Can You Use Psilocybin Instead of Traditional ADHD Medication? .The most common method of ADHD management involves amphetamines, such as Adderall and Ritalin. They address the disorder’s symptoms by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. These medications are commonly available as slow-release tablets and require just one dose daily.
The problem with psychostimulants is that they carry a high risk of misuse [2]. When used often, amphetamine medications can become addictive, both physically and psychologically.
Often, the dose of these stimulants must be increased over time as the user’s tolerance increases. The rise in dosage also increases the chance of developing addiction and a whole host of other side effects.
Stimulant medications increase blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels. Some also find that these medications cause insomnia, disordered eating habits, and unproductive hyperfocus [3].
Of course, these medications work for many people, but they’re far from perfect and aren’t necessarily safe long-term.
Can psilocybin be used instead of Ritalin and Adderall?
So far, there’s very little substantial evidence supporting psilocybin use for ADHD symptoms. However, research into the matter is slowly growing.
Many people have found improvement in their ADHD symptoms through microdosing, to the point of replacing their stimulant medications.
There does seem to be some inconsistency in the anecdotal evidence available on the topic. Some people report fantastic results from psilocybin for ADHD; others report no effects or negative side effects, such as an increased loss of focus and motivation [4, 6].
We’re yet to find out exactly how and why psilocybin may work as an effective treatment for ADHD symptoms. Although psilocybin has no affinity for the dopamine D2 receptors, it does increase dopamine transmission in the striatum — something that stimulant medications such as Ritalin do.
Research into the effects of psilocybin on the disorder is increasing (we’ll look more into the current and upcoming research soon).
