Health ADHD & ASD - Testing Psychedelics to replace conventional medication [includes also meditation & internal arts]

[d4nk0st0rm]

Purpose

Assume this as a work of fiction and that this is no way endorses any advice to stop professionally prescribed medication. You and you alone are responsible for your own safety.

The following is in summarising my own findings after research and experimentation on the use of psychedelics in the management of the conditions I have been formally diagnosed with, ADHD-C and ASD.

I decided to partake in this personal home research project with the main objective being to reduce or remove the need of current medication which has some mild detrimental effects for me personally.

Hypothesis to test

Microdosing psychedelic compounds psilocybin and LSD-25 is a valid approach for managing my ADHD-C and in doing so replacing or reducing the prescribed conventional medication of Lisdexamfetamine and Dexamphetamine.

Considerations

Much of the experimentation results in subjective data. Even with a scientifically structured questionnaire, any results reported are personal and impossible to determine if valid in its consideration. Each person is different, mileage will vary wildly between individuals, so this only is to report my own personal experiences and in no way states this is ever an approach for another person to follow.

I will not report dose levels, as I have found variations to be quite wide across many anecdotal experiences I have collated, and its advised that one should find their own line and to use self awareness and honesty in finding the levels that suit their own objectives.

Microdosing should be ‘ non-intoxication ‘ level dose, I refer to this as ‘ the line ‘ - This is where I have found a dose where I feel the effect, and I reduce back with some contingency for batch variances, and this will be my ‘ higher line level ‘.

Background

There is evidence from several research approaches, including biochemical, imaging, and therapy treatment that show abnormalities of the serotonin system being relevant in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Studies indicate psychedelics involve activity at the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, and this has been shown to be associated with ASD and ADHD to varying extents depending on the research. However this was enough of a relationship to suggest to me personally that psychedelics were worth considering as an avenue to explore further.

I started investigating this without prior knowledge of the wider use already in this area outside of scientific research. I do not frequent social media to any real extent, and I do not read mainstream media, which since I have found over the past few years a growing trend in the use of microdosing.

I had read many scientific articles on psychedelic research, however this is primarily focused on depression and trauma.


Approach

I considered the following compounds:

• N,N-DMT
• Psilocybin
• LSD-25

I ruled out N,N-DMT immediately following initial experiences. It was apparent that this compound has positive value in self improvement, however this is not suitable for me personally in the particular objective covered in this summary. After several macrodose and microdose experiences, I will use this compound in macro dose levels for purposes outside the scope of ADHD and ASD management.

After some initial test doses of psilocybin to find my line (the upper limit dose), it was clear there was some potential for structured management. I decided then to approach with a week on week off approach with conventional medication so I could compare.

After several weeks, I found confirmation that psilocybin was clearly a candidate for replacement of my conventional medication, so I started a full programme of psilocybin microdosing.

I followed this same approach with LSD, and found this also to be a candidate for replacement of my medication.

Summary

I found that structuring my upper limit dose across 3 doses best suited.

Dose 1 is taken first thing in the morning, with 2 further ‘ bump ‘ doses later in the day, no later than 17:00 to reduce impact of my sleep patterns.

The reason for this is that I sometimes found that the transition time (where the dose kicked in) could create some anxiety. I can only describe this as my brain crossing into the psychedelic brain was like a boat changing direction and crossing the wake left by another boat. Once the transition had changed direction, it was smooth and settled, however this was enough to look to transition in a more gentle way.

Both compounds resulted in the same benefits gained from conventional medication. Most notable being a silencing of `the bees` in my head, a controlled focus and increased ability in management of my day to day.

Although conventional medication also helped reduce ‘spin ups’ where anxiety and chaos would gain velocity and result in what you might call an external stimulation overload, these still occurred. On psychedelic medication, although the timeline has not been long enough to be confident, there are clear additional benefits in both compounds with a more calming and considered feeling in the day to day in that I suspect I will notice the signals on the start of a spin up more so than on conventional medication, this though is purely guess work at this point in timeline.

Psilocybin

I call this my chill out medication. This helps manage my ADHD-C in all the ways that my conventional medication does, I have added benefits of being able to turn focus on and off, to choose whether I want to work and focus or chill and snooze.

I have a much more obvious feeling of attachment and connection to the world, and to my wife. There is a grounding and ‘feeling more human’ with psilocybin that I do not have with conventional medication. I feel at one with the world, and I have appreciation for more subtle nuances in music and the general day to day goings on.

LSD

I call this my get shit down medication. This helps manage my ADHD-C in all the ways that my conventional medication does, I have the added benefits of a higher energy and more uplifting medication.

As with psilocybin, there is a definite feeling of a higher level of connectedness with the world around me, however there is a distinct difference to psilocybin.It's very hard to describe, it's a ‘less grounded’ feeling, more ‘sparkle’. I read a description of the difference between these two compounds as mushrooms being more grounded and earthy, and LSD being more synthetic. If you remove the literal meaning of these words, I do understand this and what its trying to describe, I get what that means.

