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The Big & Dandy 'Age and Psychedelics' thread

If you use psychedelics, please tell us: how old are you?

  • < 12

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 12-15

    Votes: 11 3.9%

  • 16-18

    Votes: 45 16.0%

  • 19-21

    Votes: 87 30.9%

  • 22-25

    Votes: 52 18.4%

  • 26-30

    Votes: 33 11.7%

  • 31-40

    Votes: 31 11.0%

  • 41-50

    Votes: 11 3.9%

  • 51-65

    Votes: 9 3.2%

  • > 65

    Votes: 3 1.1%
  • Total voters
    282
I started at 16 and a half, young enough to behold alot of wonder, old enough to know that this is something serious and many precautions must be taken.

personally I was more irresponsible in ages 20 and 21. which is just ending now :S

I want my psychedellics back! went off on the dexadrine and MDMA

indulgence doesnt get me far... and just makes me want meaningful trips instead of a heavy buzz.
 
who? people your age or people on the net / older ppl?

a lot of 15 year olds at school have no idea about cid and mushies. Some kids around here think acid still in your spinal fluid lol. Others just think it's 'bad' and have a reason why
 
I was trippin on cid and shrooms regularly at 14. From what I can tell, it was beneficial to my growth and maturity. A lot of people say I'm one of the most intelligent people they know, so it couldn't have fucked up my brain that much. My ACT and SAT scores were above average in high school. Although, my parents do have genius IQs, so it could have potentially still messed with my brain but only to a small extent. Perhaps my physical coordination was hindered or my memory capacity. If it was or not, there is nothing I can do about it now. But, going back, I would not have started using more than once a year or so until I was 20, until my brain was fully developed. From research I've read, the prefrontal cortex is what would be injured most. I don't think it would render it undeveloped as much as heavy drinking would, but I do think dosing heavy psychedelics at your age can mess up your personality and social awareness significantly.
 
Its not that i wouldn't take a 15 year old seriously when discussing drugs, and I'd beleive you if you told me you took whatever drugs at whatever age (ive heard some crazy-ass stories, and most were true), i'd just be worried about their future. You still have to get through highschool, get out on your own and not fuck up too much in the meantime. That's my main concern with underage users of drugs, harm reduction. Its good that you have found resources like bluelight (check out others like erowid too, if you need more resources). If you are going to do more drugs, just be smart and careful about it.

Be safe, and don't jeopardize your education/future. Sounds cheezy, I know. But seriously dude, there is a big difference between graduating highschool going to a job/college and the other alternative, NOT graduating/barely scraping by becuase you're partying too much and not keeping your shit together. I've seen both happen to people who party (hell, i partied in highshool like crazy, but did great), and its kinda sad when you go back to your hometown in your 20's and find kids who never left, and are working as a barista in a coffee shop if they're lucky, or in jail if they're not.
 
ford442 said:
no no - that is not how it works - if you didn't do LSD you would go on not knowing about your illness and not get medicated.. drugs bring out what was latently already there - but, only for the duration of the drug - it cannot ever bring on schizophrenia because it is hereditary..
Click to expand...

Wrong. That's exactly what is meant by "latent". It was waiting for a trigger; a bad trip on a psychedelic has been that trigger for schizorphrenic, bipolar, etc. people. It brings on the schizophrenia immediately; they don't come down from the trip. They were almost certain to end up suffering from the same fate within the next decade or two regardless of whether they used drugs though.
 
Welcome!
this will soon be merged with the Psychedelics & Age thread, where another discussion is taking place on teenagers, I suppose they go together nicely!
 
Another angle to consider is that of paternalism. Many grown-ups have worked damn hard at preserving/creating belief systems that they feel comfortable with and expert about. They may use terms such as "wet cement" for your brain, because they have invented (or someone they prefer to believe such as neuroscientist has invented) theories that suit their ends. Remember, a developing brain needs to develop in order to be able to understand, errr, grown-ups ways of understanding reality. In other words, they feel they know what's best for you.

That said, some of the established reality is quite OK, and indeed we wouldn't have psychedelics like LSD if it weren't for some of the existing belief systems (however, every Government that I know of on earth is attempting to completely prevent the use of LSD by people not licensed to use it, which which is almost everybody, and certainly you and me!) and we do have to be pragmatic and "pick and mix" what we want from the existing hegemonic and consensus reality into which we are born and educated.

ANd of couirse, just like driving, scuba-diving, crossing the road etc., there are potential pitfalls, and straying too far from the orthodox ways will result in exposure to ridicule and in extreme cases, persecution. Why can people get put in jail for life for making Acid or giving some to a mate, and potentially 7 years for possession (in the UK)? They don't like it and will abuse your human rights to liberty if you mess with them. Funny that there's so much noise being made amongst the adult population about the relative benefits/disbenefits of decriminalising MDMA or Cannabis - but has anyone dared to campaign for the legalisation of LSD?

