Baby Boomers, Mindfulness & Psychedelics—Now More than Ever
Mindfulness and microdosing (or ‘Mindful Microdosing’) can be a powerful ally in the aging process. This is especially true for the more than 60 million North Americans who are today’s senior citizens. These are the same people who came of age in the counterculture generation of the 60s and 70s. Unfortunately, the message that the War on Drugs imprinted throughout the culture turned an ally into a foe, whether an individual was part of the drug culture or not.
By Lauren Alderfer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Alderfer comes to the world of microdosing and the use of entheogens through the lens of her many decades of meditation. She is the award-winning mindfulness author of Teaching from the Heart of Mindfulness and the popular children’s book, Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda. Most recently, she wrote Mindful Microdosing: A Guidebook and Journal. A long-time mindfulness practitioner, certified microdosing coach, IAYT-certified yoga therapist, and certified End of Life doula, Lauren has worked in US-based overseas schools for over 30 years. She holds a Ph.D. in Global Educational Leadership.
Today, psychedelics are becoming an ally thanks to recent findings from the NIH, prestigious universities in North America, and organizations throughout the world. Their therapeutic use is being studied at world renowned universities including Johns Hopkins, Harvard, UC Berkeley, Stanford, University of British Columbia, and Imperial College London, among others. The US government has issued calls for enrollment in clinical trials and funding through the NIH in psychedelic aging research and the aging mind is ongoing.
So too have individuals and organizations become trained psychedelic coaches to assist individuals in getting the most from their use of psychedelics. Countless resources now exist to support microdosing, whether one utilizes a coach or not. I’m proud to contribute to these resources with the release of Mindful Microdosing: A Guidebook and Journal, which supports the entire process of preparation, active microdosing, and integration through the lens of mindfulness.
All of these initiatives are sending a clear message from the top down. This message? Psychedelics can become an ally to the millions of present-day elders and senior citizens, and the billions to come.
Psychedelics for Senior Health and Wellness
The positive impact on the aging mind, aging mental health, and aging wellness for this population is being researched. Clinical trials in psychedelic aging research include exploring a number of challenges faced by elderly people. Some examples are existential distress, death anxiety, depression from Parkinson’s, dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and Early-Stage Alzheimer’s. Exploring the benefits of psychedelics for therapy for aging people may indicate the emergence of a new field that focuses on aging and senior psychedelic use and geriatric and elderly psychedelic users.
These clinical trials almost always involve a single high dose, in person, and usually at a university or clinical setting. Such highly controlled environments hold much promise for medical research and eventually for the general public. [1] This top-down approach will hopefully have a resounding positive impact on those in search of relief in their waning years.
Psychedelic Preparation and Insights for the Elderly
Adopting a bottom-up approach, the practice of microdosing psychedelics is being explored as a supportive measure for the elderly. Microdosing refers to taking a micro dose of a psychoactive fungi or plant medicine, such as psilocybin, that enhances well-being without hallucinations or impacting your ability to carry on normal daily activities. [2]
Mindfulness can be a useful addition to the microdosing process. To microdose mindfully begins with contemplating one’s intentions for doing so. Next, it should be determined if the senior who would be microdosing is a good fit. Seeking a qualified microdosing coach, educator, or knowledgeable doctor to screen for eligibility is crucial, even if there are no contraindications and the individual is prepared to proceed. It is highly recommended that one has a microdosing coach for guidance throughout the process. Coaches can offer specific instructions on dosing, quantity, substance, and other variables to set a safe foundation for the process. On-going feedback sessions between the coach and the microdoser help maintain safety while highlighting mindful awareness of any noticeable benefits, positive impacts, and potential challenges. With these parameters, mindful microdosing can become a powerful ally in the aging process.
