their own therapeutic psilocybin experiences.
“In that space, there is an opportunity to alchemize grief. To connect with god or the divine, the great mother. Whatever you want to call it. To work through issues. To release patterns that have been holding you doing forever,” Tee said.
As psilocybin becomes more normalized in Western society, microdosing in turn has gained popularity. Studies on microdosing psilocybin have so far been limited, often relying mostly on anecdotal evidence.
One June 2022 study published in Scientific Reports found that microdosing psilocybin mushrooms had a noticeable effect on the mood and mental health of participants. The study was one of the first studies of its kind, according to researchers.
It ultimately concludes, “The potential that psilocybin microdosing may provide a means to improve depression and anxiety clearly points to the need for further research to more firmly establish the nature of the relationship between microdosing, mood and mental health, and the extent to which these effects are directly attributable to psilocybin.
Conversely, another 2022 study found that the positive effects of microdosing could be driven by the expectations of those taking psilocybin.
“Ample anecdotal evidence suggests that microdosing can improve mood, well-being, creativity, and cognition, and recent uncontrolled, open-label observational studies have provided some empirical support for these claims,” the authors wrote. “While encouraging, these studies are vulnerable to experimental biases, including confirmation bias and placebo effects. This is especially problematic in the case of microdosing, since users make up a self-selected sample with optimistic expectations about the outcome of the practice.”
While more research is still needed, the Moms on Mushrooms stand by the healing effects of psilocybin microdosing.
“This is a gift to humanity. This is a gift to everybody. So we need to make it accessible to everybody,” said Lightning Horse Perez, adding that she hopes the Indigenous roots of the medicine will be respected as psilocybin continues gaining momentum in the future.
