Benzos and Psychedelics: More than just a "trip-killer"?

[Saucy]

In my years as a psychonaught, I am noticed an interesting phenomenon that I would like to bring up here.

GABA agonists (like benzodiazepines) are traditionally thought of as means with which to "kill" a trip or at least dramatically reduce it in intensity. However, there definitely exists a small minority of people (myself included) that do not experience this dramatic lessening of intensity when combining a 5-HT2a (or 2c) agonist with a low to moderate dosage of a GABA agonist.

Whereas .5mg of clonazepam may end the trip of an average individual who has consumed, say, four hits of average potency LSD, I (as well as a number of other people with whom I have discussed this topic), do not even experience a notable reduction in visuals when adding an equipotent dosage of a benzodiazepine to a trip of this intensity. If anything, the GABA agonist may even help relax the individual "into the trip" in which case they would be more aware of the visuals and other psychedelic effects than before consuming the GABA agonist.

I am aware of the phenomenon known as "benzotripping" that has been discussed on other forums (perhaps on this one as well), but I think that I am talking about something of a different nature for two primary reasons:

1) The size of the dosage of the benzodiazepine

"Benzotripping might recommend 1mg of diazepam to "take the edge off a trip"​

What I am discussing taking in the context of diazepam would be equipotent to taking 5 or more mg without killing or substantially reducing the trip​

2) The ability to simultaneously take a moderate active dose of a benzodiazepine (such as .5mg clonazepam) in conjunction with a serotonergic psychedelic without producing a dramatic or perhaps complete loss of psychedelic effects seems to be a trait possessed by only a small minority of individuals, and can not be used ubiquitously as with the so called "benzotrip"

I am interested to here any thoughts anyone has on this topic.

Thanks in advance for your replies,

Regards,

Saucy

 

[Alex000]

I don't have a ton of experience with psychadelics, but I think a lot of has to do with timing. Taking a benzo before beginning to trip might help relax the individual without killing the effects, but taking a benzo in the middle of the trip might just dull out the experience. Just a thought.

 

[rocker97x]

I used to take .5 mg xanax every night ,unprescribed, sometimes more. I also took acid pretty much weekly, maybe slightly more. I found that taking .25-.5mg xanax while tripping (usually taken to lessen a headach or stiffness) would relax me into a notably deeper trip, sometimes with stronger visuals.