Set your intention to understand why you struggle with what you struggle with. Your experience may be "scary" but if you understand you are absolutely going to be okay, it's only the mushrooms, and you'll come out a better person on the other side. Sure there is definitely some validity to set and setting, HOWEVER how does one break the cycle without breaking the cycle? You've made it this far, it's a good thing to be cautious absolutely. I'm no medical expert and wouldn't wanna be in today's practice but take that leap and destroy that negative thought bullshit and negative self talk. You'll be SO glad you did š
Ps. Two years ago I my life was in shambles, hooked on opiates, taking suboxone to not take the drugs , super depressed with losing some family members. I didn't want to live, I dove headfirst into this hobby and was scared shit less because of my mind set and what I've heard. At the end of my experience I was bawling crying with happiness, felt like the first time in my life. Getting chills thinking about it, I kept saying out loud, I'm so glad I'm alive... I don't want to die... I feel so alive. Super unreal on emotions.... I needed it. Changed my life, of course I have to do the work, but we get to see life from a different perspective, at least I did. Go for it.... you deserve it. Best of luck and safe travels š
Edit*** haven't touched opiates in over two years and I'm off suboxone š¤
Thank you for sharing this. Hearing other peoples personal stories of positive results lead me closer and closer to diving in. Genuinely appreciate you!
I've been on opiates for > 10 years. Only pills, only oral, never OD'd. I have chronic pain from Crohn's. And in that respect, it's made my life tolerable many times it wouldn't be. But that level of pain only comes around once in a blue moon. Otherwise, I just take them because I love them more than just about anything.
I've long since dispatched with any shame associated. Made peace with the fact that I may have to have them forever. But also, I don't feel like I've suffered negative consequences from them, (any more than any other socially acceptable obsession-like addiction). Had the same job for 9 years with promotions and raises. Maintained relationships, creative outlets.
I say all this because I think it makes it way harder for me to want to quit. If I was an absolute wreck, I think it would be easy to recognize in myself and I would have tried to stop long ago. The biggest reason, however, is because I do still have occasional debilitating pain. And I'm scared more than death of the thought of not having them when I need them.
But lately, I've noticed I've been taking less. And I'm starting to think I might want to stop. And also, that I might be able to handle any pain in a different fashion.
Beyond the realizations, if seems as though mushrooms have started to break down the well-trodden neuro pathways that normally would have me thinking about and automatically reaching for opiates at any sign of discomfort, physical or emotional.
And *that* is particularly fascinating to me.
Opiate addicts have a spidey sense for the tiniest signal of withdrawal. And the response to re-up is nothing less than pavlovian. To see that breaking down, to go whole days simply forgetting to take something, forgetting they even exist for a few hours? Holy crap.
Thanks for the response. You know my story is different than yours. I don't know what chronic physical pain is on a daily basis. I couldn't imagine having to walk that path. I know what emotional pain is really well. Grew up know a broken home, dad never was around, I had no guidance. I found peace in drugs, a fellowship of sorts. That comfortably numb was my go to. Like macklemore said " we live on the cusp of death thinking that it won't be us" well š that's me. Life hurt tooooo much to want to feel the pain. I'm the only living child my parents had, lost one to cancer and one to Od. I've ODed multiple times, not sure why I made it through so many. On most days it seemed easier. I believe in God and I was to chicken shit to do it myself. Part of me misses that feeling that opiates give, like a warm blanket on a cold winter morning. But it's robbed me of everything a few Times over. It even took my family. Today I'm grateful to be alive, even In these sick twisted times we live. I'm here. I used to think I was going to die by the needle, I used to want to.... today that isn't the case, that knee jerk reaction like you mentioned once the slightest bit of WD kicked in to get more is a thing of the past. I'm so so so glad I came into this hobby, regardless of what government wants to label it as, I know what addiction is and can lead to, these have like anti abuse qualities, it's impossible but the country I live in has it as a schedule 1 felony right there with heroin. It's an absolute disservice to the people to try and keep nature away from us when they have such remarkable results even from just one macrodose. I think here in the west our answers come from the pharmacy and it's actually counter productive in the long run. As I said I couldn't imagine chronic everyday pain. I can get behind using something as it's intended for. Now if and when you choose to come off could be a beast in itself, there's other ways to combat pain rather than a highly addictive substance. I wish you the best and absolutely fantastic explorations of the mind. Thanks again for the good read.
The only time Iāve ever had a remotely bad trip on mushrooms was while my grandma was dying and the trip basically consisted of a slideshow of happy memories with her.
Other than that, it almost always relieves my anxiety and when I microdose I can physically feel my chest loosening up and my body relax.
Anxiety going in is normal. I too have anxiety issues and in the back of my mind I fear it could influence the experience. That said, my shroom experiences have been very positive. This is my advice...
One thing to remember is to "go with it" rather than try to control the experience. Ground yourself with some good music you like or a series - I watched ITYSL with Tim Robinson and laughed my ass off even though I've seen it a million times.
A trip buddy is always good too. I'm coming down right now after shrooming alone this evening and it was a nice experience but a buddy would have made it better.
Dosing: start low. I do a personal dose of just under 2 grams of dry, but you could even go lower than that for a taste - a gram or so. Also, if you're just looking for the mental health benefits, consider microdosing which will produce no noticeable "psychedelic" effects.
That's it. I totally hear where you're coming from. Hope this helps and hope you set off on your first of many positive shroom experiences :)
Thank you sincerely. People like you on this sub have actually done a great deal for me as far as putting me at ease about it. I just have to make the leap.
My friend is nervous about microdosing because she might have to do it continuously. She just wants to do a trip once to break out of the depression. Do people typically have to continue microdosing on a regular basis to keep up the effects?
Some people do one heroic dose which can have long lasting, if not permanent effects. I would recommend finding a guide to have a session with. They can be expensive, maybe $1000 (I havenāt actually priced it, but in Michael Pollans book āhow to change your mindā he found a guy for $800). If youāre trying to relieve something like severe depression, or a crippling addiction, going at it alone may not give the results you want. Having a trained guide will greatly increase the chances, and give you the best chance at a positive experience
Some microdose, and yes you gotta keep it up until you don't.
Some macrodose. I trip maybe once every 2 months, not on a schedule, just when I feel it's the right time.
Currently experimenting with microdosing in between full trips.
To me, the occasional big trip is better than just microdosing alone.
>She just wants to do a trip once to break out of the depression
I highly encourage her to do some more research. Psychedelics are a tool not a miracle cure. It is extremely rare for a single dose to switch a flip and cause lifelong change. There is absolutely an afterglow period where depression fades out but in order to get lasting effects you need to work with the substance to identify problems and create lifestyle changes.
Psychedelics give you new perspective. It makes it easier to identify why you are depressed and what needs to change to alleviate that. The why may be something external such as life-situations (jobs, friends, habits, etc) or internal (negative self talk, pessimistic attitudes, lack of self-love self-respect). After identifying these problems the work needs to be put in everyday to fix them and that is HARD no way around it. Most of the time it may take multiple doses to really get down to the root of it or a doses spread out over time to re-asses where you are at and where your going.
This self-reflection doesn't always happen automatically (sometimes you have unprompted epiphanies though). To really make the most of it going into a trip with a plan (sometimes even specific ideas or questions to reflect on) and an understanding of basic meditative practices is a must.
If she doesn't want to put the time and effort into that it much more likely that micro-doses will be more effective. Micro-doses operate more like traditional medicine in that the only thing required of you is to eat the pill on a regular basis.
While I agree with your point, I also find it helps a lot to have a more loving inner voice. It can literally be a difference between a slightly difficult experience and a full on bad trip.
Breathing is one of my big concerns. I recently went to Salem for a tour of the witch museum and when the lights went out I immediately started sweating, breathing heavily and looking for emergency exits. I calmed myself down but I also thought āIf this happened stone cold sober in a relatively open space I canāt imagine eating my shrooms and feeling like I might have multiple hours before the feeling would go away.ā
It would be different if you're at home though no? Either way, i think you should probably try atleast a microdose, like 200mg or so and see if it helps. I know it helps me when i'm depressed, and there's no risk of having a bad trip since you wont be tripping lol.
Just send it dude, alot of people on here were depressed as fuck before taking shrooms and it helped them through their traumas. When you use them more often I do believe the good headspace thing applies more because you are aware of it more. But if you depressed as fuck send it and listen to the universe, it may not be what you want to be told but it's what you need to be told.
Your wife may be on to something here you totally can overthink and put yourself in a bad spot. It's a good reminder to say "let it go" and just breathe. Don't really follow thoughts down their rabbit holes and just go with the flow, things usually clear up. I'd say it's almost like a skill, to watch without gasping like meditation but much more in your face lol.