So…..

Not only have I found these compounds to be ideal replacements for my conventional medication, I have found it has gone beyond my initial objectives. I am more empathetic toward people, I am able to preemptively think about impacts of my acts, to strategically think about my actions and reactions. This you may not find particularly interesting, however for an ASD & ADHD brain, this is substantial improvement.

I find joy and pleasure in the simple things, I am less stressed and less prone to ‘spinning up’ into a melt down, the pressures and concerns I have in day to day are less impactful. Overall I feel much more human than on conventional medication, and I am definitely happier and more sensitive to life.

This has been a life changing find for me, I felt slightly dehumanised on conventional medication, a slight numbing to the world around me, however the benefits I gained from a life of ASD and ADHD without knowing this was causing my issues and concerns allowed me to breath. This is just the next step in my journey to leading a happy and connected life.

I have further experiments to carry out, for example mixed doses, weighted mixes, and on/off schedules to find my perfect approach.


Thank you for taking the time to read this.

I've been further testing MDMA in respect specifically to gaining value for ASD, I'll follow up with this at some point.

Peace, love, and dogs playing snooker.

 

[ageingpartyfiend]

.I will not report dose levels, as I have found variations to be quite wide across many anecdotal experiences I have collated, and its advised that one should find their own line and to use self awareness and honesty in finding the levels that suit their own objectives.

Microdosing should be ‘ non-intoxication ‘ level dose, I refer to this as ‘ the line ‘ - This is where I have found a dose where I feel the effect, and I reduce back with some contingency for batch variances, and this will be my ‘ higher line level ‘.

Interesting, thanks.

So many different definitions of microdose - mine's quite close to yours I think, although I frame it as 'non (consciously) perceptible'.

I've had pretty good results with lsd microdosing schedules in the past, and am interested in trying it with psilocybin. With due respect to your 'no dose guide' impulse (sensible - I'd do the same) I wouldn't say no to being told via pm if possible, mainly curiosity. I'd also be keen to know how to accurately (ish) measure said dose - easy enough via volumetric dosing with accurately laid acid blotters, but with psilocybin?

I'm most definitely up in the Sp.Ld spectrum - not autistic but quite profoundly adhd with a literal sprinkling of dyspraxia. Interestingly, high dose (well, high-ish anyway, 200-300ug) lsd-25 completely removes both for the duration of the trip. Spectacularly in fact.

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

I will note for context, my prescription ADHD medication is 70 mg Lisdexamfetamine and 10 mg Dexamphetamine, this is quite a high dose range.

In my approach with testing compounds and to help me understand the potential value they may give me, I first start a program of increasing incrementally dose levels from an initial low dose.

This is an on going experiment with several compounds. I like to remain at a dose level whilst I learn and become familiar, friends if you will, with the compounds at the varying levels. This helps me to determine what dose I would take for a particular reason.

I know that some of this knowledge will already be known, if any of the following sounds condescending, it is not my intent, I am only looking to communicate information that may or may not be known.

Psilocybin

The psilocybe cubensis contains several compounds, psilocybin, psilocin, and baeocystin to varying levels and ratios based on the individual mushroom, batch, and the location within that fungi, i.e. whether the cap or stem.

I use a coffee grinder to create a powder, this to create a dose consistency so that each weight contains the same ratios of psilocybin, psilocin, and baeocystin as best that can be achieved within my home.

I use jewellery scales that are able to measure out to an accuracy of 0.001 g with error range of +/- 0.003 g, I use this to measure out the powdered dried mushroom.

I have used doses of dried mushroom from 0.1 g incrementally increasing by 0.05 g up to 2.5 g so far.

I do not like to use per human weight dosing, as I believe there are other factors not taken into account that can have more influence on the impact of the compound, however I will use it as its referenced in this manner in several sources, and here solely for simplicity sake.

I find that I use day to day 0.00356 - 0.00711 g kg^-1 ( 0.00161 - 0.00323 g lbs^-1 ) for general ADHD medication use.

I will use 0.00711 - 0.01422 g kg^-1 ( 0.00323 - 0.00645 g lbs^-1 ) for day to day, with additional requirement for reduced tension/anxiety, with the higher end being used along with meditation.

Above 0.01422 g kg^-1 (0.00645 g lbs^-1), I use for a range of activities.

LSD-25

I sterilise all equipment with boiling water.

I take 15 blotters of 110 ug and I place 5 into 3 amber bottles containing 55 ml of distilled water. These are placed into the fridge to maintain a constant low temperature and to remove any UV light. I tend to shake the bottles twice daily over a period of 48 to 60 hours.

I then transfer into smaller amber bottles for storage, and to remove the blotters to discard.

This then allows me to volumetric dose, using a syringe to draw up the distilled water with the compound. This being a volume of 10 ug ml^1 .

In my experimentation with LSD-25, I have incrementally increased dose by 5 ug from 10 ug to 100 ug so far.

