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Why do Psychedelics exist?

A

afroman21

Greenlighter
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Feb 16, 2014
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Why do psychedelics exist? My friend and I have been contemplating this. There has to be a reason for psychedelics to be on the earth. But why? Are they to learn about the vast universe and the truth about reality? Or is it some thing plants and animals use as self defense in which humans have found and use as a drug? What are your opinions and thoughts? All responses welcome. Thanks.
 
I think they're simply chemicals evolved entirely by mistake that happen to work well enough at deterring pests from destroying plants to confer a selective advantage (most animals don't like tripping). Our receptors aren't designed for psychedelics but rather resemble endogenous neurotransmitters that psychedelics are able to attach to and effect a response, so there's nothing unusual about them. Nature is entirely indifferent to human pleasure and suffering, and the existence of psychedelics is no evidence against that perspective. Millions of horrific poisons exist that vastly outnumber pleasant natural drugs. If anything like Gaia exists she's an insane sadistic bitch.
 
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We also produce DMT in our brains. Why? Is it to find out the truth about the universe? I know DMT is released when one dies but our brains can release it when we are not dieing. Why?
 
I like your opinion. But why do we use it to experience the truth and the universe? Why are they used for spirituality? Thats what I dont get. If they are just poisons developed to defend against other animals why do we learn so much from them?
 
Perhaps a more interesting question is not why these molecules exist, but why the states of consciousness that result from their ingestion exist.
 
There are a variety of tryptamines in our diet if I remember correctly. The production of endogenous DMT may be entirely by accident as a product of metabolism of these tryptamines - including other animals and plants.

I don't think its been proven that DMT is released in our brain when we die though, it just happens to exist within our bodies. It's theorised to be related to death experiences and dreams but I don't think there is evidence yet other than the fact that it can be found in the human body.
 
There's no evidence that DMT is released during death or even that the DMT that it produced is in sufficient quantities to produce a psychedelic response. If DMT is released in psychoactive quantities just prior to death for some preparatory purpose I really have to wonder why so many of us are filled with terror and uncertainty before death rather than having a slew of pleasure chemicals released to fill us with euphoria and acceptance.
 
In my beliefs which you can accept or decline. I dont care just dont bash them. I believe DMT is released when we die. And heaven and hell is simply a good or bad trip. What are your opinions?
 
I believe we are filled with terror and uncertainty because we dont know what will truly happen when we die. No one knows but people that have died but we cant really ask them. There are only theorys.
 
I wasn't bashing your beliefs if that was directed at me. But I don't see what sense in makes to ask why something happens that there's no evidence for. I asked the rhetorical question about the terror before death because asking why DMT would be released when we die is a leading question implying there's a preparatory purpose to it. So if there's an "intended" preparatory process that precedes death why wouldn't it be longer and relieve some of that suffering, or if it involves DMT why wouldn't we at least start tripping balls a few minutes before death to give us more time for it to do whatever it's supposed to do?
 
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thank you psood0nym! I see that thrown around way too much on here. IIRC, it was merely theorized by Strassman but many people spout it as fact.

On topic, I tend to agree with your first post. Our receptors aren't designed for psychedelics at all, they just happen to fit. Does it really matter why they exist? The important thing is that they do, and we must now question how we can use them as safely and effectively as possible
 
It wasnt directed towards anyone. I have some out there beliefs and I dont want anybody bashing my beliefs or anyone elses in this discussion for that matter. And maybe DMT release is the crossover from life to death. No one really knows. But a great great man by the name of terrance mckenna describes DMT not as a psychedelic but more of a glimpse at death. My friend described it to me as looking of a cliff. You cant see what is below but you get a glimpse of what it is sortof like. You cant go any farther you just get to look over the edge.
 
One part exists IMO due to a form of convergent evolution in chemistry, namely the use of certain families of chemicals in metabolism of organisms for related or unrelated purposes. For example plant hormones or fungal metabolites: DMT and psilocin. But another part appears to be created intentionally as a defense mechanism such as THC resin, bufotenin and mescaline.

I think there is often an evolutionary advantage for chemistry to partially overlap in different organisms. Both positive matching (being able to reuse biochemicals as food or serve as messengers) and negative matching (creating biologically active deterrents among other things) have important roles. Also, some kinds of metabolism systems are bound to develop in certain ways because they are simply efficient or ideal in certain ways and this will translate to evolutionary advantage. So it will happen independently in different organisms.
Life has a lot in common with itself. ;)
 
Pretty sure if any tryptamines are 'released' during death it would be the 5-MeO variant. You don't hear too many entity NDE stories..or at least on DMT I never saw what I'd call angels. But 5-MeO-DMT fits the bill pretty well as far as yer run of the mill NDE experience. Over the summer having found myself in a head on collision, I know what I am convinced of.
 
Albert Hoffman claims LSD's purpose was to "turn humanity into what it's supposed to be." (I think)

I agree partially but it really could have done a better job when it was making its first rounds in my opinion.

RIP albert hoffman what a truly awesome human being.
 
Psychedelics exist because of plant chemistry and curious chemist and pharmacologist.
They are nothing more than novel carbon compounds that happen to be uniquely psycoacive.
Psyhs can be both goods and bad. Therapeutic, spiritual, hedonistic.

I trip for fun, don't let the pseudo-spiritual Influence you. They are what they are. Of you take a psychedelic don't
Worry about other peoples beliefs/philosophy until you run into trouble.
 
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random glitch? not sure about "glitch", but random yes. Currently, psychedelics serve a purpose in at least some of our lives (hence why we're posting on this message board). However, in the grand scheme of things, they hold no real purpose in most human lives. Should they? That's probably a whole other discussion...
 
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SONN said:
Albert Hoffman claims LSD's purpose was to "turn humanity into what it's supposed to be." (I think)

I agree partially but it really could have done a better job when it was making its first rounds in my opinion.

RIP albert hoffman what a truly awesome human being.
Click to expand...

couldnt say it better
 
Just want to point out that if you still live in that 'survival of the fittest, nature hates us all, the world is a physical meaningless bunch of stars and shit, everything is reducible to mechanics' worldview you're still living in 1900, and also you must be pretty unimaginative, uninspired and potentially depressed.

There are alkaloids in nature that affect particular receptors in the brain because nature grows as a whole and everything implies everything else. If over here you have 5HT2A receptors, then over there you have alkaloids that bind to it. The psychedelic experience is part of the natural functioning of the human organism.

The other attitude is, fuck no, it's all a big mistake, fuck you and any meaning you think there is I'm just here for the hedonism.

A completely immature and unintelligent opinion that is obviously too simple except to stupid people.
 
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