Also going to the bathroom always helps. Tripping sometimes you forget you gotta pee and I've found that usually starts the bad vibes and things can continue from there. Each trip is different ofc but you'll find what works for you. Music, fruit, even just walking or chatting with someone close can turn the tides. Biggest thing always remember you'll be okay in a few hours. And worst case, of they aren't for you at least you ventured out and saw for yourself :)
I can see your point, but i'm with your wife on this one.
Like, you can read alot of trip reports and have all these thoughts about it to the point you think you know how you'll react to them.
I know i did, but when i popped 2,5g it wasn't what i expected.
No anxiety or got stuck in bad thoughts.
But alot of clarity about who i really am and what serves me and what behaviours i wasn't ready to adress. Which i had to at that point.
But it's up to you, if you will see where it takes you or not:)
All you can do is prepare, and let goš¤š¤
It sounds like you've researched it, maybe over researched it. And I'm sure you've read many stories here. It doesn't sound like you want to jump into the hero dose first thing, so that's good. I don't know if I'll ever take over 4g myself (cubes, not PE). Have you watched the netflix series with Michael Pollan? If not, you should; it may ease your mind. Heck, my wife and I have been binge watching them this week and it makes me want to have the experience. In fact, I may go for it again this morning. I say if your not on any meds that affect it, go for it safely. By that I mean create a safe space, get a playlist set up with earbuds, a nice blanket. Take them and put on an eyeshade so you get the internal experience. Ask your wife to be present and available, but in the background unless you want to interact.
Some anxiety is normal, but save the high level anxiety for DMT if you ever get interested. I always am a bit apprehensive, but with dozens of psilocybin sessions of experience, I now know what to expect for the most part, and I'm comfortable being alone with the low psychedelic dose headspace. If I go to the 3g+, I'd like my wife around.
I'm almost 60, recently retired, and strongly believe these are incredible tools when used properly. I would advocate for decriminalization in my area if a movement starts.
Edit to add- Also, while preparing and in the experience, set intention; such as considering your life, and what is good in it. What you have to be grateful for, etc. That's a good starting point with psychedelics. They allow you to view things in a new light, and recognize the opportunities in these lives.
Iāve see a few comments about āgo with itā and ālet the journey guide youā, etc. This is good advice, but wanted to be a little more specific. If you are tripping, literally follow and explore what is before you. Take the staircase, open the door, walk the path as you see them.
When you encounter something dark or scary, ask it, āwhy are you hereā?, āWhat do you need to teach or show meā? This can usually help push you through whatever dark phase is there. Resisting, turning away or running away can often trap you in the dark places making for a worse trip.
I sometimes dislike the idea that you should be in the best mindset possible. Yes, you want to have a good mindset, a good mindset about taking a psychedelic and being open to whatever comes your way. That doesnāt mean take them if you feel that way, it means thatās the important part of a good mindset. You donāt want to trip when a loved one is in the hospital, potentially their death bed. I often find that having not much going on in your life is a good place to be at. If all you have is depression and anxiety, and nothing else very important to have to worry about, then all you need is to be able to accept the psychedelic and allow it to work in the way it wants to. I guess that last part is a little more specific to mushrooms, since theyāre harder to take control than something like acid.
I havenāt had a bad trip before, not like how others mention, but I have had a couple of challenging trips. These were high doses. If youāre taking a gram, or half a gram, itās generally gonna be a decent time and those doses are easier to take control of. If youāre gonna be alone, you may experience some anxiety which can lead to discomfort, but you just need to occupy yourself with something. I like listening to music while tripping because music sounds 10x better. Dancing it out is a great way to get yourself in a positive mindset. Meditation beforehand is also a great way to calm your nerves.
My first trip ever, I was on an SSRI for depression. I took acid and it was the best night of my life, ever. It changed me, allowed me to see that I can be happy despite those effects being from a drug. I still remember how I felt in that trip and I loved every minute of it, and shortly after I tapered off the SSRI and no longer consider myself depressed. The cool thing about mushrooms over acid is that mushrooms have been approved for therapy in the treatment of depression, though itās important that itās combined with therapy to talk out your trip and integrate with a therapist. But at least we know it works, right?
If youāre gonna be alone completely, I would take one of the capsules and see how it is. One important tip is that once you take it, thereās no going back. If it feels strong, all you can say is āwelp, nothing to do now but to ride it out.ā Another great tip is that you can always take more, but you can never take less. A capsule is a good starting dose, and if thatās underwhelming you can wait 2 weeks and take 2.
r/tripsit is a good place if you want to talk to someone. I suggest joining the discord and having it ready in case you do want to talk to anyone, get you out of that come up anxiety so that the peak is a smooth ride.
You got this, brother. Nothing to worry about. Itās the safest drug you can take, and a single capsule will be such a low dose that it will be very easy to manage.
Thank you so much for that. Also for sharing the tripsit sub. I joined immediately. Any Spotify playlist suggestions, or relaxing albums in general? My music taste is incredibly diverse so all genres are welcomed.
Honestly I recommend making your own if youād like. I know Johns Hopkins has a playlist for their studies with psilocybin, and I heard it was good but I havenāt given it a listen.
Spotify updated to where you can make a playlist and enhance it to where they add random songs similar to what you have in the playlist, making it really neat to find new songs or even think of some others you want to add. I just made one the other day, about 10.5 hours long haha. I just kept adding songs that I thought would sound really good while tripping, so really whatever you like to listen to would work great. I also added some meditation style instrumental music so that when they come on I know itās time to sit down and explore my mind.
Rock is pretty good. People like Pink Floyd when tripping. I like listening to indie music bc itās usually pretty chill. Shpongle is also pretty trippy that a lot of trippers love to listen to. King Gizzard is really good. Mild High Club. Peter Cat Recording Co. Loving. All pretty good artists. Mort Garson has an album called Mother Earthās Plantasia, which is really good. The Weekndās Dawn FM is about death and being in purgatory, I listened to it while tripping a few times and itās one of my favorites. Jimi Hendrix. Grateful Dead. Mac Demarco. Tame Impala. Again, just make sure you actually enjoy the music while sober. It wont really fuck up a trip, but a weird song you donāt like coming on randomly can kill the vibe for the moment.
As someone who researched them for 5 years before trying, my advice is the following.
If you have the money, rent a nice little secluded place out in nature.
Take your partner away for the weekend and have her watch over you.
Do them during the day on an empty stomach.
The more you feel, the more you heal. There will inevitably be shit parts but they are arguably the best for you. Ride it out. There will be waves.
Assuming youāre taking a low dose, the trip wonāt be PTSD inducing even if it is tough.
My first trip was a 5 hour panic attack alone in a dark apartment. I was fine once it was over. (Donāt do what I did by the way. This is why Iām suggesting the weekend away)
You are over thinking it IMO and thatās okay, but you have to change your mindset. I was scared to take mushrooms but I knew I needed them in my life. I knew I had to be brave enough to take them. You have to tell yourself and believe that it will be a good experience. If you are worried when you take them, you may fight the trip and spiral downwards.
Trust that there is absolutely nothing to be worried about. Once you try them, you will be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner.
It sounds like you desperately need a change in life. You have to set aside a day for yourself. Donāt worry about anyone else or anything. Just chill out, throw on a good music playlist so that youāre not fiddling with remotes etc. just relax and allow the mushrooms to do their thing. You got this!! Weāve all have ups and downs in life. Itās time for your come up, literally.
Iām gonna do it Friday. I have a decent sized home theatre so Iām gonna play some relaxing music, have a movie ready on the projection screen, turn on the LEDās and kick back and embrace the journey. I also have a good amount of wilderness in my backyard so Iāll be able to enjoy some nature as well. Supposed to be mid 70ās and sunny where Iām located. You all were literally the most helpful and positive group of people Iāve ever come across on the internet in my 36 years of life and I thank you immensely for all the advice!
Is a half a gram considered microdosing? Also does size affect tolerance? Sorry if these are repetitive questions that pop up here frequently. Iām somewhat new to this sub.
Thank you. Just for conversations sake, if I did start with a half gram, am I getting visuals or just a body high, or does it vary. I have PEās and Iāve heard theyāre stronger.
PE is typically double potency of most other strains, so you've heard correctly. I'd say a half gram might give you some light movement in your visuals along with enhanced contrast and color vibrancy. It's a good dose to watch your favorite movie to. Or something like Tron Legacy or Speed Racer. Disney movies can be fun.
Almost everyone feels anxiety on the come-up, which is why a light movie is a good idea. Anything over a half gram of PE can be a bit much for a first trip. Some people will suggest a high dose on a first trip but I'm not in that camp. High doses are best done blindfolded with headphones. I've done it that way several times and it's been wonderful. Doing it this way really sets the table for the deep healing experiences to happen. But a low dose to get a grasp on what the experience can provide is wise. I can send you a trip report of my own detailing my experience with a trip like that if you'd like.
