and later grappled with

Meanwhile, few rigorous studies of psilocybin microdosing have been done.Psilocybin mushrooms are the most often used among psychedelic drugs, according to a report by the nonpartisan Rand research group.

that 8 million people in the U.S. used psilocybin in 2023 and half of them reported microdosing the last time they used it.Even microdosing advocates caution that the long-term effects have not been studied in humans.Other warnings: Unregulated products from shady sources could contain harmful substances. And accidentally taking too much could cause disturbing sensations.

The nonprofit Fireside Project offers free phone support for people during a psychedelic experience and has received hundreds of calls about microdosing.“People may call just to simply process their experience,” said project founder Josh White, who microdoses the plant iboga and LSD to “continue to deepen the insight about my life” that he gained in a full-blown psychedelic experience.

Matt Metzger, a Marine Corps combat veteran, harvests and places Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms into a dehydrator to prepare for microdosing Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Matt Metzger, a Marine Corps combat veteran, harvests and places Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms into a dehydrator to prepare for microdosing Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)Clara Jung of Banner Day Interiors worked with clients on a San Francisco ranch house that’s full of big, airy spaces. But nudge the secret panel in the living room bookcase and you’ll find a cozy, color-saturated, album-lined music den. There’s a vintage wood bar and a sprawl-worthy crimson rug.

“The homeowners are avid LP collectors,” she says, “and the husband’s a musician.”Jung was ready to install a door when the clients suggested creating the secret entrance instead. “We loved the idea!” she says. “It’s the perfect escape for an audiophile.”

Maybe that’s the new decorating rule: Create your own “perfect escape.”New York-based writer Kim Cook covers design and decor topics regularly for The Associated Press. Follow her on Instagram at @kimcookhome.