Though aging microdosing seniors report a multitude of benefits, there are four that are seen most frequently. These can be examined through the acronym EASE:
Extra cognition
Anxiety reduction
Sleep enhancement
Extra endurance
Extra Cognition
With an aging mind, forgetting a name or where the keys were put can be common occurrences. Cognition is not just working memory; it also refers to executive functions that include attention, planning and prioritizing, emotional control, and flexible thinking. Elderly microdosers notice improvement in one or several of these areas. As one 80+-year-old microdoser who is bothered by forgetting names now says, “I still forget their name, but if I wait a few moments, it can now come to me.” [3] Enhanced cognition also means the ability to enjoy the things you love. For instance, one individual reported the inability to read. After six months of microdosing, however, he was reading for several hours at a time.
Anxiety Reduction
A commonly reported benefit of microdosing is the reduction of anxiety, which is especially relevant to seniors because anxiety and/or mild depression are oftentimes part of a medical condition. However, even without a condition, chronic pain, loss of friends and loved ones, approaching one’s mortality, and/or unresolved issues can bring on increased anxiety or mild depression. An individual in their late 70s who suffered from anxiety reported that after one cycle of low-dose microdosing, the grasp of ruminating thoughts loosened, and enjoyment in life noticeably increased. [4]
Oftentimes, people inquire about microdosing for an elderly parent or partner. Interestingly, the caretaker, partner, or adult child ends up being more interested in microdosing. In these cases, they’ve reported a higher tolerance and ease in their caring as well as a greater sense of joy, even if the condition of their loved one remains basically the same or worsens. [5]
Sleep Enhancement
Getting a good night’s sleep is a common challenge elderly people face. Receiving enough REM and the need for the brain to get the rest it needs directly benefits functioning during the day. This has implications for longevity, too. Several seniors microdosing before sleeping have reported that they fall into a deeper, longer sleep. As an added benefit, their partners express that they also sleep better. Even if microdosing in the morning, as most people tend to do, general health is enhanced, and better sleep is an often reported benefit.
Extra Endurance
Getting fit is recommended for aging mental and physical health, whether that comes from a morning walk, taking the dog to the park, or gardening. Microdosing is used by elite golf pros, fitness trainers, and other professional athletes to enhance their performance. For seniors, this enhanced performance translates to having more physical energy that lasts longer. Thus, activities like a game of pickleball, walking on a trail, or having a go at the putting green can become accessible ways of exercise that bring great satisfaction. Additionally, added endurance can mean that daily tasks such as cooking, shopping, or doing other errands become easier. As one elderly gentleman put it, “I can do more in the day.” [6]
Conclusion
I would like to see a frontline of microdosing seniors. Certainly for their own benefit but also so they can be a voice for mindful microdosing. Today’s elders are the generation that can herald in a new understanding of psychedelics as an ally. [7] They can pave the way for radical change. Their imprint on the culture can be monumental, just as it was when they came of age. As they age out, may their legacy continue to be one of seeking greater wholeness, greater wellness, and greater peace within and without—both for themselves and for those who follow in their path. [8]
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[1] Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W., Carducci, M. A., Umbricht, A., Richards, W. A., Richards, B. D., ... & Klinedinst, M. A. (2016). Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial. Journal of psychopharmacology, 30(12), 1181-1197.
[2] Kuypers, K. P., Ng, L., Erritzoe, D., Knudsen, G. M., Nichols, C. D., Nichols, D. E., Pani, L., Soula, A., & Nutt, D. (2019). Microdosing psychedelics: More questions than answers? An overview and suggestions for future research. Journal of psychopharmacology, 33 (9), 1039–1057.
[3] Quote is from a client of the author. The name has been withheld to respect privacy.
[4] Quote is from a client of the author. The name has been withheld to respect privacy.
[5] Based on conversations with clients of the author.
[6] Quote is from a client of the author. The name has been withheld to respect privacy.
[7] Pollan, M. (2018). How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. Penguin Press.
[8] Alderfer, L. (2024) Mindful Microdosing: A Guidebook and Journal, Green Writers Press.
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