How Microdosing Magic Truffles Can Help You Embrace Body Positivity

In today’s world, many of us are lucky enough to be able to be who we want to be, love who we want to love, and live our lives with far more freedom than our grandparents, or even our parents did. 

However, even today, there are instances where intolerance glaringly remains. One of these instances is body and weight-related discrimination. Body types that don’t fit the ‘norm’ are often still mocked, looked down upon, and othered — especially in the media we consume. This can affect us for our entire lives. 9% of the world’s population suffer from eating disorders. Many more simply feel uncomfortable with the body in which they live. 

It has unfortunately become normalized to reject our bodies — to poke at them and point out what we would change — forgetting that they are the miracles that mean we physically exist in the world. This kind of negative self image can lead to low self esteem, depression and more.

The Body Positivity Movement

Things are changing however, with the Body Positivity movement gathering more steam every day. You’ve probably heard the term bandied around along with phrases like ‘self love’ and ‘self care’. Although they are all related, Body Positivity is an actual movement. It is defined by our pal Wikipedia as;

“…a social movement focused on the acceptance of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities, while challenging present-day beauty standards as an undesirable social construct. Proponents focus on the appreciation of the functionality and health of the human body, instead of its physiological appearance.”

Seems pretty logical right? However, as we referenced above, years of negative body image can make actually loving your body in reality pretty difficult. Rationally, we know that we should focus on our health and happiness. But, that ingrained devil-on-the-shoulder pops up to remind us of our insecurities. 

This is where psychedelics can come in as a partner to the Body Positivity ethos. Studies have already shown that psilocybin (the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms), MDMA and ketamine can all be effective treatments for eating disorders, such as anorexia. It has also been found to treat depression and other mood disorders, as well as generally improving feelings of well-being. These abilities make it ideal to aid us in taking ownership of our bodies, reclaiming them, and rejecting negative body image. 

What is Negative Body Image?

Body image is not as simple as just ‘liking’ or ‘disliking’ our own bodies. It is a complex system of feelings, perceptions, and beliefs about how our body looks to ourselves and to others, as well as what it is capable (or not) of doing. 

This system can start to build itself from as early as 5 years old. The way gender and appearance are shown both in society, and the media we consume growing up, has a huge impact on our expectations and beliefs. Changes to our bodies caused by the onset of puberty can also trigger negative feelings. 

Excessive concern for the physical look of the body is called body dysmorphia. This is a psychological disorder which causes a person to hyper-focus on and over-value imperfections, or even imagine them. This can understandably lead to eating disorders and other conditions such as depression. Although men, women, and anyone in between can experience eating disorders or body dysmorphia, women are three times more likely to be afflicted by them. 

How Can Microdosing Psilocybin Help? 

Studies show that psychedelics, like psilocybin, give us the ability to break out of ingrained behavioral patterns, such as those that characterize an eating disorder or negative body image. This is because they impact the Default Mode Network (DMN) in the brain. In those suffering from psychological disorders from anxiety, to anorexia, to depression to OCD, this part of the brain (which handles communications between brain regions) appears to be hyperactive. This creates repetitive negative thoughts and feelings. By reducing the dominance of DMN, and thus the ego, psilocybin gives sufferers the ability to create new patterns and beat fresh paths. 

When coupled with psychotherapy, psilocybin can help a person get to the root of their condition, and discover its source. When used alone, traditional psychotherapy often stays in the arena of the mind. A patient may understand rationally that their behavior is harmful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are able to stop it. When psilocybin is incorperated into therapeutic treatments the possibility of real embodied change is introduced. The experiential shifts caused by a psychedelic usage can trigger sustainable internal and external changes. 

How To Use Psilocybin for You Body Positivity Journey

You do not have to struggle with an eating disorder to want to improve your relationship with your body. Most of us struggle with aspects of negative body image — whether it’s every day, every week, or the odd random moment.  

Learning to love yourself is not an easy, quick-fix task. It’s a relationship that takes time, and can be messy, just like any other. Unlearning the pressures dumped on us by society is also a slog. But it’s a worthwhile one. 

Microdosing psilocybin is a way to take the first steps towards changing how you feel about, and taking charge, of your body. By reducing your anxiety and increasing feelings of well-being we can step outside of the ruts we find ourselves in.

Psychedelics can remind us that our bodies are a miracle of nature, just like the birds we see flying overhead, and the trees waving in the breeze. They are our physical homes — to be celebrated and loved; not hated, punished and deprived. When you microdose, try to hold on to the feeling of love for yourself — for your body that makes this feeling possible — and keep that warmth glowing within.