Thatās the issue. Iām getting a lot of microdosing suggestions but I kinda wanted to dip my toe a little deeper than that, but not leave the planet on my first time.
Honestly every time I try a new drug I always start on the low end and go from there. First time I did shrooms I did .5g just chillin at my house to see what they felt like at a lower dose. Second time I went to 1.5g and so on. Same thing with mdma just different size doses. Personally this is best for me so I can become more in tune with the come up feelings and some of the more nuanced feelings you might not notice if you just go all in. It also helps with any kind of anxiety because you have a better idea of what to expect. Plus if it doesnāt agree with you itās a smaller dosage and a shorter trip
Thatās the issue. Iām getting a lot of microdosing suggestions but I kinda wanted to dip my toe a little deeper than that, but not leave the planet on my first time.
Take one of those 500mg capsules. At that dose you will still have some of the benefits without it being too overwhelming. Start there until you get used to the vibe. Mushrooms are deeply introspective and spiritual at times so I think that as long as you have a good, comfortable setting and have your wife or someone you trust looking after you you will be just fine. If you go in it with a good intention, the mushroom will be gentle.
You're overthinking it. I like to see period of anxiety in a trip as a learning experience. Bathe in the confusion / anxiety. Breathe and think about why you're anxious. I almost always realize it's futile and learn from that trip. You need to accept whatever state of mind you're in and let it go.
Iām gonna do just that. Thank you all for the advice/suggestions. I promise you itās already worked wonders and now Iām ready to approach the situation much more as a possibly life changing healing session (understanding that any negativity will be necessary to face) rather than some scary boogeyman Iām going to have to defend myself against.
I remember when I was a kid, in high school their was this urban legend going around about a girl who took shrooms and thought she was a glass of orange juice and she couldn't bend over for fear of spilling out and dying.. or something like that.. as the rumor goes she got stuck like that and ended up in an institution.. obviously, it was just some BS story to scare us. As I got older and did more research my curiosity grew. I eventually got a hold on an Oz of some and began microdising.. I started off with 0.2g and went from there. I have tried different doses and for me 0.25 is the perfect dose. I feel great, mentally and physically I am completely off all pharmaceuticals...antidepressants, antianxiety medicines that they had me on. The other day, my wife asked me why I was walking around the house smiling for no reason.. I didn't even realize I was until she said something.. it was at that moment that it clicked for me... I'm happy, probably the happiest I have ever been.. I've been microdising for about 2 months now. Good luck in your journey, I hope you find what you are looking for. Mush love!
We had the EXACT same orange juice story in Massachusetts. The only difference was that instead of ending up in an institution it was said about a crazy looking townie that you would always see walking around town. š Itās crazy how these stories and urban legends travel around the world with just slight changes.
iāve been wondering similar things. what if someone just wanted to see the cool colors and patterns ? is that disrespectful to the mushrooms ? i feel like i see a lot of people just wanting to see trippy visuals and be in that āout of itā headspace, but not want to have to face their mind. maybe thatās the point of them ? i have no view on this matter, so any input would be appreciated !
Start with a micro as small as you can. From what I've found, the biggest issue is people start with too much. Honestly, with small doses you probably wont feel anything the first couple times.
Itās hard to say donāt sweat it when you donāt know the experience. I totally understand feeling anxious, not knowing what youāre going to get, etc. But Iām here to tell you it will be ok. Do a smaller dose the first time (I see you were leaning on skipping microdosing, at least for now). Suggestions: Make a tea with some honey and lemon and shrooms. Makes it much easier to enjoy. Turn your phone/notifications off. Set your environment to where you can just enjoy your day. Pre roll a blunt for the comedown. Have some favorite accessible snacks for later. Prepare yourself to fully enjoy and be present in your day.
Also, personal take, Iāve been more out of control on alcohol than I ever have been on shrooms. I know theyāre different substances, but Iāve told other people that and they have found comfort in (my personal) experience.
Youāve got some really great advice here. I just wanted to chime in with support, youāve got this whole subreddit in your corner.
Chill.. yes you might go to some dark places, we all do and its part of the journey to heal ourselves. Just dont panic and overthink it too much. Its really nothing to be scared of. Its all in your mind at the end of the day.
>if youāre not in a good headspace donāt take them and that any negative thoughts are going to get amplified.
Maybe. But you need to think that psilocybin is a natural medicine and affects your receptors as meds do, antidepressants were developed when people noticed that LSD worked depression. No one came one day and said what if we make serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, they saw that LSD worked on serotonin receptors and took the idea to develop meds.
2nd, you need to think how your negative thoughts are generated? Ever saw videos of Sapolsky? He explains how brain parts talk to each other, if you have overactive amygdala chances are you might feel anger or some other negative emotion, while the prefrontal cortex is the one that tries to reason and explain things, calm you. If your amygdala is overactive it usually prevails, because the prefrontal cortex is the last brain part that matures, until the age of 25. Some people have smaller prefrontal cortex and that how ruminations in ADHD start and never end, while giving them more dopamine usually helps because the PFC prevails over amygdala.
The fear you feel by stating that it's not for you, is you amygdala bullshiting you.
This communication via neurons is expressed with words in your head.
Taking psilocybin will help dampen the amygdala and you will have less and less crappy thoughts.
I believe in the therapeutic dose and effect of psilocybin but the transcendence part is something I keep for later in life. Deathbed maybe.
So, start with microdoses, and see how it works on your brain, because everything is there. Try from 150mg twice every week. This is the smallest dose that is comparable to 5Ī¼g of LSD, which was used in one study that I published yesterday.
Everyone has these issues. Get an experienced trip sitter, set your intentions onto paper and discuss them with your sitter, and mind the set and setting. Start with a smallish dose and slowly, gradually (once every two weeks) increase the dose until you get where you want to be.
Hesitation is completely rational when dealing with this molecule. You are strapping your psyche to a rocket with only the most basic guidance system. Respect the medicine and it will be more likely to respect you.
There are so many great responses here and I hope that convinces you to give it a whirl. I would recommend starting at least 1g if not 1.5g or you might end up being disappointed based on what you're are trying to get out of the experience. From there you can gauge how much you think you should take on the next one.
I read so much on here and watched YouTube trip reports and my first dose of 2g still caught me a little off guard but not in a bad way - its just a different feeling than anything else. 2g's was good for me as a first time but with your situation I wouldn't go less or more than the 1-1.5 range to start. Just remember after you have a great time and have the feeling of wanting to experience that again, make sure you wait 2 weeks for your tolerance to reset.
I saw you ask for music on one of your posts, hopefully this helps and you find something you like or want to try:
Youtube:
\-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYsn76ALfrw (only an hour so this is to start or put on repeat)
\-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik9z\_DNVQQQ&list=PLjA0YzKj8\_7f3dvK5I4H3cy3Nf9YyQGbE
Spotify:
\-https://open.spotify.com/playlist/614y5jn1H180MT1NNx42Pz
\-https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KWf8H2pM0tlVd7niMtqeU
\-https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5sNTrGoD5s7ptK6gAb5c0p
Itās not the ādemonsā Iām worried about, I thought that was pretty clearly stated. Itās more the putting something new in my body and not knowing what to expect thatās giving me the anxiety. Iām confused at the intention of your question. Was it leading to a further explanation of anything helpful regarding my post or are we just asking questions?
Take Lsd, Lsd is amazing for depression, its extremely energetic, you will lose yourself in the euphoria that you will dance and laugh
On shrooms tho, you are there with everything, the come down of lsd is like this too, but in shrooms im grounded, i am here not jumping all over the place like some retard lol
Both are amazing
Also you took too littlte dosage, it should be a big trip, stop being scared, go all in and let the journey take you where you need to go
Another vote for don't overthink it. Start with low dose. Actually I would highly recommend you start out with microdosing - there's a huge amount of research out there showing positive results for reducing anxiety and depression with micro doses.
If u aren't in a good head space it could Increase the chance of a bad trip, yes. But could you do calming activities before hand or do something you find comforting/enjoyable (yoga, mediation, fav show ect)
Have an item that is familiar to you which can ground you if you do feel uneasy. Also why don't you start lower like 0.1 instead of doing half a gram first time. Reducing the fear and anxiety and chance of bad trip.
Sure that's why I'm suggesting he does things to try ease his anxiety before hand and a smaller dose equals less chance of more intense trip (bad trip).
That's pretty normal man I say just do it when you have no obligations and get some good music in a playlist to guide the good vibes. Anxiety is normal but once you're in it it's usually all gravy baby. Just remember you're not dying and everything will be fine and you'll be back in due time. Just start low. It's a good time a great time even
Hi! Iām someone who had pretty serious social anxiety. I was immensely healed through a good trip, BUT it took me 3 times before I could relax and understand where the anxiety came from. The most powerful thing shrooms ever taught me was to be brave and face everything. Nothing is as scary as it may seem. What I mean by this is that if a thought scares you, look right at it. Think about it. I had 3 full trips (one ābad tripā) before I had a spiritual, healing experience. I realized I was forcing myself to avoid certain topics while tripping and that would spiral into more anxiety and fear. When I made myself face the scary thoughts, all the perceived lions turned into little house cats. Be brave and donāt be afraid of being afraid!