I find that LSD-25 is harder to understand. There can be variations in experience that are taking me longer to become familiar when compared with psilocybin and N,N-DMT.

At higher dose levels, in the 80 ug to 100 ug so far experienced, there are increases in experience even with small incremental dose levels - this is where I wish to understand more, and whether its more influenced by external factors or personal internal factors.

I only say this about LSD-25 when compared with psilocybin, however I have more experience now with mushrooms, and have been more comfortable with the mushroom experience than the LSD-25 experience.

I have a feeling that my value to be gained from LSD-25 is found at the low dose range of 20 ug to 35 ug for day to day use, and above this in the 40 ug to 80 ug more a meditation and activity type day. Above 80 ug I am still exploring, the internal energy level and duration is something that is taking me far longer to become familiar.

MDMA

This is more focused toward my ASD not ADHD, and learning to improve relationships and understanding of my emotional aspects.

I am in early experimentation with MDMA, I have incrementally dosed from 40 mg to 300 mg, with variations including 50% dosing after 90 mins up to 2 times.

Initial dose program was done alone, and I found that from 140 mg to 200 mg there was a clear shift into a need to move and listen to music. Above 200 mg there were exaggerated effects, e.g impacts on vision, eye movement.

I recently took a dose level of 130 mg with 65 mg taken 90 mins with my wife as my first external reviewer. We took a 6 mile walk and she reported afterwards her point of view on the externalisation of effect. Overall this was a positive experience.

There was little or no pupil dilation, I had maintained a non-intoxication effect appearance in personality, e.g. I was not talking at speeds, depth, or on subjects that I would not have done ordinarily. She reported I was approximately 80% more affectionate, that I was more considered in my interactions, and my explanations of subject or thoughts were more concise, she had a more caring and gentle experience with me.

Lower doses in the range 40 mg to 100 mg there was not particular benefit or value, albeit some around the higher levels.

Due to the serotonin spike and related drop required for equilibrium, my next move is to look at pre-MDMA supplements, post-MDMA supplements, and to test with my wife as witness participant various ranges to find the point of high value with the mitigation of adverse effect.

I hope the above makes sense, and that I have not overly informed or included information that goes against the ethos of this forum. I have only just found this forum, and it's indeed very interesting to see others looking for value from these compounds.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

The LSD, DMT, Psilocybin, and MDMA, etc. will just make your ADD/ADHD-C, and ASD worse, and mess with your brain chemistry. Psychedelic drugs are not magical cure-all drugs, and microdoses have been proven not to work and are based on the placebo effect.

 

[Mycophile]

The LSD, DMT, Psilocybin, and MDMA, etc. will just make your ADD/ADHD-C, and ASD worse, and mess with your brain chemistry. Psychedelic drugs are not magical cure-all drugs, and microdoses have been proven not to work and are based on the placebo effect.

What proof is there that they'll make it worse?

I don't have those but I have an anxiety disorder, depression and Non Verbal Learning Disability which some people speculate could be related to Aspergers and I have found significant relief from mushrooms.

I absolutely think these things have the potential to help with all kinds of mental disorders, anxiety disorders and depression and there's a growing body of evidence that they can help with depression and anxiety. I'm not sure about microdoses, but I think full doses of different psychedelics can very much help and also give a different perspective to people locked into rigid thinking patterns which can go along with many of those diagnoses as well as PTSD. I find it odd that we are supposed to rely on prescription stimulants and those are considered just fine but not psychedelics.

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

I will take the bait, as your post has properties to suggest it being troll-like.

The microdoses have been proven not to work and are based on the placebo effect.

Firstly, many see the placebo effect as a negative, it is not. Its reported in the media with negative connotations, but really its an interesting neuroscience effect where positive outcomes appear in data from perceived treatment. I can tell you, if there was a placebo effect from my sugar pill ADHD medication, then great, better than 100 mg of amphetamines per day.

microdoses have been proven not to work

Second, please when referring to proven you include references that show this. In a world torn apart with misinformation and the opinions of all being as valuable as the research and data, as well as media and political manipulation of scientific data and language, we can only try individually clear out the noise and look at verified facts, peer reviewed papers & data, and state whether something is anecdotal or proven with statistical significance.

Without reference to research papers, there is no way to view any of the additional information that is contained that media or governments have left out or have used misleadingly.

There are studies that show there are areas of research to suggest psychedlics to have value and benefit for ADHD, as an example:

Carter OL, Pettigrew JD, Hasler F, Wallis GM, Liu GB, Hell D, Vollenweider FX. Modulating the rate and rhythmicity of perceptual rivalry alternations with the mixed 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A agonist psilocybin. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2005 Jun;30(6):1154-62. doi: 10.1038/sj.npp.1300621. PMID: 15688092.

Carter, Olivia, et al. "Psilocybin slows binocular rivalry switching through serotonin modulation." Journal of Vision 6.6 (2010): 43.

