Psychedelics, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism

A recent study published by the Australian Journal of Psychology explored the quantitative relationships between regular yoga practice, microdosing psychedelics, wellbeing, and personality variables. The research followed 339 participants as they engaged with yogic practice, microdosing practice, both combined, and a control group that did not engage in either practice. They found that the yoga and microdosing groups scored significantly higher on psychological wellbeing and absorption than the control. The microdosing and yoga group had lower depression scores than the microdose only group and lower anxiety scores than the yoga-only group. Furthermore, the microdosing and yoga group had the highest absorption score. Openness was significantly lower in the control group than in all other groups. A second follow-up study recently published in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies explored the relationship between microdosing, personality, and emotional insight. They discovered that out of the 76 experienced microdosers in the study, 24 participants experienced personality changes after a period of microdosing. The participants reported a decrease in neuroticism and an increase in conscientiousness. Interestingly, a greater amount of experience with microdosing was associated with lower levels of neuroticism among the 76 participants, suggesting that an ongoing microdosing practice might not only be associated with sustainable changes but also a more pronounced experience of the positive changes. Read The Original Article »