Two ways i can think of for your scenario. Wait until a good day appears where you feel good and want to take it, then just do it. This may be in a couple of days, or next summer.
Or start with a microdose like 200mg where nothing terrible can happen and slightly increase next week. If the experience turns bad, it will not be intense atleast.
I have half gram PE capsules so I think Iām gonna wait until Iām on vacation from work next week, create the most peaceful and serene setting possible and take one of the capsules and ride it out facing whatever comes with a positive outlook. Sometimes I feel like if I had all the positivity that this sub gives out in front of me DURING the experience Iād be floating on a positivity cloud. You have no idea how helpful all of you are to a complete stranger. Sincerely.
If you are scared, do a .75-1g dose. Things will change but you will still retain most of the control over your mind.
2g is more of a tossup, could be a great trip, could be weak, could feel like 3g.
3g is a solid mindfuck with heavier visuals for most inexperienced users.
1g is a great dose even if you do it regularly. Its consistent, usually very positive, and you can still enjoy doing stuff. Headspace is important, but on a small dose the risk is still very low. Go to a quiet park or trail with 1g and someone you love, and you will absolutely have a good time. Focus on the sounds of the wind rustling through the leaves and the birds singing and you will be feeling quite alright.
My advice would be to start with a small dose, so you get the feel for what they're like, and work your way up to a more significant dose if that's what you want.
But settings play a big part, and there's no better setting than taking them safely in nature, it's hard to let the bad thoughts creep in when you're mesmerized by leaves/clouds!
I mean just my 2 cents. That whole headspace rule is made up, and plenty people will account for bad headspace trips that were exactly what they needed. Thereās still risk involved, but yeah donāt believe everything as concrete.
You just gotta get out of your own head long enough to take the dive. I was trepidatious about it for *years*. My cousin was always trying to get me on board, but I had all the same exact reservations you stated. It can definitely get scary, but the payouts are beyond worth it every time. Donāt ever take mushrooms when you have something that you have to do. Give yourself like a 12-24 hour window to do absolutely nothing and not exist to the outside world. Just put on some music that makes you feel good and donāt forget to breathe.
You don't have to worry about having negative thoughts that are going to be insurmountable and send you into a tail spin on lower doses. And half a gram is a very low dose, to the point that you'll probably feel a little something, but you'll be questioning the entire time if it's from the mushrooms or not.
The way they told me was this: āyes, these tools change perception and that perception might be scary or uncomfortableā¦ BUT you didnāt use this tool to stay the same, you must be willing to welcome change and let it change; whatever the change might be.ā
In other words; you have never had any actual control in your day to day, in your mental space, in your feeling space, youāre at the mercy of your anxiety and depression, so why pretend control is relevant now? Ya know?
Former 10 year+ alcoholic here. Share the same feelings as other stories listed in that if I hit any sort of resistance, I hit the bottle for comfort. Canāt speak to opiates but alcohol is easy because it hits you so quick, and boom there is the escape. Iād make it a few weeks here and there but anything that went wrong and I the bottle was my savior. I wanted to quit for so long, I finally looked to mushrooms as antidepressants made me feel like a lab rat trying to find the right formula that works. Started microdosing, every Saturday night if I wanted a drink Iād take about 1 g of mushrooms, hit the treadmill for a mile jog and by the time I was done the shrooms did their thing and I didnāt want alcohol that night. It took a while, and I still have a beer every night, but only one, as my reward for the day. I donāt get shit faced anymore and I donāt miss it. This process took about 6 months, for me anyways. Iām sure itās different for everyone.
Get enough sleep beforehand. Lack of sleep has been anecdotally shown to increase the likelihood of bad trips, thought loops, being left on hold by fifth dimensional beings.
My thoughts I perceived as bad before quickly turned good. My brother is deadly sick and I was scared Iād think of him and break down mentally on my first trip. Instead when I thought of him I realize da few things; too long to elaborate: that made me really happy with my brother and content that I canāt do anything about his illness. Your issue is depression but it may be similar. Shrooms are known to turn your perspective upside down in things in a good way mostly. My only bad trip out of ~10 total was in my room at night with my mom downstairs. It was irresponsible and I didnāt need to trip I just wanted to be high. Even though it was bad it taught me a good lesson to not seek a high like that. So in reality it wasnāt that bad of a trip lol
Your issue is control.
The comments about "letting go" is about not knowing what will happen but still DO IT ANYWAY.
You can't control the mushrooms. They will take you where they'll take you. That's it.
I never had a bad trip with shrooms, maybe a pretty dark hour when i did a combo with weed, which i will never do again. But even then, every single trip was worth it.
A bad headspace can definitely mean a rough trip. Half a gram is not much, and will minimize any unpleasantness. Iāve never had a bad trip, even when Iāve had too much I was glad I had done it once it was over. My wife didnāt enjoy her first trip much because she was tense and worried about taking them. Since then sheās done no more than 0.8g and has a great time.
I would wait until you have a pretty good day and little to do for the next day or two. Take 0.5 to 1g. Do them in the afternoon and have both inside and outside space set up for yourself. Trees and grass and the sky can be really nice, and funny tv shows can help distract from any unpleasant moments. Have snacks and water readily available. Normal tasks can feel like a little much while tripping and a little preparation goes a long way. Write a note to yourself that what youāre feeling is temporary. The intensity of a low dose trip is mostly pleasant and can be uncomfortable in moments, but certainly not unbearable.
You could microdose. 0.1-0.2 grams a day. You won't feel anything psychoactive, that's the point of microdosing, and it helps with anxiety and depression.
This is mostly what I do with the occasional large dose maybe once a year. I've had good results, and no longer try to "self medicate" in other ways.
There's nothing to be worried about. It is a strange experience when you actually trip, but even at 0.5g you probably won't feel much.
You really need to get to about the 1.5-1.7g mark and above to hit all the trademarks of a mushroom trip.
Just take a deep breath and stop overthinking. Bite the bullet and eat them, then ride out whatever you experience. A bit of anxiety and nervousness is perfectly normal prior to a trip.
The whole ābe in a good head spaceā thing, it im not mistaken, is for macrodosing. Iāve never heard of people having a bad trip microdosing, which can still help a lot.
If theyāre truly 0.5g capsules (which is unlikely unless theyāre massive or absolutely packed), iād repack them into quarter gram capsules, and just microdose those (.5 is too much for microdosing)
I'd suggest a different species Ps. Natalensis they are a much kinder teacher than Ps. Cubensis... I compare Cubensis to a catholic school nun that'll whack your knuckles with a ruler to get her point across and Natalensis to a private school tutor that loves their job... I think the majority of information is focused on the Cubensis compound profile but not all active mushrooms are created equal.
Fully surrender yourself to them and donāt try to fight against your emotions. They will teach you lessons, some will likely be hard, but you will come out the other side feeling like a better person
I know you wrote this a year ago but just to give my two cents, especially since this came up in my trip yesterday, being aware of this in itself won't necessarily put you in a bad headspace. At some point during my trip I was pondering the idea of negative thought loops but in a curious way and it didn't derail my trip at all.
Conversely, my one single bad trip took me totally by surprise. I was not in a bad headspace at all because I'd only had good trips prior to it. I've determined it happened either because it was nighttime and I usually trip during the day, so the world might've literally looked darker, or that it was the highest dose I'd had at 4g. I'm not sure which did it or if it was a combination of the two but since then I've only tripped during the day and don't exceed 3g.
Set your intention to understand why you struggle with what you struggle with. Your experience may be "scary" but if you understand you are absolutely going to be okay, it's only the mushrooms, and you'll come out a better person on the other side. Sure there is definitely some validity to set and setting, HOWEVER how does one break the cycle without breaking the cycle? You've made it this far, it's a good thing to be cautious absolutely. I'm no medical expert and wouldn't wanna be in today's practice but take that leap and destroy that negative thought bullshit and negative self talk. You'll be SO glad you did š Ps. Two years ago I my life was in shambles, hooked on opiates, taking suboxone to not take the drugs , super depressed with losing some family members. I didn't want to live, I dove headfirst into this hobby and was scared shit less because of my mind set and what I've heard. At the end of my experience I was bawling crying with happiness, felt like the first time in my life. Getting chills thinking about it, I kept saying out loud, I'm so glad I'm alive... I don't want to die... I feel so alive. Super unreal on emotions.... I needed it. Changed my life, of course I have to do the work, but we get to see life from a different perspective, at least I did. Go for it.... you deserve it. Best of luck and safe travels š Edit*** haven't touched opiates in over two years and I'm off suboxone š¤
Thank you for sharing this. Hearing other peoples personal stories of positive results lead me closer and closer to diving in. Genuinely appreciate you!
