Anyone who has (had) stress or a burn out, knows that this can seriously disrupt your life. Stress is becoming more and more common in our society and so is burnout. We try to manage stress in all sorts of ways, from paying more attention to mindfulness to medication. But the struggle remains a reality for many people. Microdosing could help.

Suffering from stress or burn-out?

Do you ever suffer from stress? Who doesn’t, we would say. It is perhaps the most common complaint, yet it is also often trivialized. And yet, the consequences of stress are not bad. The CBS has the figures. 16% of the Dutch population suffers from burn-out symptoms. 12% of visits to the family doctor are for stress-related complaints. Burnout and stress are also the reason why more and more people end up in the WAO.

The consequences of stress are therefore not only large and drastic on a personal level. Businesses must also cope with the consequences of this ‘disease’. Those who suffer from stress do not work optimally. That person will not perform well and is also more likely to call in sick. The estimated costs of absenteeism due to burnout are around 1.8 billion euros!

The causes of stress and burn-out

And why do we suffer so much from stress? This may be due to an increased workload, where the separation between work and private life has increasingly disappeared. We are expected to be available at all times. When we close the door of our work behind us, we also have to deal with a laundry list of private messages, via e-mail, Whatsapp or Facebook. The need never stops, and with it the stress.

Of course, digital media is not the only culprit. You may also feel prolonged stress due to problems at work or in the private sphere. A difficult financial situation or illness in the family can also put a lot of pressure on you. The more problems pile up, the greater the chance of long-term stress and ultimately burnout.

The symptoms of prolonged stress

Stress is basically just tension. Underlying causes are often insecurity, fear, frustration or a feeling of powerlessness. It’s basically your reaction to what’s happening in your life. Stress can manifest itself in sleeplessness, headaches, abdominal complaints, palpitations, panic attacks, tense muscles or restlessness. You may start to feel depressed and unmotivated. The longer the situation lasts, the more intense this becomes.

When you go into burnout, you are completely “burned out.” You feel physically and mentally exhausted. You can’t bring yourself to act anymore. Normal, daily tasks are almost impossible to accomplish. People with burnout worry a lot, are always tired, often have trouble concentrating and suffer from gloomy moods.

Microdosing as support

Unfortunately, in case of stress and burn-out, pharmaceutical drugs are often used. However, microdosing is a natural option that could have a positive effect in these cases. Microdosing is based on the principle that a very small amount of a psychedelic can bring improvements in our well-being. By taking a microdose, you don’t notice any mind-altering effect, but you do notice the benefits of the drug.

The substances in psychedelics, like psilocybin in magic mushrooms or mescaline in cacti, act on the serotonin receptors in the brain. Therefore, it affects our mood, but also our sense of self-confidence and emotions. By taking microdoses of psychedelics on a regular basis, you can become calmer yourself. But it can also help you deal with stress better.

How can microdosing help?

From user experiences, we can conclude that:

• People feel calmer, have fewer worries.
• You better stick to yourself.
• Tension can be released more easily.
• It is possible to be more positive in life.
• You become less susceptible to stress.
• You can be more present in the now.

Often the changes that result from microdosing are not large and striking, but rather nuanced. But the changes can be observed. It seems that microdosing has a similar effect to yoga or meditation. But it can often be difficult to start meditating or doing exercises when you’re stressed. The relaxation often won’t come. Microdosing can be just that little boost that allows you to find that relaxation. You can feel more centered and more in the now. Stress therefore gets less hold on you.

Would you like to try out microdosing? Choose our ready-made microdosing products, which allow you to easily take a microdose.