Would psychedelics be a good idea for a guy like me?

[Cgul123]

I'm currently going through a very rough time in life, low self esteem, long bouts of depression, anxiety and all the sort. The only reason why I ask this is because I'm in need of a different state of mind than the one I'm currently in. Right now I feel as if nothing will go right and my life has nothing but failure written all over it.

I'm 23 years old, having experienced plenty of drug use in my past. (Mainly MJ) I've got a general understanding about how they affect me. I suspect that I have a wide array of mental illnesses that stem on the fact that I just feel out of place in this society and that I can't connect with people and am just socially awkward to the point of where it hurts. My experience with shrooms at a younger age, wasn't necessarily good considering I had a terrible setting (at my parents house with a few friends that inside I didn't really trust) but it wasn't life changingly bad by any means. This time I would be doing them with people I feel extremely comfortable with and will have someone sober looking after us. The only problem I have with the idea is that I tend to overthink alot of things and criticize myself to an unhealthy level which could possibly negatively affect the trip(if I let it) the goal of this whole post is to get some insight from the more experienced trippers here on if this is a realistic goal or if I'm just setting myself up for failure? (At this point of time I feel like my mindset couldn't get any worse to be honest)

 

[mr peabody]

...I'm in need of a different state of mind than the one I'm currently in...I just feel out of place in this society...

The only thing more transformational than psychedelics is meeting the love of your life, which you don't have any real control over anyway. But you CAN control what happens to you on psychedelics. It's a gradual process, rather like learning to snow ski: One doesn't select the steepest or fastest run at first. No point in ever doing more than you're comfortable with, IMO.

Of key importance is that some people have a MUCH lower tolerance to psychedelics than others. By much lower I mean the people you're with are all doing 2-3 tabs (or grams of mushrooms) and having a great time, and you can only safely handle 1/4 of that. This is PERFECTLY NORMAL. So start off as you mean to go on. You can avoid ever having a bad trip. Here's how.

Never listen to ANYONE concerning dose. Only you can establish your own tolerance. You do this by trial and error. Start with 1/4 tab, and if that goes well, next time try 1/2. Follow this procedure for every substance. Mind that 1/2 tab of one substance might well be MUCH stronger than 1/2 of another, so even if you did well with 1/2 tab of one you can easily find yourself in over your head if you take 1/2 tab of something else. Always test each batch of each substance yourself, first.

People disagree with me, and I'm fine with that, but never smoke weed when your tripping. That can (easily) cause a bad trip, and it's happened to me repeatedly. Also, mushrooms are high anxiety for a lot of people, so steer clear of those until you are much more experienced. I suggest you look into the [currently uncontrolled] substance ALD-52, which is readily available online. Start with 1/4 blotter (30 mics). With little or no result, a week later try 1/2, which should be plenty. Do that same amount a few times in order to establish comfortable psychedelic equilibrium. Advance no more than 1/4 blotter at a time after that, and dose only once in a session. Finally, avoid tripping in public. Pick a calm, familiar environment, and a nice sunny day.

Best wishes now and always.

Seen this? : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTehpkc1PNY

 

[Clocktower]

No. I'm sorry but your experience with other drugs (including mj) does not give you a general understanding of how classical psychedelics will affect you.

One of the oldest cardinal rules of using psychedelics is to do so only with a good mindset. Using them when your mindset is the worst it's ever been could be the worst decision you ever make, especially if you suspect you have a mental illness.

It is a fact that psychedelic drugs, used irresponsibly, can make mental illnesses worse.

If you think you are overly critical of yourself now, you do not want to experience the negative emotions that a bad trip can bring about.

If you really want to change your mindset, I suggest you start seeing a trained therapist. That is a much more reliable and safe way of achieving positive results.

 

[Ziiirp]

I would recommend starting with a low dose of the most gentle psychedelic : 50-100 micrograms of AL-LAD. Alternatively 2c-c (low dose = 10-20mg) or 4-HO-MET (low dose = 5-10 mg).

If that goes okay, then increase the dose after a pause of a at least a few days.

 

[psychidecorator]

Hmm, It may be easier for you to find mushrooms than any RCs. So I would personally recommend that you revisit mushrooms and trip outside in a quiet and warm environment where you can chill indefinitely. Low dose mushrooms like 2g or less maybe even 1.5 depending on mushroom strain can be very gentle and unlikely to cause any intense negatives. But also definitely reconsider your reasons for trying them as well. I think they could help you, Yes! but I also think if you have any doubt as to your mental health it would be irresponsible like was said before. Find a therapist. \

As a final note if you feel ready go for it but yes don't smoke weeeed! In fact after watching some friends go thru MJ addiction, yes its possible, i believe weed could be responsible for your tendencies to overthink and criticize. When my friends quit they became much happier people where as before they thought weed was the only thing helping them avoid sadness and anxiety, it was really the cause.

Peace and Good luck!

 

[Motifoner]

I suggest you look into the [currently uncontrolled] substance ALD-52, which is readily available online.