Carter OL, Burr DC, Pettigrew JD, Wallis GM, Hasler F, Vollenweider FX. Using psilocybin to investigate the relationship between attention, working memory, and the serotonin 1A and 2A receptors. J Cogn Neurosci. 2005 Oct;17(10):1497-508. doi: 10.1162/089892905774597191. PMID: 16269092.

FWIW, I have a collection of peer reviewed papers on DMT, Psilocybin, and LSD-25 research, and although primarily this is on depression & PTSD, I had read these to gain understanding about the compounds and their interactions with the serotonin (5-HT)1A and 5-HT2A receptors.

There are research areas on the cause and reasons for ASD and ADHD, examples being a Scandinavian cohort study suggesting traumatic birth events that showed high prevalence of ADHD diagnosis [apologies as I am unable to find this study as since there are more in this area that make this particular one difficult to identify], as well as a longitudinal study in Taiwan that looked at increased ADHD & ASD from traumatic brain injury in early childhood.

Chang HK, Hsu JW, Wu JC, Huang KL, Chang HC, Bai YM, Chen TJ, Chen MH. Traumatic Brain Injury in Early Childhood and Risk of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2018 Oct 16;79(6):17m11857. doi: 10.4088/JCP.17m11857. PMID: 30403445.

LSD, DMT, Psilocybin, and MDMA, etc. will just make your ADD/ADHD-C, and ASD worse, and mess with your brain chemistry. Psychedelic drugs are not magical cure-all drugs, and

Messing with my brain chemistry is exactly the point. I currently have a medical prescription for 70 mg Lisdexamfetamine and 10 mg Dexamphetamine, the reason is that my brain chemistry has been determined to need to have my brain chemistry messed with.

Many studies refer to serotonin (5-HT)1A and 5-HT2A regulation as areas of interest when studying ADHD and ASD, and referring to my original post, you will see this is how I decided that there maybe some area of interest for me personally to look further into:

There is evidence from several research approaches, including biochemical, imaging, and therapy treatment that show abnormalities of the serotonin system being relevant in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Studies indicate psychedelics involve activity at the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, and this has been shown to be associated with ASD and ADHD to varying extents depending on the research. However this was enough of a relationship to suggest to me personally that psychedelics were worth considering as an avenue to explore further.

If you look at the history of the compounds that I am exploring, primarily the historical use (MDMA for example was used by psychiatrists as a psychotherapeutic tool), and then the political context that these compounds where criminalised (cannabis is a great example for a criminalisation of a medicine to be used as a political weapon), then we can have a more open mind about the true harm and values that these compounds, for which we have receptors that fit the compounds (this is another discussion on evolutionary endocannabinoid and psychedelic receptors), and hopefully progress knowledge and understanding from discussion and sharing of anecdotal evidence that may or may not help others whilst the bureaucracy of scientific studies moves toward making these compounds more widely available to those unable to put so much effort and care into their own exploration.

There are no sides, only science.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

bureaucracy of...

Blah, blah, blah...yeah like you know more about neuroscience, ADD/ADHD, etc. than actual neuroscientists, or even medical doctors. 8)

Studies can be easily manipulated or can claim whatever they want.

Microdosing LSD, DMT, MDMA, and Psilocybin mushrooms is a waste of drugs and completely useless. You can get the same theorised effects from microdosing as you can from exercise and meditation, only meditation and exercise are actually more helpful and will change your brain chemistry for the better than taking super micro doses of drugs ever will.

Microdosing's Feel-Good Benefits Might Just Be Placebo Effect

A study found no significant difference in the well-being of participants who thought they were taking mini hits of psychedelics and those who actually were.

www.wired.com

 

[Mycophile]

Blah, blah, blah...yeah like you know more about neuroscience, ADD/ADHD, etc. than actual neuroscientists, or even medical doctors. 8)

Studies can be easily manipulated or can claim whatever they want.

Microdosing LSD, DMT, MDMA, and Psilocybin mushrooms is a waste of drugs and completely useless. You can get the same theorised effects from microdosing as you can from exercise and meditation, only meditation and exercise are actually more helpful and will change your brain chemistry for the better than taking super micro doses of drugs ever will.

Microdosing's Feel-Good Benefits Might Just Be Placebo Effect

A study found no significant difference in the well-being of participants who thought they were taking mini hits of psychedelics and those who actually were.

www.wired.com

Ok, what about FULL doses of these drugs for things like depression, anxiety and PTSD?

There have been plenty of studies that show MDMA, LSD and Psilocybin can be helpful for these things, and I've always believed more in full dosing the micro-dosing.

And that argument that "studies can be manipulated to claim whatever they want" sounds like a good excuse to just basically ignore any and all studies or at the very least cherry pick which ones you want to believe and which ones you don't because I don't believe for 1 second that you disregard all medical studies.

You open your post by criticizing someone for saying they know more than doctors and neuroscientists, the very same doctors and scientists who put out the very same studies you then criticize...

