Microdosing with shrooms has become quite popular in recreational circles where people are trying to use their relaxing and mood-enhancing effects in their everyday lives. Motherhood is undoubtedly one of the greatest joys in life, but it can be stressful, overwhelming, and leave you feeling like you're juggling too much. Can magic mushrooms be beneficial for mom duties? Moms who mushroom have their thoughts.
The following content is intended only as an educational and harm reduction tool. The use of psychedelics, including magic mushrooms, is not recommended while pregnant or breastfeeding.
What are Mushroom Moms?
Or better yet, who are mushroom moms? This is a phenomenon derived from the psychedelic revolution and decriminalizing and legalizing these hallucinogens worldwide. It's coming at a time when articles on shrooms and ketamine can be found next to five ways to add coconut oil into your diet and breathing exercises you can do before bedtime. And moms are following the trend.
Worn down by stress, sleep deprivation, and taking care of their children, moms are the ultimate fighters. From the depressive PMS symptoms and hormonal changes during pregnancy to postpartum depression and breastfeeding, moms go through a lot. And it's only natural that they seek out new and alternative remedies that will help them cope with stress and potentially make them a better parent along the way.
Mushroom Moms That Microdose
Many new moms find themselves in a challenging and stressful environment after birth. What's supposed to be a wonderful experience often comes coupled with feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and frustration. This is one of the main reasons moms microdose, according to what Mikaela, a frustrated mom told Harper's Bazaar. Oftentimes we used to think of stressed-out moms sharing their frustrations over a glass of wine, but it seems like this new shroom trend is slowly taking over and yielding better results.
Another mom, Vanessa, microdoses because she's juggling a plethora of daily tasks and activities, and shrooms make her better organized, more present, and overall less stressed.
Getting high is not the point. Microdosing consists of only a tiny dose and, in most people, creates just a slight effect of low stress but is powerful enough to keep them present and focused.
Mushroom Moms That Trip on Magic Mushrooms
That being said, there are always two sides to every coin. And although some moms only microdose to help them get through the daily tasks and have more patience with their kids, others enjoy the full-on trip.
And since studies show a great efficacy of psilocybin when compared to antidepressants, it's no wonder that many moms will go out of their way to feel better and have a more positive mindset towards motherhood and parenting in general.
It is important to note that there is a massive difference between tripping on magic mushrooms and microdosing. Psychedelic and spiritual experiences are important for moms, too. Of course, this should not be done while taking care of children. It is obvious that Moms will need a babysitter if they decide to trip on mushrooms.
Anxiety and Depression During the Menstrual Cycle
Before even getting pregnant, many women suffer from PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which causes an array of serious symptoms such as severe irritability, anxiety, and depression. Most often, it happens in the week leading up to your period, but sometimes it can take up to two weeks, with symptoms starting around ovulation.
And although some women deal with it on their own terms and manage to control it, others seek help in a variety of ways, from pills and hormones to alternative medicine and hallucinogens.
Can Shrooms Help with PMDD?
Even though there are no official studies that explore the potential of shrooms and how microdosing might affect PMDD, knowing their positive effect on treatment-resistant depression and anxiety might lead us to believe it could do the same for this female condition.
Psychedelics kick in much faster than regular anti-depression medication and have anti-inflammatory effects, all of which can significantly help relieve the symptoms of PMDD. This shows how shrooms can potentially be a great way of managing and regulating your symptoms, preventing them from controlling your life every month.
Learn more on psychedelics and PMDD.
Postpartum Depression
Also known as baby blues, postpartum depression is a condition many women face after they give birth, and it shows up as feelings of sadness, emptiness, and hopelessness. It can be quite severe and affect not only a woman's behavior towards her child but also her own brain, feeling disconnected from herself and experiencing thoughts of harming either herself or her baby.
Can Shrooms Help with Postpartum Depression?
The same train of thought that would make a woman reach for shrooms during PMDD is what would drive them if they were to experience postpartum depression. There's quite a demand for research on the subject since it can be a very serious and potentially dangerous condition women can face without being able to manage it on their own.
Experts believe that there is great promise in the use of psychedelics for postpartum depression and that it can have a strong positive influence on the mother-infant connection.
Should You Take Shrooms When Breastfeeding?
As a mom, even if you're not dealing with postpartum depression, the chances are you're stressed, sleep-deprived, and anxious about all things motherhood brings. Unfortunately, this could also lead to a form of depression, as you struggle to multitask your daily functions and, on top of everything, have the constant worry about whether or not you're a good mother and whether you are doing everything you could do for your child.
Enter breastfeeding, another part of early motherhood that can be challenging, stressful, and sometimes simply not functioning the way you believe it should. "Relax and stop stressing out" is the usual advice for all women who struggle with milk production or getting their child to latch correctly, but oftentimes it's easier said than done. That's why many women seek out help with alternative treatments and wonder about using shrooms to help them out.