Whatt are you sure?! If it was legal ide be 100 tabs deep in it.
Please let me be wrong so i can get some reality, but from what i have seen its illegal in atleast aus and the UK under blanket ban laws oppressing chemicals before they can even be released

 

[Motifoner]

Whatt are you sure?! If it was legal ide be 100 tabs deep in it.
Please let me be wrong so i can get some reality, but from what i have seen its illegal in atleast aus and the UK under blanket ban laws oppressing chemicals before they can even be released

Just looked on a vendor, it appears its mostly just aus and Uk that arent aloud to have fun, wouldnt expect any less from western opression.

 

[Psychedstoner]

The only "psychedelic" I'd recommend in a bad state of mind is mdma, and even that's questionable.

 

[Psychedstoner]

Unless of course you're looking for a life changing challenging trip. In my experience, bad trips are the most rewarding but at the time it's happening you'll be scared shitless.

 

[Solipsis]

Yeah I don't think this is thought through well enough, sorry. Wanting to experience a different state of mind, you might want to start with something relatively mild and less different. Because with psychedelics you should prepare to be confronted with your problems in a pretty hard way, and from what I hear it would be difficult to give yourself a good resolution out of that predicament.

Diagnosing mental illness is not always the answer for example if the overproblematization is much bigger than the initial problems, but if you are really suffering a lot from this (you say as much), maybe get screened for something like ASD.

If you have answers like that and are prepared to deal with your situation, psychedelics could at some point play a role in coming to terms with it, but I'd recommend that you are in a process or able to start on some process and not just being stuck.

Then again if none of that really matters to you and all you want is to decide what you want to do knowing your issues, I *guess* a trip could help there but I would still recommend that you start on that road sober first... I would only recommend not getting checked out if you already have some way to cope well enough to just lead a further life, then you can afford to just go ahead and be different, no matter in what way. But when this is very difficult, confusing and just dysfunctional, it is probably better to know, get treatment / guidance and know better what adjustments to make - to interpret the problems in an efficient way etc.

I found out I have ASD and ADD, not at a very young age. I'm glad I found out, 'better late than never'.

Tripping really played a big role in running me off my tracks. I had to puzzle and reinvent myself, piece myself together again. It's very difficult to say how the positives that came out of that relate to the negatives but it was incredibly hard. I don't regret ever starting tripping in general at all, but I do regret how a mystical ultra extreme experiences helped everything to escalate... I'd much rather have known about even the possibility and existence of such states of mind and the reality of my own mentality. I'm positive the experience(s) would have been considerably less destabilizing for my life.

I am NOT saying I predict what you have or that you will have something happen like what happened with me, but I'd still advise that you go about this a different way. Make your perspective clearer even if you can't make it more positive. An obscured perspective can make it that much more unpredictable what consequences this kind of thing will have for you. You don't want that... you want to have a better formulated situation (IMO), to use psychedelics in an at least somewhat targeted way. Sure, psychedelics can reveal questions AND answers... but just going in like too much of a blind date is just too unguided in my opinion.

 

[mr peabody]

Whatt are you sure?! If it was legal ide be 100 tabs deep in it.
Please let me be wrong so i can get some reality, but from what i have seen its illegal in at least aus and the UK under blanket ban laws oppressing chemicals before they can even be released

Of course I'm sure. But I live in North America, where it is still an uncontrolled substance.

 

[Xorkoth]

I don't necessarily agree with the general consensus here that it's a bad idea. You sound like you are approaching this reasonably. Psychedelics definitely can help break open old patterns and change your perspective. If approached cautiously and with intent, there is good potential. You mention mental disorders brought on by not fitting in. While I would recommend strongly against psychedelics for people with bipolar or other physical mind disorders, for people who have just gotten into a bad place because of past experiences, I think psychedelics are uniquely powerful in their potential to help. Of course, things could go badly too, and make things worse. You described taking mushrooms when you were younger, and having a negative experience but also a bad setting, and that it was not life-changingly bad. That suggests to me you have some ability to handle these sorts of experiences. If you choose to go forward with it, just be very careful to ensure a good setting. And start low, you can always take more the next time, and taking too high a dose will make a negative experience much more likely. And I'd definitely stay away from the weed during the trip, because it will suddenly make it several times stronger and it can be very overwhelming.

Have you ever tried therapy? I think that would be a better first course of action. But if you've tried stuff and it hasn't worked, I think psychedelics COULD be something beneficial.

 

[Solipsis]

This is not only about the potential but also about affording the risks. I don't think it's wise to let the promise overshadow flaws yet to be solved in the mindset, even if generally optimism is admirable, and on the longer run I am definitely not pessimistic about all of this.

Just knowing how much you have been given by psychedelics Xorkoth, and how favorable you have often reacted, doesn't that make you a little biased in the light of people who just as well get a bit further from home? With just more questions raised than answered and nothing else? [I'm sure not all your experiences were hunky dory, but have they really wrecked you for a long time in ways that you didn't see coming?]
You just have to be able to afford the two steps back and not only the three steps ahead. If you're in a particularly bad spot, two steps back can lead you over a precipice.

Yes, anything short of true psychosis, schizophrenia, unguided tripping with ptsd or heavy anxieties or OCD sure has a fair shot with a trip... that is the promise. And yeah if you dose low enough the risk should be low enough, also true.