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

@PriestTheyCalledHim

I have little idea on the real motivation on your replies, I can only state that they appear through my lens to be contradictory in nature and lacking logic process for basis in creating intellectual discussion on subject areas that are under study and many are unable to access via education accessibility or socioeconomic situation.

Perhaps you are time constrained or low in energy for your motivation to respond, so I can ask only then 'why' reply when your responses seem to create little or no value to, and perhaps I have a misguided view on this point, an invitation for intelligent discussion.

Maybe you wish to push in questions that you are unable with language beyond the language structure you know. Even its possible that English is not your first language.

The remaining options I have then to consider is that you look to create an emotional reaction, that you will gain some advantage or personal pleasure from further reactive response.

I do not know, I have zero emotional concern on your responses, having no value toward my objectives.

Do not hold the misinterpretation that the time and potentially perceived effort you may think I used in my replies have been a reactive energy driven only by you.

I am autistic, not a fucking simpleton / idiot / retarded fool that wastes time in a way that can be described as writing on a toilet wall responding to graffiti written by a stranger.

Every day, with my coffee, I gain pleasure from reviewing or gaining knowledge. In refreshing knowledge, I gain joy from similar methods to what I write below. The only difference, is that I am writing this on an internet board and not in a document on my hard drive. This may give you personal satisfaction or add value to your day as it does mine, I genuinely hope so.

With my ASD, I work hard to understand interaction and text communication, albeit this is difficult for everyone to some degree.

Primarily due to missing tone, technical or cultural language, removal of non verbal signs, alongside individual lens and filters, much can be misinterpreted.

Firstly, my describing your initial response 'troll-like'; this referring to a hacking troll. One that looks to hack the human, bring out gaps in knowledge, even distasteful points of view. It was more compliment than a negative label. I welcome discussion that helps look toward people reviewing their own points of view and opinions, challenging them.

Blah, blah, blah...yeah like you know more about neuroscience, ADD/ADHD, etc. than actual neuroscientists, or even medical doctors. 8)

I suspect the use of "blah" means that you have no value in what I am writing, or I am overly verbose, or as usual, over informing.

This is something I do, I apologise, however the flippant connotation of 'blah blah blah' suggests its not a comment on my overly verbose over informing and that your intentions are not then to create discussion or debate that helps to challenge thinking. Leaving me to think then it may be only to create emotional confrontation. This is my interpretation, I can not state if that is true or not.

The statement suggests that there is nothing in my content that you find interest, my content is unsubstantiated, and I claim mastery of the subject matter.

I apologise if the way I write or the language I used creates this assumption or interpretation, it is not my intent.

My use of language throughout looks to mitigate these points. It starts with "Assume this as a work of fiction" and I repeat that this is personal opinion / my experience / it is anecdotal. I will look to be clearer in the future.

only meditation and exercise are actually more helpful and will change your brain chemistry for the better than taking super micro doses of drugs ever will.

I agree, meditation and exercise are helpful.

However, as a comparative to doses of compounds, I can not comment on this comparison. I now can inform you that my use of psychedelic compounds are also used alongside weekly therapy, daily practices of meditation and shaolin martial arts.

Personally, I believe that not one solution solves the issues for me. All are components for my overall search for a solution to enable me to live day to day mitigating adverse experiences caused from my brain, which some label as ASD and ADHD.

Shaolin Marital arts, which includes QiGong, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, meditation both through movement and static practice, I could discuss this subject with you.

I have a collection of scientific papers on the impacts of such practices, however, this is not relevant to the original discussion, so it seems to me personally potentially an attempt by you of the formulation some denial of the antecedent or slight of hand diverting the discussion.

Studies can be easily manipulated or can claim whatever they want.

I agree.

You can refer to the following papers to see how the academic research community has been fooled by nonsensical work:

"Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity" - Alan Sokal - published in Social Text #46/47, pp. 217-252 (spring/summer 1996)

“The conceptual penis as a social construct,” Peter Boghossian & James A. Lindsay - published in Cogent Social Sciences on May 19th 2017

Alan Sokal thoughts on The Conceptual penis as a social construct


The scientific method and peer review process is how we can try to mitigate the risk of error and to remove misleading information.

I do not know if you are familiar with the structure of peer reviewed research, I will not assume you have, even though you made claims in reference to the quality and reliability.

Within, you find sections on methodology, approach, data, results, and conclusions drawn. This allows the reader to interrogate the study & data themselves. With reference number of citations, by reading follow up studies, studies that look to confirm or disprove, this is a simple method one can take to evaluate the study, whether it is flawed or has potential value.

I am lucky, I studied BSc (Hons) Physics (in my spare time whilst I held a senior corporate position - I state only for context to my personality) as I enjoy learning, I enjoy the difficulties in learning complex mathematical descriptions of concepts.

Part of my study was the evaluation of data and information in general. Even without access to academic study, there are some simple steps one can take with analysis of information they read.

Whether on internet boards, social media, or mainstream media platforms, it would benefit all if people would take the time to pause and consider, especially in times where misinformation and growing opposing views are being created in every subject imaginable.

