Washington — After a litany of prescriptions failed to control her stormy mood swings and deep depression, writer Ayelet Waldman finally found relief in a blue vial of diluted LSD. Feeling she "had nothing to lose," the San Francisco Bay-area former federal public defender deposited two tiny drops of the psychedelic drug under her tongue — and soon felt her gloom subside. "I was starting to feel, frankly, suicidal," she said. "If the other option is death — or at least, misery that feels like death — then there’s no reason not to at least try something different." Waldman says she renewed her spirit by "microdosing", a modish — albeit illegal and potentially risky — trend that involves ingesting a nearly imperceptible portion of a psychedelic drug, often LSD or psilocybin mushrooms. The goal is not to hallucinate but to boost work performance and creativity — or, as was Waldman’s case, treat a laundry list of ailments including mood disorders. "Within the first day I felt better," s...
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