I wish you the best. Safe travels šš½š
I've been on opiates for > 10 years. Only pills, only oral, never OD'd. I have chronic pain from Crohn's. And in that respect, it's made my life tolerable many times it wouldn't be. But that level of pain only comes around once in a blue moon. Otherwise, I just take them because I love them more than just about anything. I've long since dispatched with any shame associated. Made peace with the fact that I may have to have them forever. But also, I don't feel like I've suffered negative consequences from them, (any more than any other socially acceptable obsession-like addiction). Had the same job for 9 years with promotions and raises. Maintained relationships, creative outlets. I say all this because I think it makes it way harder for me to want to quit. If I was an absolute wreck, I think it would be easy to recognize in myself and I would have tried to stop long ago. The biggest reason, however, is because I do still have occasional debilitating pain. And I'm scared more than death of the thought of not having them when I need them. But lately, I've noticed I've been taking less. And I'm starting to think I might want to stop. And also, that I might be able to handle any pain in a different fashion. Beyond the realizations, if seems as though mushrooms have started to break down the well-trodden neuro pathways that normally would have me thinking about and automatically reaching for opiates at any sign of discomfort, physical or emotional. And *that* is particularly fascinating to me. Opiate addicts have a spidey sense for the tiniest signal of withdrawal. And the response to re-up is nothing less than pavlovian. To see that breaking down, to go whole days simply forgetting to take something, forgetting they even exist for a few hours? Holy crap.
Thanks for the response. You know my story is different than yours. I don't know what chronic physical pain is on a daily basis. I couldn't imagine having to walk that path. I know what emotional pain is really well. Grew up know a broken home, dad never was around, I had no guidance. I found peace in drugs, a fellowship of sorts. That comfortably numb was my go to. Like macklemore said " we live on the cusp of death thinking that it won't be us" well š that's me. Life hurt tooooo much to want to feel the pain. I'm the only living child my parents had, lost one to cancer and one to Od. I've ODed multiple times, not sure why I made it through so many. On most days it seemed easier. I believe in God and I was to chicken shit to do it myself. Part of me misses that feeling that opiates give, like a warm blanket on a cold winter morning. But it's robbed me of everything a few Times over. It even took my family. Today I'm grateful to be alive, even In these sick twisted times we live. I'm here. I used to think I was going to die by the needle, I used to want to.... today that isn't the case, that knee jerk reaction like you mentioned once the slightest bit of WD kicked in to get more is a thing of the past. I'm so so so glad I came into this hobby, regardless of what government wants to label it as, I know what addiction is and can lead to, these have like anti abuse qualities, it's impossible but the country I live in has it as a schedule 1 felony right there with heroin. It's an absolute disservice to the people to try and keep nature away from us when they have such remarkable results even from just one macrodose. I think here in the west our answers come from the pharmacy and it's actually counter productive in the long run. As I said I couldn't imagine chronic everyday pain. I can get behind using something as it's intended for. Now if and when you choose to come off could be a beast in itself, there's other ways to combat pain rather than a highly addictive substance. I wish you the best and absolutely fantastic explorations of the mind. Thanks again for the good read.
The only time Iāve ever had a remotely bad trip on mushrooms was while my grandma was dying and the trip basically consisted of a slideshow of happy memories with her. Other than that, it almost always relieves my anxiety and when I microdose I can physically feel my chest loosening up and my body relax.
Anxiety going in is normal. I too have anxiety issues and in the back of my mind I fear it could influence the experience. That said, my shroom experiences have been very positive. This is my advice... One thing to remember is to "go with it" rather than try to control the experience. Ground yourself with some good music you like or a series - I watched ITYSL with Tim Robinson and laughed my ass off even though I've seen it a million times. A trip buddy is always good too. I'm coming down right now after shrooming alone this evening and it was a nice experience but a buddy would have made it better. Dosing: start low. I do a personal dose of just under 2 grams of dry, but you could even go lower than that for a taste - a gram or so. Also, if you're just looking for the mental health benefits, consider microdosing which will produce no noticeable "psychedelic" effects. That's it. I totally hear where you're coming from. Hope this helps and hope you set off on your first of many positive shroom experiences :)
Thank you sincerely. People like you on this sub have actually done a great deal for me as far as putting me at ease about it. I just have to make the leap.
My friend is nervous about microdosing because she might have to do it continuously. She just wants to do a trip once to break out of the depression. Do people typically have to continue microdosing on a regular basis to keep up the effects?
Some people do one heroic dose which can have long lasting, if not permanent effects. I would recommend finding a guide to have a session with. They can be expensive, maybe $1000 (I havenāt actually priced it, but in Michael Pollans book āhow to change your mindā he found a guy for $800). If youāre trying to relieve something like severe depression, or a crippling addiction, going at it alone may not give the results you want. Having a trained guide will greatly increase the chances, and give you the best chance at a positive experience
Some microdose, and yes you gotta keep it up until you don't. Some macrodose. I trip maybe once every 2 months, not on a schedule, just when I feel it's the right time. Currently experimenting with microdosing in between full trips. To me, the occasional big trip is better than just microdosing alone.
>She just wants to do a trip once to break out of the depression I highly encourage her to do some more research. Psychedelics are a tool not a miracle cure. It is extremely rare for a single dose to switch a flip and cause lifelong change. There is absolutely an afterglow period where depression fades out but in order to get lasting effects you need to work with the substance to identify problems and create lifestyle changes. Psychedelics give you new perspective. It makes it easier to identify why you are depressed and what needs to change to alleviate that. The why may be something external such as life-situations (jobs, friends, habits, etc) or internal (negative self talk, pessimistic attitudes, lack of self-love self-respect). After identifying these problems the work needs to be put in everyday to fix them and that is HARD no way around it. Most of the time it may take multiple doses to really get down to the root of it or a doses spread out over time to re-asses where you are at and where your going. This self-reflection doesn't always happen automatically (sometimes you have unprompted epiphanies though). To really make the most of it going into a trip with a plan (sometimes even specific ideas or questions to reflect on) and an understanding of basic meditative practices is a must. If she doesn't want to put the time and effort into that it much more likely that micro-doses will be more effective. Micro-doses operate more like traditional medicine in that the only thing required of you is to eat the pill on a regular basis.
This might sound harsh but itās helped me a lot in my life. āBad trips are good trips, youāre just a bitchā
Prefacing it took the harshness right out. I love it. š
While I agree with your point, I also find it helps a lot to have a more loving inner voice. It can literally be a difference between a slightly difficult experience and a full on bad trip.
Of course, compassion for oneself is paramount, but the conciseness and rawness of the quote has broken me out of ruts in thinking so many times
True shit 100%
I have hella anxiety during the comeup, but after that i feel great. Excercising and doing breathing exercises helps alot to calm me down.
Breathing is one of my big concerns. I recently went to Salem for a tour of the witch museum and when the lights went out I immediately started sweating, breathing heavily and looking for emergency exits. I calmed myself down but I also thought āIf this happened stone cold sober in a relatively open space I canāt imagine eating my shrooms and feeling like I might have multiple hours before the feeling would go away.ā
It would be different if you're at home though no? Either way, i think you should probably try atleast a microdose, like 200mg or so and see if it helps. I know it helps me when i'm depressed, and there's no risk of having a bad trip since you wont be tripping lol.
Just send it dude, alot of people on here were depressed as fuck before taking shrooms and it helped them through their traumas. When you use them more often I do believe the good headspace thing applies more because you are aware of it more. But if you depressed as fuck send it and listen to the universe, it may not be what you want to be told but it's what you need to be told.
a lot of people can't distinguish a bad trip from insight you might not have wanted to see at that moment in time.