Perhaps the following will help, perhaps it wont.

Presentation
The way in which information is presented has a profound effect on the way we receive and perceive it. Poor presentation and inappropriate or confusing use of language will hinder your ability to critically evaluate the academic content.

This is particularly important on social media where information is presented to create high emotional reaction.

Relevance
It may be a piece of high quality information, but not relevant to the scope of the knowledge you look to gain.


Objectivity
As you suggest, studies can be manipulated, I personally think objectivity therefore is an unachievable ideal. We are humans dripping with bias.

Personally, I attempt to disprove myself in points of view I feel gaining some emotional reaction in my holding them. This is my own method to mitigate against primarily confirmation bias, however, its for mitigation against many other cognitive bias.

It is important we all continue to recognise our own systems and opinions that influence our ability to objectively evaluate.

In reference again to your statement:

Studies can be easily manipulated or can claim whatever they want.

We can take steps in review of peer reviewed papers, in addition we can all consider the following with information we read:

• Is the perspective clear - has the point of view been clearly stated
• Is it an opinion or statement of fact - How does the language present opinion - as evidence or anecdote - Is it a piece of writing that looks for discussion, debate, or attempt to tell you what is factual.
• Misuse of language - Does it create an emotional reaction or is it using complex language not appropriate for the audience, or does it use a structure to remain vague.
• Agenda / Conflicts of interest / Sponsorship - Has the author been paid, if its academic research, has it been sponsored by industry or government (it should be stated in the paper and if not is easily found). Although it may not make the research less objective due to the scientific rigour, it may make its interpretation selective (as you previously noted).
• Is the data supporting the article available for others to analyse - if not, why not.

Method

• Has it been made clear how the research and approach was carried out
• Were they appropriate to the subject matter and objectives of the subject / hypothesis being researched
• Do the analysis and results match the method
• Is the method suitable for your own requirements and research, are they appropriate
• Are there more suitable methods or approaches more relevant for your personal objectives

Provenance
Who produced it and where it came from.

This can be the credentials of the author, sponsoring body or source of your information.

It is generally assumed that academic work is often valuable because its written by a highly regarded research group or is included in a well known journal.

Again, referring to "Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity" - Alan Sokal - published in Social Text #46/47, pp. 217-252 (spring/summer 1996) and “The conceptual penis as a social construct,” Peter Boghossian & James A. Lindsay - published in Cogent Social Sciences on May 19th 2017 we can see that publication source can not be relied alone. However this is why one thing will not help filter, we need many tools to help evaluate the reliance of information.

Other checks for provenance:

• The author
  • Are they acknowledged experts in the particular subject area
  • Have they included any caveats
  • Historically reliable sources and historically open to debate and review of their own work
  • Have they been frequently cited
  • To find out whether material has been frequently cited requires either prior knowledge or a citation search.
  • Have they been known to shift perspectives
• Is the paper or article been sponsored
  • What commercial interests maybe at play
• Publication method
  • Is there risk of influence from editorial policies or personal agenda by owners
  • Is the publication well respected and by whom
  • Who cites the publication
  • Is it behind a paywall
  • If its free, what steps were needed from you to consume the information

Timeliness
Is it relevant, has it been superseded, and if photographic carry out meta-data analysis or an image reverse search to identify if the context been manipulated.

Conclusion
I have been used to people pushing my buttons or manipulating me for their own gain or pleasure. However, I now only allow the flow when I can see there being benefits to me that outweigh the others.

I have had an enjoyable morning reviewing my own knowledge, and if it adds any value to any single human, then that is an added positive ripple effect.

"It is not knowledge, but the act of getting there, which grants the greatest enjoyment" - Carl Friedrich Guass

edited: grammar
edited: format & structure

 

[pupnik]

@d4nk0st0rm I am enjoying your analysis a great deal. the mental ailments you received treatment for did not exist when I was young, but I probably had them.

at some point I found speed and was surprised how well that worked.

but my true love was always mini-dosing lsd, and my degenerate joy has been cannabis.

I have been a meditator (vipassana) for 55 years - pretty much daily for the last decade.

It is not the same thing at all. (yes some psychedelic effects during the process and a bit of after glow, but it is more more about the experience of tranquility and detached clarity in the face of endless mental/emotional challenges - i.e. smoothing the bumps inside my head, and seeing the fails as natural)
meditation is not something I see everyone doing or ready to appreciate. Many very clever people have walled it off completely as if it has the bad smell of sloppy computer code, bad dope or placebo waste of time. Personally, any time spent practicing not being anxious about anything is not a waste.

I am only ~125 lbs max, and my go to microdose is ~12Ug every second or 3rd day, and maybe double or a bit more when a celebration is afoot.

I do not regard it as a cure for anything, but as a special supplement, most humans do not digest appreciatively. like poetry.

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

@pupnik :

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I read your response with interest.

I was in my 40s when diagnosed. Growing up in the 70s and 80s there was little known about ASD & ADHD, certainly in the school systems I attended, or by my family.