But suspecting a lot of mental problems to the point of disorders and nothing to show for answers in that department is quite a lot. I am not sure if you want that crapshoot, and all I am saying is you might wanna hold off on this for idk 6 months while you figure that stuff out and register for screening etc. The time doesn't have to be ideal but it should be right if you wanna reap the best benefits. It is not right to think it's no loss to get started with trips in the meanwhile.

Therapy isn't the very first thing of course, you would first get intakes and screening to even evaluate what treatment is in order. Some treatments are much easier complied with than others but that is a different matter.

I concede that if you tried a lot of that kind of thing but it didn't work out (why though - sometimes you just need to find another person you have a click with etc), you could carefully start looking within yourself but it is definitely not that lightly advised just like self-medication in the more typical sense is really not wise, trust me.

 

[Chewiiii]

In regards to your depression, despite this being unrelated to your question: a good deal of your internal strife seems to be centrally focused around your sentiments of sequestration from fundamental social hierarchies. I would recommend you read The Myth Of Sisyphus, by Albert Camus... It has helped me a great deal in a similar situation. In regards to psychedelic usage, I have always been of the opinion that they can help. However, they must be taken responsibly, and for the right reasons. I have always found my most meaningful and profound trips to be byproducts of productive, and positive optimisms - despite my life being rather shitty at times.

 

[Xorkoth]

I didn't mean to suggest it's not a big decision, I just felt like many responses on here (not yours soli) seemed rather dismissive, I thought there should be a more balanced view. I know people for whom psychedelics really facilitated an escape of negative mental patterns related to things such as past trauma, social awkwardness, etc. I've also known people who they made it worse for. I just think it's a possible option, but again, I would suggest other routes first. But for those who have sort of dug themselves into a hole mentally, psychedelics can be profoundly useful. Barring physical mental issues (ie, your brain hardware causing your state regardless of your circumstances e.g. severe clinical depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc, your outlook on life and feelings about yourself and the world are largely a matter of perspective, and psychedelics can powerfully shift perspective. This makes them both useful and dangerous.

 

[Solipsis]

Hmm

yeah well i agree, nuance is very important just like weighing the pros and cons and carefully considering what your mindset and your setting really mean right now, and where they can go. Psychedelics are options, but make sure you go to the very best place you can first, and only go as fast with them as your development in this process permits you. This cannot be some runaway experiment.

Low dose insight can be valuable... but moderate to high dose breakthroughs should be had with more stability.



It would be very insightful for a lot of people (I think) to know more about those who are dug into a hole mentally - which of course nobody just does voluntarily... and the kind of things psychedelics can do for such people.

Unfortunately if it is still unclear what kind of mental issues cgul has exactly, it is hard to say much about the unique sensitivies possible disorders may bring. Again, if tripping at all, quite low doses should be tried first - and not only the first time - to get a better idea of the reactions.

 

[pupnik]

I think it would be more productive to join the army and go to school in combination or sequence - any sequence.

Army first would get you more school for free, both can take over in restructuring, what is not holding together with drugs or not.

 

[morphine-dreams]

Take my experience with a grain of salt, everyone is different.

I've also had a terrifying and mind-shattering (in intensity) mushroom trip as one of my first experiences. I was afraid of psychedelics for a while though I was otherwise unaffected (maybe a bit more anxiety). When I hit rock bottom on opioids and was in and out of WD, I took a light dose of mescaline. It was very therapeutic. Not profound at all, but it was profound in how gently it lifted my mood and made me feel "alive" again. If I hadn't been 100% sure of the source (cacti), I would've assumed it was some light empathogen. That's all I'd recommend in that type of situation. I can't tell you if it's a good idea with mental illness, it might be a terrible one, but if any psychedelic is going to boost your mood and potentially benefit your state of mind, it's that one imo, in a low dose of course.

 

[Cubes-dude]

As a person struggling with (mostly undiagnosed) mental illness, I find it ableist when people say certain people shouldn't take psychs. If it interests you and you do a lot of research, I say go for it. My trips have definitely taught me a lot about myself. When I abused acid, taking it a few times a month for a year, I started having quite intense delusions and hallucinations while sober or baked. It made me realize I've always been pretty paranoid and I got over it by deciding any assumptions without logical proof should just be dismissed. The problem was increased because once you understand reality is a collection of senses, you can stop trusting your own brain. I was pretty lucky to get out of it without going into full psychosis. I still have issues with social anxiety and dissociation, but fully believe psychedelic use has been an overall positive effect.

 

[Clocktower]

As a person struggling with (mostly undiagnosed) mental illness, I find it ableist when people say certain people shouldn't take psychs.

The fact that people with certain medical conditions should not take certain drugs is not ableist. I personally think it would be more ableist to pretend psychedelics are safe for everyone and thereby ignore the increased risks faced by certain people.

Even people who are perfectly healthy have widely varying reactions to psychedelic drugs. Respectfully, I think that if you take the view that psychedelic drugs are safe for everybody then you probably haven't been using them for very long or haven't trip-sat for very many people.