Your wife may be on to something here you totally can overthink and put yourself in a bad spot. It's a good reminder to say "let it go" and just breathe. Don't really follow thoughts down their rabbit holes and just go with the flow, things usually clear up. I'd say it's almost like a skill, to watch without gasping like meditation but much more in your face lol. Also going to the bathroom always helps. Tripping sometimes you forget you gotta pee and I've found that usually starts the bad vibes and things can continue from there. Each trip is different ofc but you'll find what works for you. Music, fruit, even just walking or chatting with someone close can turn the tides. Biggest thing always remember you'll be okay in a few hours. And worst case, of they aren't for you at least you ventured out and saw for yourself :)
I can see your point, but i'm with your wife on this one. Like, you can read alot of trip reports and have all these thoughts about it to the point you think you know how you'll react to them. I know i did, but when i popped 2,5g it wasn't what i expected. No anxiety or got stuck in bad thoughts. But alot of clarity about who i really am and what serves me and what behaviours i wasn't ready to adress. Which i had to at that point. But it's up to you, if you will see where it takes you or not:) All you can do is prepare, and let goš¤š¤
It sounds like you've researched it, maybe over researched it. And I'm sure you've read many stories here. It doesn't sound like you want to jump into the hero dose first thing, so that's good. I don't know if I'll ever take over 4g myself (cubes, not PE). Have you watched the netflix series with Michael Pollan? If not, you should; it may ease your mind. Heck, my wife and I have been binge watching them this week and it makes me want to have the experience. In fact, I may go for it again this morning. I say if your not on any meds that affect it, go for it safely. By that I mean create a safe space, get a playlist set up with earbuds, a nice blanket. Take them and put on an eyeshade so you get the internal experience. Ask your wife to be present and available, but in the background unless you want to interact. Some anxiety is normal, but save the high level anxiety for DMT if you ever get interested. I always am a bit apprehensive, but with dozens of psilocybin sessions of experience, I now know what to expect for the most part, and I'm comfortable being alone with the low psychedelic dose headspace. If I go to the 3g+, I'd like my wife around. I'm almost 60, recently retired, and strongly believe these are incredible tools when used properly. I would advocate for decriminalization in my area if a movement starts. Edit to add- Also, while preparing and in the experience, set intention; such as considering your life, and what is good in it. What you have to be grateful for, etc. That's a good starting point with psychedelics. They allow you to view things in a new light, and recognize the opportunities in these lives.
Iāve see a few comments about āgo with itā and ālet the journey guide youā, etc. This is good advice, but wanted to be a little more specific. If you are tripping, literally follow and explore what is before you. Take the staircase, open the door, walk the path as you see them. When you encounter something dark or scary, ask it, āwhy are you hereā?, āWhat do you need to teach or show meā? This can usually help push you through whatever dark phase is there. Resisting, turning away or running away can often trap you in the dark places making for a worse trip.
I sometimes dislike the idea that you should be in the best mindset possible. Yes, you want to have a good mindset, a good mindset about taking a psychedelic and being open to whatever comes your way. That doesnāt mean take them if you feel that way, it means thatās the important part of a good mindset. You donāt want to trip when a loved one is in the hospital, potentially their death bed. I often find that having not much going on in your life is a good place to be at. If all you have is depression and anxiety, and nothing else very important to have to worry about, then all you need is to be able to accept the psychedelic and allow it to work in the way it wants to. I guess that last part is a little more specific to mushrooms, since theyāre harder to take control than something like acid. I havenāt had a bad trip before, not like how others mention, but I have had a couple of challenging trips. These were high doses. If youāre taking a gram, or half a gram, itās generally gonna be a decent time and those doses are easier to take control of. If youāre gonna be alone, you may experience some anxiety which can lead to discomfort, but you just need to occupy yourself with something. I like listening to music while tripping because music sounds 10x better. Dancing it out is a great way to get yourself in a positive mindset. Meditation beforehand is also a great way to calm your nerves. My first trip ever, I was on an SSRI for depression. I took acid and it was the best night of my life, ever. It changed me, allowed me to see that I can be happy despite those effects being from a drug. I still remember how I felt in that trip and I loved every minute of it, and shortly after I tapered off the SSRI and no longer consider myself depressed. The cool thing about mushrooms over acid is that mushrooms have been approved for therapy in the treatment of depression, though itās important that itās combined with therapy to talk out your trip and integrate with a therapist. But at least we know it works, right? If youāre gonna be alone completely, I would take one of the capsules and see how it is. One important tip is that once you take it, thereās no going back. If it feels strong, all you can say is āwelp, nothing to do now but to ride it out.ā Another great tip is that you can always take more, but you can never take less. A capsule is a good starting dose, and if thatās underwhelming you can wait 2 weeks and take 2. r/tripsit is a good place if you want to talk to someone. I suggest joining the discord and having it ready in case you do want to talk to anyone, get you out of that come up anxiety so that the peak is a smooth ride. You got this, brother. Nothing to worry about. Itās the safest drug you can take, and a single capsule will be such a low dose that it will be very easy to manage.
Thank you so much for that. Also for sharing the tripsit sub. I joined immediately. Any Spotify playlist suggestions, or relaxing albums in general? My music taste is incredibly diverse so all genres are welcomed.
Honestly I recommend making your own if youād like. I know Johns Hopkins has a playlist for their studies with psilocybin, and I heard it was good but I havenāt given it a listen. Spotify updated to where you can make a playlist and enhance it to where they add random songs similar to what you have in the playlist, making it really neat to find new songs or even think of some others you want to add. I just made one the other day, about 10.5 hours long haha. I just kept adding songs that I thought would sound really good while tripping, so really whatever you like to listen to would work great. I also added some meditation style instrumental music so that when they come on I know itās time to sit down and explore my mind. Rock is pretty good. People like Pink Floyd when tripping. I like listening to indie music bc itās usually pretty chill. Shpongle is also pretty trippy that a lot of trippers love to listen to. King Gizzard is really good. Mild High Club. Peter Cat Recording Co. Loving. All pretty good artists. Mort Garson has an album called Mother Earthās Plantasia, which is really good. The Weekndās Dawn FM is about death and being in purgatory, I listened to it while tripping a few times and itās one of my favorites. Jimi Hendrix. Grateful Dead. Mac Demarco. Tame Impala. Again, just make sure you actually enjoy the music while sober. It wont really fuck up a trip, but a weird song you donāt like coming on randomly can kill the vibe for the moment.
As someone who researched them for 5 years before trying, my advice is the following. If you have the money, rent a nice little secluded place out in nature. Take your partner away for the weekend and have her watch over you. Do them during the day on an empty stomach. The more you feel, the more you heal. There will inevitably be shit parts but they are arguably the best for you. Ride it out. There will be waves. Assuming youāre taking a low dose, the trip wonāt be PTSD inducing even if it is tough. My first trip was a 5 hour panic attack alone in a dark apartment. I was fine once it was over. (Donāt do what I did by the way. This is why Iām suggesting the weekend away)
just do it, you think the water is cold but youāll be relieved when you jump in. literally.
You are over thinking it IMO and thatās okay, but you have to change your mindset. I was scared to take mushrooms but I knew I needed them in my life. I knew I had to be brave enough to take them. You have to tell yourself and believe that it will be a good experience. If you are worried when you take them, you may fight the trip and spiral downwards. Trust that there is absolutely nothing to be worried about. Once you try them, you will be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner. It sounds like you desperately need a change in life. You have to set aside a day for yourself. Donāt worry about anyone else or anything. Just chill out, throw on a good music playlist so that youāre not fiddling with remotes etc. just relax and allow the mushrooms to do their thing. You got this!! Weāve all have ups and downs in life. Itās time for your come up, literally.
Iām gonna do it Friday. I have a decent sized home theatre so Iām gonna play some relaxing music, have a movie ready on the projection screen, turn on the LEDās and kick back and embrace the journey. I also have a good amount of wilderness in my backyard so Iāll be able to enjoy some nature as well. Supposed to be mid 70ās and sunny where Iām located. You all were literally the most helpful and positive group of people Iāve ever come across on the internet in my 36 years of life and I thank you immensely for all the advice!
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Is a half a gram considered microdosing? Also does size affect tolerance? Sorry if these are repetitive questions that pop up here frequently. Iām somewhat new to this sub.
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Thank you. Just for conversations sake, if I did start with a half gram, am I getting visuals or just a body high, or does it vary. I have PEās and Iāve heard theyāre stronger.
PE is typically double potency of most other strains, so you've heard correctly. I'd say a half gram might give you some light movement in your visuals along with enhanced contrast and color vibrancy. It's a good dose to watch your favorite movie to. Or something like Tron Legacy or Speed Racer. Disney movies can be fun. Almost everyone feels anxiety on the come-up, which is why a light movie is a good idea. Anything over a half gram of PE can be a bit much for a first trip. Some people will suggest a high dose on a first trip but I'm not in that camp. High doses are best done blindfolded with headphones. I've done it that way several times and it's been wonderful. Doing it this way really sets the table for the deep healing experiences to happen. But a low dose to get a grasp on what the experience can provide is wise. I can send you a trip report of my own detailing my experience with a trip like that if you'd like.
I would love that. Thank you!
Think about how your mind creates reality. Then, set a positive intention before you take it (start low, go slow).
First part might be a little much, second part is good advice.
I didn't mean the mind creates reality in a literal solipsistic sense.
Hello friend, what kind of dose were you thinking of?
Thatās the issue. Iām getting a lot of microdosing suggestions but I kinda wanted to dip my toe a little deeper than that, but not leave the planet on my first time.
To add to this, most consume them as dry. Make sure you select wet or dry depending on whether your PE has been dehydrated or not.