I abused substances from an early age into my 30s, this my method of self medication and finding methods to help me fit in without discomfort. Since removing these numbing agents and social crutches from my life, I have been searching for understanding and ways to manage life using positive and value gain methods.

Conventional medication did give me positive results, however after years on what in summary is a daily dose of amphetamine, I wish to find other methods.

I also meditate daily to some degree, whether 10 minutes or 3 hours. Initially this was introduced to me via shaolin martial arts, however its now its own exploration outside of my martial arts practice, albeit still to some degree focused on the internal martial arts.

I do not discount any value gained from meditation alone, I benefit much from this practice. Like you say, any time spent not being anxious is time well spent. My wife and therapist sense when I have not been meditating, this external 3rd party recognition on my state, for me confirms there are quantifiable benefits from this practice not only myself.

You have introduced a new area of knowledge for me, vipassana, I shall look to fill in that missing gap.

 

[pupnik]

@d4nk0st0rm

my behavior is too inconsistent: sometimes my wife declares that I am so flustered or angry at other drivers that I must not have meditated, while I actually had just finished 40 mins. (easier for her as passenger to berate me than pay attention to the road to see what is upsetting), and at other times she thinks I am stoned when I am not, while when I am stoned she often is not taking note.
my external behavior is not a good metric for what I have been doing, but I must say, with covid, all the inner city streets are half as wide, new bikelanes, restaurant patios on the asphault, and construction all over. driving has become mental, and the drivers also are something else (covid) has affected the world.

I prefer to walk. but in my dreams I rollerblade.

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

easier for her as passenger to berate me than pay attention to the road to see what is upsetting

I really like this description.

 

[Shinji Ikari]

Thank you for taking the time to write all this, as I have a similar diagnosis to yourself and am treated with the same medications I have been following this thread with great interest.

I experimented with microdosing earlier this year, hopping between cubensis mushrooms, 4-ACO-DMT, and LSD. Generally I found similar results to you in terms of energy and introspection (LSD being the energy and psilocybin being the introspection) but unfortunately I didn’t find they helped me in a study setting, I was still becoming distracted and finding it virtually impossible to stay on task (I’m a humanities student so lots of reading boring journal articles). If they did they weren’t as effective as stimulants.

I did notice something interesting by chance about macro doses however. When I’m taking my dex every day I typically suffer a 48 hour rebound when I stop taking them. During this period I am for lack of a better word, useless. I can’t focus and all I want to do is sleep and eat. However, in the wake of a trip on 20mg of 4-ACO-DMT followed by a tolerance break I found that the afterglow from the trip completely negated the rebound. I felt completely normal as if I hadn’t been taking amphetamines every day for the last two months.

I’ll need to experiment with this a bit more but it seems that in my case at least, these compounds pretty effectively reset my amphetamine tolerance while negating the usual withdrawal period.

I tripped on Saturday so I need to wait another week or two but once my tolerance is reset I think I might try alternating LSD one day and Dexamphetamine the next day and see how that goes.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

Blah, blah, blah...yeah like you know more about neuroscience, ADD/ADHD, etc. than actual neuroscientists, or even medical doctors. 8)

Studies can be easily manipulated or can claim whatever they want.

Microdosing LSD, DMT, MDMA, and Psilocybin mushrooms is a waste of drugs and completely useless. You can get the same theorised effects from microdosing as you can from exercise and meditation, only meditation and exercise are actually more helpful and will change your brain chemistry for the better than taking super micro doses of drugs ever will.

Microdosing's Feel-Good Benefits Might Just Be Placebo Effect

A study found no significant difference in the well-being of participants who thought they were taking mini hits of psychedelics and those who actually were.

www.wired.com

What works for you. Works for you.

Meditation makes me hyper, resulting in sleepless night's. Proper meditation, not sitting with your eye's closed in a half consciousness state. And physical workout is just that, physical workout. That is something any living being should be doing daily.

But I find both worthless to control AD(H)D. But good for general health and well being.

Stimulant's work to a degree, but lose effectiveness. And are no more then a crutch making you dependent on the industry. If the dr. decides to end your prescription your in shit.

If insurance suddenly no longer pay's for your med's your screwed.

Micro dosing how interesting it sounds is just a crutch. And crutches can be taken away. I rather rely on myself.

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

but unfortunately I didn’t find they helped me in a study setting, I was still becoming distracted and finding it virtually impossible to stay on task (I’m a humanities student so lots of reading boring journal articles). If they did they weren’t as effective as stimulants.

I agree to some extent, I found this also with study. However I found other components I am trying to use to see if I can remove the stimulants help to support this. Occasionally I find that reduced medication with some dose of psychedelics at least help me reduce my amphetamine based intake, preferred because they have some minor adverse impacts on me. Finding this balance though in a heavy study session setting took a little work.

