Protocol Comparisons

Fadiman Protocol (Every Third Day)

Schedule: Dose Day 1 → Off Day 2 (transition) → Off Day 3 (return to baseline) → repeat.

Rationale: James Fadiman's citizen science research identified every-third-day as the minimum spacing that prevents perceptual tolerance from accumulating. The two off-days also allow observation of "afterglow" effects and baseline re-establishment.

Dose range: 0.1–0.2 g. Start at the lower end and hold for two full cycles before adjusting.

Best for: Structured data collection; users who want a reliable schedule with clear baseline days for journaling comparisons.

Duration: Most users run 4–8 weeks then take an equivalent off-period. Continuous use beyond 3 months shows diminishing returns in observational studies.

Stamets Protocol (4 Days On, 3 Days Off)

Schedule: Dose days 1–4 → Off days 5–7 → repeat. Typically combined with Lion's Mane mushroom extract and 50–100 mg niacin (the Stamets Stack).

Rationale: Paul Stamets proposes the 4-day dosing window maximises neuroplasticity-promoting effects, while the 3-day off-period prevents tolerance and allows physiological reset. Niacin's vasodilation is theorised to distribute NGF stimulated by Lion's Mane peripherally.

Best for: Users seeking the proposed neuroplasticity benefits of the full Stamets Stack. The supplement cost and niacin-flush discomfort make it a higher-commitment protocol.

Evidence status: The specific triple-combination stack has not been tested in an RCT. Individual components have supporting (but preliminary) human evidence.

Intuitive / "When Needed" Microdosing

Some practitioners dose only on days with specific creative or cognitive demands rather than following a fixed schedule. This approach carries higher tolerance risk if used more than twice weekly and makes systematic self-observation harder. Better suited for experienced users who have completed at least one structured protocol cycle first.

Preparation Phase (2–4 Sessions)

Before any dosing occurs, the therapeutic alliance is established. This phase serves multiple functions:

• Detailed medical and psychiatric screening — PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5 (trauma), brief cognitive assessment
• Informed consent covering risks, rare adverse effects, and legal status
• Intention setting: What does the person want to explore, resolve, or understand?
• Practical preparation: what to expect physically (nausea, cardiovascular elevation), cognitively (reality testing may be compromised), and emotionally (grief, fear, joy are all common)
• Establishing a distress signal and an agreed response protocol

Dosing Session (1–2 Sessions)

Setting: Quiet, comfortable room; dim adjustable lighting; eye shades; curated music playlist (validated playlists from Johns Hopkins or MAPS are commonly used). Two trained facilitators present.

Dose: 25 mg synthetic psilocybin (clinical standard, equivalent to approximately 3–5 g dried mushrooms for most strains) or 20–30 mg per session depending on indication and body weight considerations.

Duration: 6–8 hours. Facilitators maintain non-directive presence; only intervene if safety concern arises or the person requests support.

Integration Phase (3–6+ Sessions)

Integration is where durable therapeutic change is consolidated. Without it, even profound dosing experiences tend to fade without lasting benefit.

• First integration session: 24–72 hours post-dose. Primary goal is safety check and anchoring the experience in narrative form while memory is fresh
• Weekly sessions for 4–6 weeks: process emotional content, apply insights to specific life patterns, build relapse prevention (addiction) or grief frameworks (palliative care)
• Validated outcome measures repeated at 1 month and 3 months: PHQ-9, GAD-7, MEQ30
• Repeat dosing session: if used, not recommended within 90 days of a prior session — tolerance and diminishing neuroplasticity window

Ceremonial / Traditional Protocols

Indigenous Mazatec velada ceremonies structure psilocybin use around communal intention, chant, darkness, and guidance from a curandera or curandero. These contexts are deeply embedded in cultural frameworks that provide their own integrative structure. Extracting the pharmacology alone from these contexts and calling it equivalent to clinical therapy misrepresents both traditions. Engage with ceremonial contexts only through qualified practitioners connected to the originating cultures.