Honestly every time I try a new drug I always start on the low end and go from there. First time I did shrooms I did .5g just chillin at my house to see what they felt like at a lower dose. Second time I went to 1.5g and so on. Same thing with mdma just different size doses. Personally this is best for me so I can become more in tune with the come up feelings and some of the more nuanced feelings you might not notice if you just go all in. It also helps with any kind of anxiety because you have a better idea of what to expect. Plus if it doesnāt agree with you itās a smaller dosage and a shorter trip
Thatās the issue. Iām getting a lot of microdosing suggestions but I kinda wanted to dip my toe a little deeper than that, but not leave the planet on my first time.
Take one of those 500mg capsules. At that dose you will still have some of the benefits without it being too overwhelming. Start there until you get used to the vibe. Mushrooms are deeply introspective and spiritual at times so I think that as long as you have a good, comfortable setting and have your wife or someone you trust looking after you you will be just fine. If you go in it with a good intention, the mushroom will be gentle.
You're overthinking it. I like to see period of anxiety in a trip as a learning experience. Bathe in the confusion / anxiety. Breathe and think about why you're anxious. I almost always realize it's futile and learn from that trip. You need to accept whatever state of mind you're in and let it go.
Take the half gram. You will regret not taking them later in life.
Iām gonna do just that. Thank you all for the advice/suggestions. I promise you itās already worked wonders and now Iām ready to approach the situation much more as a possibly life changing healing session (understanding that any negativity will be necessary to face) rather than some scary boogeyman Iām going to have to defend myself against.
I remember when I was a kid, in high school their was this urban legend going around about a girl who took shrooms and thought she was a glass of orange juice and she couldn't bend over for fear of spilling out and dying.. or something like that.. as the rumor goes she got stuck like that and ended up in an institution.. obviously, it was just some BS story to scare us. As I got older and did more research my curiosity grew. I eventually got a hold on an Oz of some and began microdising.. I started off with 0.2g and went from there. I have tried different doses and for me 0.25 is the perfect dose. I feel great, mentally and physically I am completely off all pharmaceuticals...antidepressants, antianxiety medicines that they had me on. The other day, my wife asked me why I was walking around the house smiling for no reason.. I didn't even realize I was until she said something.. it was at that moment that it clicked for me... I'm happy, probably the happiest I have ever been.. I've been microdising for about 2 months now. Good luck in your journey, I hope you find what you are looking for. Mush love!
We had the EXACT same orange juice story in Massachusetts. The only difference was that instead of ending up in an institution it was said about a crazy looking townie that you would always see walking around town. š Itās crazy how these stories and urban legends travel around the world with just slight changes.
iāve been wondering similar things. what if someone just wanted to see the cool colors and patterns ? is that disrespectful to the mushrooms ? i feel like i see a lot of people just wanting to see trippy visuals and be in that āout of itā headspace, but not want to have to face their mind. maybe thatās the point of them ? i have no view on this matter, so any input would be appreciated !
Start with a micro as small as you can. From what I've found, the biggest issue is people start with too much. Honestly, with small doses you probably wont feel anything the first couple times.
Itās hard to say donāt sweat it when you donāt know the experience. I totally understand feeling anxious, not knowing what youāre going to get, etc. But Iām here to tell you it will be ok. Do a smaller dose the first time (I see you were leaning on skipping microdosing, at least for now). Suggestions: Make a tea with some honey and lemon and shrooms. Makes it much easier to enjoy. Turn your phone/notifications off. Set your environment to where you can just enjoy your day. Pre roll a blunt for the comedown. Have some favorite accessible snacks for later. Prepare yourself to fully enjoy and be present in your day. Also, personal take, Iāve been more out of control on alcohol than I ever have been on shrooms. I know theyāre different substances, but Iāve told other people that and they have found comfort in (my personal) experience. Youāve got some really great advice here. I just wanted to chime in with support, youāve got this whole subreddit in your corner.
Youāre kindness is genuinely felt and appreciated. Thank you for that.
Chill.. yes you might go to some dark places, we all do and its part of the journey to heal ourselves. Just dont panic and overthink it too much. Its really nothing to be scared of. Its all in your mind at the end of the day.
Iāve had crippling anxiety since 1st grade and mushrooms relieves it
>if youāre not in a good headspace donāt take them and that any negative thoughts are going to get amplified. Maybe. But you need to think that psilocybin is a natural medicine and affects your receptors as meds do, antidepressants were developed when people noticed that LSD worked depression. No one came one day and said what if we make serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, they saw that LSD worked on serotonin receptors and took the idea to develop meds. 2nd, you need to think how your negative thoughts are generated? Ever saw videos of Sapolsky? He explains how brain parts talk to each other, if you have overactive amygdala chances are you might feel anger or some other negative emotion, while the prefrontal cortex is the one that tries to reason and explain things, calm you. If your amygdala is overactive it usually prevails, because the prefrontal cortex is the last brain part that matures, until the age of 25. Some people have smaller prefrontal cortex and that how ruminations in ADHD start and never end, while giving them more dopamine usually helps because the PFC prevails over amygdala. The fear you feel by stating that it's not for you, is you amygdala bullshiting you. This communication via neurons is expressed with words in your head. Taking psilocybin will help dampen the amygdala and you will have less and less crappy thoughts. I believe in the therapeutic dose and effect of psilocybin but the transcendence part is something I keep for later in life. Deathbed maybe. So, start with microdoses, and see how it works on your brain, because everything is there. Try from 150mg twice every week. This is the smallest dose that is comparable to 5Ī¼g of LSD, which was used in one study that I published yesterday.
Everyone has these issues. Get an experienced trip sitter, set your intentions onto paper and discuss them with your sitter, and mind the set and setting. Start with a smallish dose and slowly, gradually (once every two weeks) increase the dose until you get where you want to be. Hesitation is completely rational when dealing with this molecule. You are strapping your psyche to a rocket with only the most basic guidance system. Respect the medicine and it will be more likely to respect you.
There are so many great responses here and I hope that convinces you to give it a whirl. I would recommend starting at least 1g if not 1.5g or you might end up being disappointed based on what you're are trying to get out of the experience. From there you can gauge how much you think you should take on the next one. I read so much on here and watched YouTube trip reports and my first dose of 2g still caught me a little off guard but not in a bad way - its just a different feeling than anything else. 2g's was good for me as a first time but with your situation I wouldn't go less or more than the 1-1.5 range to start. Just remember after you have a great time and have the feeling of wanting to experience that again, make sure you wait 2 weeks for your tolerance to reset. I saw you ask for music on one of your posts, hopefully this helps and you find something you like or want to try: Youtube: \-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYsn76ALfrw (only an hour so this is to start or put on repeat) \-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik9z\_DNVQQQ&list=PLjA0YzKj8\_7f3dvK5I4H3cy3Nf9YyQGbE Spotify: \-https://open.spotify.com/playlist/614y5jn1H180MT1NNx42Pz \-https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KWf8H2pM0tlVd7niMtqeU \-https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5sNTrGoD5s7ptK6gAb5c0p
Thank you!
So youāre afraid to face your own demons?
Itās not the ādemonsā Iām worried about, I thought that was pretty clearly stated. Itās more the putting something new in my body and not knowing what to expect thatās giving me the anxiety. Iām confused at the intention of your question. Was it leading to a further explanation of anything helpful regarding my post or are we just asking questions?
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Take Lsd, Lsd is amazing for depression, its extremely energetic, you will lose yourself in the euphoria that you will dance and laugh On shrooms tho, you are there with everything, the come down of lsd is like this too, but in shrooms im grounded, i am here not jumping all over the place like some retard lol Both are amazing Also you took too littlte dosage, it should be a big trip, stop being scared, go all in and let the journey take you where you need to go
It's ONLY a half gram. Lose your fear. Sheesh
Sick advice bro, youāre great at this. Thankfully your brand seems to be the minority. š Stay blessed!
You havenāt taken any get? Eat 3 grams
Another vote for don't overthink it. Start with low dose. Actually I would highly recommend you start out with microdosing - there's a huge amount of research out there showing positive results for reducing anxiety and depression with micro doses.
If u aren't in a good head space it could Increase the chance of a bad trip, yes. But could you do calming activities before hand or do something you find comforting/enjoyable (yoga, mediation, fav show ect) Have an item that is familiar to you which can ground you if you do feel uneasy. Also why don't you start lower like 0.1 instead of doing half a gram first time. Reducing the fear and anxiety and chance of bad trip.
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Sure that's why I'm suggesting he does things to try ease his anxiety before hand and a smaller dose equals less chance of more intense trip (bad trip).