So don't be surprised if you attract disbelief about, or even condemnation for your drug habits. Equally, try not to be too bothered about it either. Most of the (adult) idiots that I encounter in my life have never tried psychedelics, and (un)surprisingly most of the really nice people I know have, or are totally tolerant of the idea. And I do mess around with all sorts of people from all walks of life.

Rant over ;)
 
Psychedelics IMO take a certain amount of personal development to appreciate. I don't think I could enjoy any kind of trip at that age because I wouldn't have been ready. I don't know you personally but your probably not at the age where you can best gain insight. Your also probably more likely to get bad trips than someone much older and more grounded. There's a time for everything. Its called college.
 
straycatphizzle said:
the shpeil i get every time i talk to an elder or older psychedelic user about my use ( im 15 as well) is that we're still getting a handle on life itself, and that in our use of psychedelics we have no bearings, no reference points due to the fact that in the big picture we're still fresh out of the womb. Like Funkenstein said, our consciousness and our personalities are still forming. when psychedelics are used by someone with a fully formed sense of self they can shed light and give insight on the life they've had, whereas we haven't lived enough life to get much insight from psych's. Basically, we children can rarely get the spiritually beneficial and reality penetrating experiences fully developed adults can because our reality isn't even set in stone yet. Not to say that it can't be beneficial for teens, because it most definitely can. The cement that Funkenstein mentioned doesn't always set in the best way, and psychedelics can help you out with molding it into something more desirable.
Click to expand...
Most young psych users are also [probably] much more prone to HPPD than users with fully developed brains. This reason alone should keep you from using.
 
My apologies that post was not clear. I was using the phrase 'fully developed' in a the context of psychosomatic development more than anything. Although I understand that this never stops developing either, it may be that younger people's brains are more prone to react negatively to their environment due to a lack of experience.

You could probably use the argument that first time for a drug is first time for a drug no matter what the age; I'd tend to disagree on certain levels.

I'm still probably wrong though lol
 
I began use of LSD when I was 15. Changed me forever, in a positive way, luckily.
Tripping at that age is wonderful, before you gain responsibilities, social pressures, etc.
Anywhoo, ive already discussed this. Wait for the merge....wait for it...
 
I agree Nagin, check this.

Of course brain development could be interpreted in multiple ways but even though no ones brain is exactly fully developed at 25 (since development in a way continues until death), it is widely accepted that around 25 maturity is reached.
 
Has anyone considered that psychedelic use could be beneficial for adolescent brains? Given the incredible potential of psychedelics, I do not think one should make a blanket statement saying, "No one under age X should trip." Adolescents can use psychedelics in productive or destructive ways, just as adults can.

naginnudej said:
Most young psych users are also [probably] much more prone to HPPD than users with fully developed brains. This reason alone should keep you from using.
Click to expand...

{{citation needed}}
 
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Its not hard to believe, I'm only 17 right now, but I started smoking weed at age 10, then shrooms/acid when I was 14, when I turned 16 I started using mdma and different reaseach chemicals. In my school its quite common for teens your age to be using drugs.
 
Oh I do agree with that as well pseudo! There's a difference though between really young users and adolescents. From 18 theres enough time to experiment, I consider it beneficial to the developing mind and with the 25 year old thing I did not necessarily mean that one should wait completely until one is mature, seems overly cautious and even a bit too late since it can be good to have intense experiences that destabilize a view of reality that is too static and over-comfortable. The mind should be freed before it gets too stuck but after there is a sufficiently integrated sense of identity and personality.

But 15 years old, that's just too early. IMO there is a stage of development that takes at least until one is 18 years old one should not interfere with. A lot of people think they are mature for their age and shouldnt be included in age guidelines, frankly I thought that about myself but I just don't really buy it.
My mother told me that in some ways I am more mature than friends her age, and I partially thank psychedelics for that. But I am still also thankful I didnt start with it until I was 18. Sure I drank and got high before 18 but that is different from a psychedelic trip!

I don't care what is common these days, at the very least there is absolutely no need to be so impatient and it seems most prudent to me to keep on the safe side and bet on that you are just like everyone else thinking they are special and mature. Sorry. This is advice not likely to be taken that happily by teenagers, and that is because of the exact same cocky puberal mentality that makes you think you are very mature which is no more than natural. It's fine, honest. But don't fool yourself into thinking you are doing a good thing tripping at 15, while it is actually a pleasant or interesting - even endlessly fascinating - thing. Don't confuse those.
 
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