The research on shrooms and breastfeeding is very limited. The most significant concern is transferring the drug into the infant's system through the mother's milk, and it can take up to 24 hours for psilocybin to exit your system.
To avoid harm, do not use psychedelic substances while pregnant or breastfeeding.
And then there's the question of morality and legality and whether or not breastfeeding on shrooms could potentially create a larger problem for the mother than just stress and anxiety. It seems like more research has to be conducted for us to better understand the impact of hallucinogenic drugs on an infant's system and the potential long-term side effects they might produce.
Can Psychedelics Help You Become a Better Parent?
Another interesting aspect of potential psychedelic use and a question many moms who are interested in taking mushrooms ask is can they help me be a better parent? Would I be a better mom if I was a shroom mom?
Some women report that ever since they started taking mushrooms, they face motherhood and all of its challenges with a sense of calm and ease. Others believe it completely transformed their relationship with their child, making them calmer and more tolerant parents who have more energy and mental capacity to face their children's needs. So, if they're making you feel less stressed and helping you take off the edge, it's no wonder many moms are interested in following this trend. Wine used to do the trick, but it seems like the mushroom moms are becoming the new wine moms.
Psychedelic parenting is what the phenomenon is now being called, and it's all about being less stressed, anxious, and depressed and trying to focus on what matters most, and that's keeping a good relationship with your child.
How to Explain Shrooms to Your Child?
As a parent, your job is to protect and guide your child from anything that might harm them and teach them about the potential consequences of taking drugs and other substances. So, how do you deal with the situation where you're the one taking certain mind-altering substances you are forbidding your child from using?
Maybe the best approach is to go full scientific and explain the potential benefits these drugs have in therapy for serious conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and eating disorders. Or maybe it's best to show them the popular Netflix series "How to Change Your Mind" and let them draw their own conclusions. Or maybe you decide to hide it from your child altogether. Whatever the case may be, taking shrooms doesn't make you a bad parent and how you choose to explain it to your child is in your control.
You might also experience a situation where your child comes to you and wants to try shrooms themselves. The way you deal with it will also be your own decision, but keep in mind the scientific evidence around it and try to gather as much information as you can before having the big talk.
How Much Should You Take?
Microdosing with magic mushrooms has its own set of rules, and it's usually one-tenth of what some people take for recreational purposes. Since the goal is just to calm you down and help you deal with mom tasks in a more relaxed and easygoing way, you're not looking to have the full-blown effect, which might leave you incapable of performing said duties.
Dosages for Microdosing Shrooms
Psychedelic substances, including magic mushrooms, should not be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you're just starting out, the best dose to start with is around 0.1–0.3 grams (or 50 to 15 milligrams) of dried psilocybin-containing magic mushrooms. If you're already experienced and know your limits, you can try to increase the dose.
The best schedule for taking shrooms seems to be every three days, and you should feel their calming effects within a few weeks, maybe sooner.
It is strongly recommended that you get a babysitter when you are starting out with microdosing, as even the microdosing dosage you are taking may end up being more than you need, resulting in you tripping on the magic mushrooms. Fortunately, it isn't a disaster; you just have to figure out what the right microdosing dosage is for you. Just make sure someone is taking care of your child while you're still trying to figure it out.
Learn more about how to microdose with magic mushrooms.
Dosages for Magic Mushrooms
If you're looking for a full psychedelic experience, the dosages will be: 1 to 3 grams is considered moderate, 3 to 4 grams is regarded as high, and 5 grams and above will be considered heroic.
There is no need for young children to be around their parents while they are tripping on psychedelics. It is strongly recommended you leave your children with their grandparents or significant other for the entire day or take a babysitter for at least six to eight hours. Most children will not understand what you're experiencing or the reasons behind it; therefore, it can serve as a negative example.
The Red Alerts
The way you take shrooms and how it affects your behavior towards your kids' counts.
If you're experiencing a full-on trip and are unable to take care of them or are neglecting their needs and endangering their lives. In that case, it's a sign to take a step back and reassess your reasons behind taking shrooms, the dose you're ingesting, and whether the end result really is what you were after in the first place.
If you find yourself in need of these moments of "numbness," it might be best to talk to a mental health professional and get guidance and help that won't put your children in a challenging situation.
The Takeaway
Shroom moms are definitely a new trend that seems to be emerging. With the scientific evidence behind shrooms and their positive effects on depression and anxiety, this trend might become more popular than wine. And since so many states and countries worldwide are beginning to acknowledge the therapeutic power of psychedelics and either decriminalize or legalize them, it's only left to see what impact it can have on many life struggles. Maybe it will create better parents or maybe better people altogether.