I did notice something interesting by chance about macro doses however. When I’m taking my dex every day I typically suffer a 48 hour rebound when I stop taking them. During this period I am for lack of a better word, useless. I can’t focus and all I want to do is sleep and eat. However, in the wake of a trip on 20mg of 4-ACO-DMT followed by a tolerance break I found that the afterglow from the trip completely negated the rebound. I felt completely normal as if I hadn’t been taking amphetamines every day for the last two months.

This is interesting to me. The dexampetamine, although it is what is metabolised in the body from the Lisdexamfetamine, I find has the more adverse impacts on me. One of these are the days I decide to go 'no meds', it can also be described as "I am for lack of a better word, useless. I can’t focus and all I want to do is sleep and eat." - this more so after periods on Lis + Dex versus Lis alone.

I would like to know more about the experience you have them with the 20mg of 4-ACO-DMT, which from memory is a synthethesis of psilocybin, or some related analogue of the compound. Do you know what conversion this dose (20 mg) means in comparitive terms of effect from dried psilocybe cubensis (albeit apples and oranges).

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

What works for you. Works for you.

Meditation makes me hyper, resulting in sleepless night's. Proper meditation, not sitting with your eye's closed in a half consciousness state. And physical workout is just that, physical workout. That is something any living being should be doing daily.

But I find both worthless to control AD(H)D. But good for general health and well being.

Stimulant's work to a degree, but lose effectiveness. And are no more then a crutch making you dependent on the industry. If the dr. decides to end your prescription your in shit.

If insurance suddenly no longer pay's for your med's your screwed.

Micro dosing how interesting it sounds is just a crutch. And crutches can be taken away. I rather rely on myself.

I agree.

I look toward 'proper meditation' and exercise (running), alongside shaolin martial arts, as a method for me to seperate myself from my thinking self and my biomechanical self. It is then from this I hope to gain methods that are reliant on myself.

The journey and pathway I have with psychedelics is one component of a much larger scope that I am looking toward in being able to live with ASD and ADHD in a way that allows me to be kind to myself, reduce anxiety or potential external adverse impacts, as well as to utilise my ASD and ADHD super powers, eg hyper focus, when I decide to use them and them not to decide to use me.

I am unaware if individuals with ASD and ADHD have been sucessful in the highented consiousness state that I find in the recognition of 'me' as seperate from the thinking and the physical (as in injury or emotion impacting the individual), however I have found with the use of several tools, pyschedelics being one, I have over a period of time of hard work found I can access this consiousness state. At first, it was through psychedelic use, then via meditation with psychedelics, then via meditation alone, and now in day to day tasks.

My drive to continue to use compounds to manage my ASD and ADHD are because I am still looking at the balance that I can work with in the world and society that still has influence on me. I look to continue to grow and gain awareness where I rely less and less on anything other than "me".

I still have days where only amphetamine based tools will help, its about being able to chose what when and how, whether my thinking methods, compounds, or processes in functionality.

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

Meditation makes me hyper, resulting in sleepless night's.

I have this issue at the moment. With certain practices that are on the surface calming and grounding, it creates high level of internal energy that I am unable to tame and it keeps me awake, this can create a pattern over several nights, I am guessing until I have expended the built up internal energy. Call it what you will, the practices I partake call it 'Qi', and its something I have to look to work on to understand and control more.

I have started experimenting with various Rapé, shamic snuff, as there are designed mixes that are focused toward certain physical areas or states, I have found one that calms mind and body, so this is an interesting area also for me. It could be placebo, psychosomatic effect, however the 'theatre' of setting my area and setting down for meditation with this, helps in its process to relax and tame my energy before retiring to bed.

What works for you. Works for you.

For simplicity on all areas to consider, this ^ wins ...

 

[d4nk0st0rm]

I don't have those but I have an anxiety disorder, depression and Non Verbal Learning Disability which some people speculate could be related to Aspergers and I have found significant relief from mushrooms

What historically was labled 'Aspergers', now 'high functioning autism' or 'level 1 ASD', are the labels used to describe my own particular way of interaction with the world or my processing of information.

I also find 'significant relief' using mushrooms, especially in the 0.01033 - 0.01515 g kg^-1 range.

If I am planning on entering an environment that is overly stimulating, for example crowds or a large social gathering (my use of large is > 4 people), then a dose in this range of dried psilocybe cubensis allows me to function far more easily in that kind of environment.

I am currently looking into LSD-25 in the 5 ug - 15 ug range to see if this also helps me in a similar way. I found 20 ug was too high a dose, it made me 'space out' more than I wanted in those situations, albeit that was still a very positive experience, it was not positive for my interaction within that environment.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

This thread does tempt me to do some research on myself.

Being cut off my AD(H)D med's by the dr. and health insurance problem's, as they seemed to not cover them. And my dr. didn't wanna look in alternative's. But in hindsight they did cover them. But a dr. can stop them but will never start them. Paradox but true. But that is another story.

With all these micro-dosed RC Lysergic's why not see for myself. It won't be long term but this thread got me curious. One thing i can add is aging lessens the problem's associated with ADHD.

Stress reduction or handelement to.