question about possible effects of psychedelics

[mrlong1987]

I have tripped shrooms about 5-6 times that have been spread out through 3 years. The first couple times I did it I didn't really get anything except a body buzz and didn't feel any different afterwards. But the last couple times I tripped I got the whole experience with visuals and the mental experience. But without realizing it, after tripping all of these times I would feel very introverted the day afterwards but within a couple days would feel back to normal. I was fine for a couple months but then people I know started to tell me that I was shy now and introverted, which I never thought I was before. I was never the loudest kid in the classroom before but now I was very quiet in class and felt awkward speaking out.

Now I basically feel like I lack confidence socially when meeting new people and find it hard to hold a conversation with someone I dont know well. I feel like a nicer person but would like to be back to normal and have my personality back. Could the shrooms have caused this? Also, I've been considering taking LSD for the first time, could this make my situation better or much worse?

 

[killo]

You shouldn't lack condidence because you can't hold a conversation. You just said you were never that overly social anyway.

I believe mushrooms can definetly make you feel more alienated, so can LSD....

But at the same time depending on your experience these psychedelics can cause you to have more self love and self esteem.

I recommend trying LSD, it helped me become more social and I am naturally an introvert myself.

It's up to you.

Or you could give it more time, the more time that passes since your mushroom experiences you may become "less alienated".

By the way, being alienated is not a bad thing.

I feel like a nicer person but would like to be back to normal and have my personality back.

Just be a nice guy, who cares what conventional society thinks.

 

[Solipsis]

Psychedelic use can shift the balance from 'doing without thinking' to 'thinking without doing' for some people... Personally I get this as well but I make a priority out of being conscious about what I do and what happens around me. Maybe what I do is modest in certain ways but when I do them I mean it, instead of doing what is validated by superficial relationships. People who know what I'm about that can understand it tend to respect that. Earlier in my life I felt manipulated and guided, like my actions were derived from being a victim of causality. Once I got beyond a certain point I had no wish to return to that. I know I never could, now, maybe only in part.

I tend to be kind of quiet most of the time, it's not that I feel awkward but I just don't feel the need to profile myself because of some kind of pressure. I'm not rude at all but I don't believe in smalltalk as a function of piercing through some kind of tension people create themselves in the first place. It's a little bit selfish of me maybe that I don't like to empathize with other peoples' (pre)tension but I refuse to carry much responsibility that lies with others and prefer to cut right through the bullshit or stay a passive bystander in peace.

Tripping does relatively commonly produces the effects you describe, contemplation and getting a little distant from your environment - hovering over it a little (I don't mean like superior). (yea alienation^)
I don't know you so it's just hard to tell but the personality you speak of sounds to me a bit like a functional mask. It's up to you if you prefer that and take the easy way or come into contact with your deeper self and your actual desires and sentiments. It can change you over time and getting to know yourself takes a while (your whole life in some ways) though you can discover your essence more quickly than that. IMO/IME it pays off in a manner that is good in some ways and bad in others - think of the Matrix analogy, do you want to take the blue pill or the red pill?
Taking LSD basically does the same but I find that it is much clearer and allows for better and quicker/efficient resolution. It doesn't leave such a mystery about it like mushrooms at least for me.
It's for you to decide what is better or worse - I guess there are pro's and cons. Enough people just don't have the want or need to figure stuff out and like their ignorant bliss very much. To be clear: I really do respect it and understand it. No one can say for another person what is truly important. I have experienced things that are out of this world and I am eternally thankful for being allowed to witness it, learning deeply philosophical lessons that have proven absolutely valid in real life was both hard and fulfilling but I do not dare say that it is wrong to go and miss out on it!!! But given the choice I would always go for the priceless life experiences, and go the difficult route if it yields personal development.

I hope this helps you in any way...

 

[bighooter]

^^^

that post is beautiful.

 

[MescalitoBandito]

Did you trip alone or with friends? Sometimes tripping with people you trust can add a much more social dimension to the experience, as long as you are all sharing in the experience.

 

[any major dude]

all the posts so far seem to give some really good advice. I'll try and add a little as well. Mushrooms, not at first, but later in my "psychedelic career" have had a tendency to give me social anxiety, its more an acute effect of the drug than a lingering after effect for me though. LSD doesn't really share this aspect, in my experience. Sometimes after trips I will be a bit withdrawn for a day or two. Usually slightly more introspective, less talkative, but talk about more interesting things, and tend to avoid eye contact a bit. I think this is often referred to as "integrating your experience," that is, coming to terms with your new knowledge and assimilating the experience into your memory & personality. This takes longer with some people than others. And regardless of drug experience, I don't really think anyone should want an "old personality" back. we should all strive to move forward, onward & upward. One shouldn't seek approval for approval's sake. Additionally if you didn't change over a period of 3 years, with or without drugs, that would likely be more worrying than the relatively minor changes you describe. Don't rack your brain about not being interested in relatively unimportant bullshit. If you really feel you need trivial conversation pieces, so to speak, read up on football or weather. I usually do both before I visit my parents,ha