New Clinical Trial in Ontario Sees Potential of Magic Mushrooms for Treating Anxiety

You’ve probably looked up “magic mushrooms Ontario” before, hoping to figure out whether the buzz around microdosing is hype or something genuinely promising. And then, you hit the same wall of mixed opinions, scattered research, and that nagging worry of “What if this actually helps, and I’m missing out?”

Let’s talk about the study that’s trying to answer that exact question.

The Study Quietly Shifting Conversations Around Anxiety Relief

Researchers from the Kingston Health Sciences Centre Research Institute launched the first Phase 2 clinical trial approved by Health Canada to probe the effects of small, daily doses of psilocybin.

For years, most psychedelic research in Canada focused on full-dose, high-intensity experiences (the kind that keep participants in a clinic for half the day). You’ve heard the stories: mystical visuals, emotional melting points, and the whole trip.

And yes, those experiences can be meaningful, but as Dr. Claudio Soares, a psychiatry professor at Queen’s University and the lead researcher, puts it, “That is not for everybody. Some people cannot tolerate that effect of psychedelics.”

So here comes the alternative people have quietly hoped for: a gentle, steady approach that doesn’t pull you into altered perception.

Microdosing: Why This Trial Feels So Different

Instead of large “macrodoses,” the Kingston trial uses tiny daily amounts (about two to three milligrams). Enough to influence mood pathways and small enough to avoid the psychedelic distortions. Participants take them at home. No hospital bed. No daylong monitoring. No pressure to “trip.”

Here’s how the study works:

• Up to 60 adults with diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder
• Four weeks of daily microdoses
• Followed by another four weeks of either more microdosing or a placebo

The researchers observe:

• Whether symptoms improve
• How long do effects last
• If anxiety rebounds once doses stop
• If withdrawal symptoms appear

And Dr. Soares isn’t shy about the study’s inspiration. “It’s not that uncommon to come across someone who says, ‘Oh, I’ve been microdosing with psilocybin, and I’m feeling much better,’” he shared. The trial simply gives a controlled framework to evaluate those everyday experiences.

Why Anxiety Needs a New Treatment Approach — Especially in Canada

Statistics Canada reported that generalized anxiety disorder more than doubled from 2012 to 2022 (2.6% to 5.5%) among people aged 15 and older. That’s not a quiet trend. That’s a shift you feel among friends, coworkers, even yourself.

Traditional therapies help many people, but they don’t help everyone. Dr. Tyler Kaster, a psychiatrist and medical head of the Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention at Toronto’s Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH), puts it plainly: some individuals “don’t get better” from antidepressants or talk therapy alone.

Microdosing research interests him for that reason. He describes the approach as “a really interesting idea,” especially since the hallucinatory components aren’t part of the experience. That makes microdosing more accessible and less intimidating for everyday treatment settings.

And for patients in Ontario? A province where psychiatry wait times stretch long, and medication side effects push some people to stop treatment early? This study lands at the right time.

Dr. Kaster added, “The whole field of psychedelics has a lot of promise. There’s also a lot of enthusiasm, and we need to figure out what, if any, role these treatments have.”

But What Makes Psilocybin Worth Studying in the First Place?

Research so far, including a systematic review and meta-analysis of psilocybin for end-of-life anxiety symptoms published at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), suggests microdosing may:

• Smooth out mood fluctuations
• Increase cognitive flexibility
• Reduce the frequency of anxious spirals
• Support emotional resilience

And here’s the interesting part: microdosing relies on sub-perceptual effects. Participants don’t feel high. They feel balanced, well, at least that’s the hypothesis this new study aims to measure.

But controlled trials like the one in Kingston are exactly what’s missing. Anecdotes are everywhere, and researchers want clarity.

Rewriting the Story Around Psychedelics

There’s science happening here, but also something cultural. For decades, psychedelics carried a reputation that pushed them into underground conversation circles. Dr. Soares addresses this openly:

“They have been used recreationally or religiously for many, many years. But they have a medicinal value, a therapeutic value, that we need to study.”

A clear Canadian framework matters. Health Canada requires strict clinical protocols, and Ontario offers oversight structures that support ethical psychedelic research. By keeping everything within regulated systems, studies like this prevent psilocybin from drifting into misinformation zones.

Which is the point.

Dr. Soares says it plainly: “If we don’t study, it remains in the underground and then we don’t know exactly how to use them safely.”

It Isn’t Just a Trial, But an Invitation to Rethink Anxiety Care

Imagine (not in the literal sense, but just the feeling): you’re tired of being told your anxiety requires the same set of treatments you’ve already tried. You want something gentle. You want something you can do without blocking off half your day. You want options grounded in Canadian research, not internet forums.

This Ontario study gives space for that possibility.

And sure, it might take years before microdosing becomes a standard treatment (if it ever does). But studies like this move us closer to answers people have waited for.

Some reasons this matters:

• It focuses on real-life dosing habits
• It tests safety over time
• It observes symptom rebound
• It fits naturally into daily routines
• It clears confusion around anecdotal claims

Even if the results don’t fully validate microdosing, they’ll help shape stronger mental-health conversations across Canada.

So, What Should You Take From All This?

This trial signals something hopeful: anxiety treatment in Ontario is stretching beyond the usual medication-and-therapy model. Small steps, yes, yet meaningful. You don’t need to be a scientist to appreciate how helpful a gentler option might be.

And if you’ve been curious about psilocybin products, learning through trusted Canadian dispensaries keeps your exploration steady. Here at Zoomies, you have microdosing options, depending on your needs. 

Don’t Miss Out on the Good Effects of Psychedelics – Get Yours at Zoomies 

Research in Ontario is inching forward with something thoughtful: a way to support anxiety without overwhelming your senses. And maybe that’s the transition people have been waiting for, something steady, grounded in data, and shaped for ordinary life.

If you want to stay close to updates on studies like this and buy magic mushrooms Canada, explore Zoomies and see how our psilocybin offerings can suit your needs. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why aren’t psychedelics addictive?

Psychedelics aren’t considered addictive because they don’t strongly affect dopamine, their effects are unpredictable, and tolerance builds quickly. These factors make repeated cravings uncommon, giving classic psychedelics a low potential for dependence or habitual use.

Why do magic mushrooms affect people differently?

Magic mushrooms affect people differently because their effects depend on the substance’s pharmacology, the individual’s mindset and expectations (“set”), and the environment (“setting”). Duration, intensity, and lasting changes in perception or emotion can vary widely from person to person.

Reference: 

Yu CL, Yang FC, Yang SN, et al. Psilocybin for End‑of‑Life Anxiety Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta‑Analysis. Psychiatry Investigation. 2021 Oct;18(10):958‑967. doi:10.30773/pi..2021.0209. PMCID: PMC8542741

Supporting:

• https://globalnews.ca/news/11482518/kingston-health-anxiety/ 
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/could-microdosing-psilocybin-help-people-with-anxiety-this-study-aims-to-find-out-9.6934973 
• https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/psilocybin-for-anxiety?srsltid=AfmBOooPdZb07nZb-4uW8yuUYcm_5DKcwQDeuS7DLjdGfxDfUwne1HtC