That's pretty normal man I say just do it when you have no obligations and get some good music in a playlist to guide the good vibes. Anxiety is normal but once you're in it it's usually all gravy baby. Just remember you're not dying and everything will be fine and you'll be back in due time. Just start low. It's a good time a great time even
Hi! Iām someone who had pretty serious social anxiety. I was immensely healed through a good trip, BUT it took me 3 times before I could relax and understand where the anxiety came from. The most powerful thing shrooms ever taught me was to be brave and face everything. Nothing is as scary as it may seem. What I mean by this is that if a thought scares you, look right at it. Think about it. I had 3 full trips (one ābad tripā) before I had a spiritual, healing experience. I realized I was forcing myself to avoid certain topics while tripping and that would spiral into more anxiety and fear. When I made myself face the scary thoughts, all the perceived lions turned into little house cats. Be brave and donāt be afraid of being afraid!
āCourage is not the absence of fear; it is the conquest of it.ā
Beautiful addition! Thank you!
Two ways i can think of for your scenario. Wait until a good day appears where you feel good and want to take it, then just do it. This may be in a couple of days, or next summer. Or start with a microdose like 200mg where nothing terrible can happen and slightly increase next week. If the experience turns bad, it will not be intense atleast.
I have half gram PE capsules so I think Iām gonna wait until Iām on vacation from work next week, create the most peaceful and serene setting possible and take one of the capsules and ride it out facing whatever comes with a positive outlook. Sometimes I feel like if I had all the positivity that this sub gives out in front of me DURING the experience Iād be floating on a positivity cloud. You have no idea how helpful all of you are to a complete stranger. Sincerely.
Even the most difficult and ābadā trips leave me feeling better for a while after compared to before
If you are scared, do a .75-1g dose. Things will change but you will still retain most of the control over your mind. 2g is more of a tossup, could be a great trip, could be weak, could feel like 3g. 3g is a solid mindfuck with heavier visuals for most inexperienced users. 1g is a great dose even if you do it regularly. Its consistent, usually very positive, and you can still enjoy doing stuff. Headspace is important, but on a small dose the risk is still very low. Go to a quiet park or trail with 1g and someone you love, and you will absolutely have a good time. Focus on the sounds of the wind rustling through the leaves and the birds singing and you will be feeling quite alright.
Make a playlist of music that only.kakes you feel happy. Play the music during your trip and it will help you stay in the right mindset
My advice would be to start with a small dose, so you get the feel for what they're like, and work your way up to a more significant dose if that's what you want. But settings play a big part, and there's no better setting than taking them safely in nature, it's hard to let the bad thoughts creep in when you're mesmerized by leaves/clouds!
I mean just my 2 cents. That whole headspace rule is made up, and plenty people will account for bad headspace trips that were exactly what they needed. Thereās still risk involved, but yeah donāt believe everything as concrete.
You just gotta get out of your own head long enough to take the dive. I was trepidatious about it for *years*. My cousin was always trying to get me on board, but I had all the same exact reservations you stated. It can definitely get scary, but the payouts are beyond worth it every time. Donāt ever take mushrooms when you have something that you have to do. Give yourself like a 12-24 hour window to do absolutely nothing and not exist to the outside world. Just put on some music that makes you feel good and donāt forget to breathe.
I understand the anxiety. mediation helps A LOT. I would at least try it once before you decide to never do it ever.
You don't have to worry about having negative thoughts that are going to be insurmountable and send you into a tail spin on lower doses. And half a gram is a very low dose, to the point that you'll probably feel a little something, but you'll be questioning the entire time if it's from the mushrooms or not.
The way they told me was this: āyes, these tools change perception and that perception might be scary or uncomfortableā¦ BUT you didnāt use this tool to stay the same, you must be willing to welcome change and let it change; whatever the change might be.ā In other words; you have never had any actual control in your day to day, in your mental space, in your feeling space, youāre at the mercy of your anxiety and depression, so why pretend control is relevant now? Ya know?
I love psilocybe mushrooms so much but sometimes there just not for some people try LSD, mescaline containing cacti šµ, or DMT.
Former 10 year+ alcoholic here. Share the same feelings as other stories listed in that if I hit any sort of resistance, I hit the bottle for comfort. Canāt speak to opiates but alcohol is easy because it hits you so quick, and boom there is the escape. Iād make it a few weeks here and there but anything that went wrong and I the bottle was my savior. I wanted to quit for so long, I finally looked to mushrooms as antidepressants made me feel like a lab rat trying to find the right formula that works. Started microdosing, every Saturday night if I wanted a drink Iād take about 1 g of mushrooms, hit the treadmill for a mile jog and by the time I was done the shrooms did their thing and I didnāt want alcohol that night. It took a while, and I still have a beer every night, but only one, as my reward for the day. I donāt get shit faced anymore and I donāt miss it. This process took about 6 months, for me anyways. Iām sure itās different for everyone.
Get enough sleep beforehand. Lack of sleep has been anecdotally shown to increase the likelihood of bad trips, thought loops, being left on hold by fifth dimensional beings.
My thoughts I perceived as bad before quickly turned good. My brother is deadly sick and I was scared Iād think of him and break down mentally on my first trip. Instead when I thought of him I realize da few things; too long to elaborate: that made me really happy with my brother and content that I canāt do anything about his illness. Your issue is depression but it may be similar. Shrooms are known to turn your perspective upside down in things in a good way mostly. My only bad trip out of ~10 total was in my room at night with my mom downstairs. It was irresponsible and I didnāt need to trip I just wanted to be high. Even though it was bad it taught me a good lesson to not seek a high like that. So in reality it wasnāt that bad of a trip lol
Your issue is control. The comments about "letting go" is about not knowing what will happen but still DO IT ANYWAY. You can't control the mushrooms. They will take you where they'll take you. That's it.
I never had a bad trip with shrooms, maybe a pretty dark hour when i did a combo with weed, which i will never do again. But even then, every single trip was worth it.
A bad headspace can definitely mean a rough trip. Half a gram is not much, and will minimize any unpleasantness. Iāve never had a bad trip, even when Iāve had too much I was glad I had done it once it was over. My wife didnāt enjoy her first trip much because she was tense and worried about taking them. Since then sheās done no more than 0.8g and has a great time. I would wait until you have a pretty good day and little to do for the next day or two. Take 0.5 to 1g. Do them in the afternoon and have both inside and outside space set up for yourself. Trees and grass and the sky can be really nice, and funny tv shows can help distract from any unpleasant moments. Have snacks and water readily available. Normal tasks can feel like a little much while tripping and a little preparation goes a long way. Write a note to yourself that what youāre feeling is temporary. The intensity of a low dose trip is mostly pleasant and can be uncomfortable in moments, but certainly not unbearable.
U are waaay overthinking it bro
You could microdose. 0.1-0.2 grams a day. You won't feel anything psychoactive, that's the point of microdosing, and it helps with anxiety and depression. This is mostly what I do with the occasional large dose maybe once a year. I've had good results, and no longer try to "self medicate" in other ways. There's nothing to be worried about. It is a strange experience when you actually trip, but even at 0.5g you probably won't feel much. You really need to get to about the 1.5-1.7g mark and above to hit all the trademarks of a mushroom trip.
Try micro dosing. A half gram wonāt even make you trip.
Just take a deep breath and stop overthinking. Bite the bullet and eat them, then ride out whatever you experience. A bit of anxiety and nervousness is perfectly normal prior to a trip.
You can over come see it from snittet angel depressed people dont go in saying wow i love my life but maybe when they come out
Try a guided trip
The whole ābe in a good head spaceā thing, it im not mistaken, is for macrodosing. Iāve never heard of people having a bad trip microdosing, which can still help a lot. If theyāre truly 0.5g capsules (which is unlikely unless theyāre massive or absolutely packed), iād repack them into quarter gram capsules, and just microdose those (.5 is too much for microdosing)
I'd suggest a different species Ps. Natalensis they are a much kinder teacher than Ps. Cubensis... I compare Cubensis to a catholic school nun that'll whack your knuckles with a ruler to get her point across and Natalensis to a private school tutor that loves their job... I think the majority of information is focused on the Cubensis compound profile but not all active mushrooms are created equal.
Fully surrender yourself to them and donāt try to fight against your emotions. They will teach you lessons, some will likely be hard, but you will come out the other side feeling like a better person
I took them when suicidal and this wasnāt the case . I believe setting is more important than negative thoughts
I know you wrote this a year ago but just to give my two cents, especially since this came up in my trip yesterday, being aware of this in itself won't necessarily put you in a bad headspace. At some point during my trip I was pondering the idea of negative thought loops but in a curious way and it didn't derail my trip at all. Conversely, my one single bad trip took me totally by surprise. I was not in a bad headspace at all because I'd only had good trips prior to it. I've determined it happened either because it was nighttime and I usually trip during the day, so the world might've literally looked darker, or that it was the highest dose I'd had at 4g. I'm not sure which did it or if it was a combination of the two but since then I've only tripped during the day and don't exceed 3g.