Below the Line: #31 — Paul Austin — Psychenaut

Podcast Notes Key Takeaways Microdosing involves taking sub-perceptual dose of a psychedelicThe effect? – A slight enhancement to your sensory experiences and more of a present-state awarenessAdvice for first-time microdosers: start low and go slowTake a tiny dose (~5 micrograms of LSD or ~0.1 grams of magic mushrooms) 1-2x a weekAccording to Paul, over the next decade, as psychedelics become legalized, their use will grow primarily through microdosing, not high-dose experiencesWe’ve had 25 years of stagnation in regards to the treatment of mental health issuesPsychedelic therapies seem to be changing thisWhat does the next 5 years hold for psychedelics?Both MDMA and psilocybin will become legalized for medical use in 2021“In 2024, you’ll likely see 1,000-5,000 centers around the globe who offer psychedelics for medical use to treat PTSD, depression, alcoholism, end-of-life anxiety, and possibly a handful of other things” – Paul Austin“I think you’ll see psychedelics decriminalized in most Western places, whether at a city, state, or national level” – Paul Austin“I think having a consistent psychedelic practice is useful. It’s healthy and beneficial by and large. If it’s done every 6-12 months for the remainder of someone’s life, they’ll probably have a better life than if they didn’t do it.”– Paul AustinThat said: “By no means is it a magic pill. Doing psychedelics every 6 months won’t matter if you’re not taking time to reflect, journal, and commit to your own personal development.”

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Today's episode is with Paul Austin, a social entrepreneur in a very unique space, the psychedelic space. He has been featured in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Economist, Forbes, and others for his pioneering work regarding microdosing, and his work with a psilocybin retreat center that he co-founded in the Netherlands last year, called Synthesis.

I want to point out up front that I don't microdose. I never have and I'm not advocating psychedelic usage. But what interests me about this space, similar to what interests a lot of people when it comes to mental health about the space, is that we've had about 20-25 years of stagnation in treatments for mental health.

A sibling of mine has tried basically every treatment there is over the last 20 years with very minimal results and psychedelic therapy is perhaps the most scientifically and effectively interesting approach that we've seen in these last two decades around new discoveries for the treatment of mental illnesses like PTSD or major depression. Therefore, it made complete sense to me to want to follow this space closely.

Paul, who is a friend, is one of the earliest educators on the space starting, perhaps the most widely used and most responsible educational courses on microdosing called The Third Wave.

It's also an interesting conversation with the founder that has had to blaze a trail in a highly controversial, highly stigmatized, and poorly understood space. He also talks about how this has affected him over the years... I think you’ll enjoy this conversation with Paul Austin.

You can email James questions directly at [email protected] or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline — “Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Straight Up Podcasts LLC.