Harm reduction: Psychedelics 101

Every culture known to us from history (with the sole exception of the Eskimos) has had its own potions, mushrooms, herbs for visions, meetings with the gods, spiritual growth. The Aztecs and Indians have their Peyote cactus (from which Mescaline is extracted), the Mayans have Ayahuasca, the Thracians in our lands had a selection of substances, one of which is psilocybin in mushrooms. The longest ancient mystical ritual known to modern man comes from the Eleusinian Mysteries, which was associated with the use of a psychedelic drink, very similar to modern LSD. However, even then it was clear that psychedelic substances are not suitable for everyone. Just as in the past, this was the responsibility of shamans and spiritual leaders only, so now it is imperative to consider the risks of using psychedelics, along with the benefits.

Psychedelics, in short, are substances that affect the normal functioning of the brain in a way that changes the mechanisms for perceiving and becoming aware of the surrounding world. They are characterized by states of lightness, relaxation and partial change in sensory perceptions. Their other name - hallucinogens - also determines what they are most often used for - partial or complete visual and auditory hallucinations. Along with the pleasure of such an effect, comes the danger of the so-called Bad trip - a state in which a person gets stuck in negative thoughts and a feeling of insecurity, from which it is difficult to get out, precisely because of the strength of the effect of psychoactive substances. Psychedelics suppress the ego in a person, allowing subconscious emotions to surface, and if thanks to their ego, a person was able to control the memory of a trauma experienced, then under the influence of substances, this becomes difficult.
Therefore, people who have used and are using similar substances have come up with some useful tips for before, during, and after taking these substances. Here we share some of them.

Find out if psychedelics are even for you

This is a question you should answer before you get your hands on any substance. If your family has a history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis, or other sensitive psychological conditions, it might be best to avoid getting into the world of psychedelics. Even weed.NotIt's a good idea to smoke. If you've been in a more stressful environment recently, or have had more difficult and emotional moments, it's also a good idea to think again before taking substances. The memory of a serious emotional trauma can be difficult to overcome when you take a psychedelic.

Test for imitations and concentration

Be absolutely sure about the mushroom you eat and in general about anything you take from the street. It can often happen that instead of LSD you get N-Bomb, instead of MDMA, PMA, and they pose significantly greater risks to your mental and physical health.

Research carefully about the normal dose of this substance and if you are using it for the first time, start with 1/2 or 2/3 of it. It is always possible that you are more sensitive to a certain substance and the “normal dose” may be too much for you. Psychedelics are mostly not dangerous to your physical health and it is difficult to talk about an overdose, as the main risks are to your psyche.
If you are going to combine more than one substance,mandatorycheck whether the combination between these substances is not dangerous or whether the two substances do not interfere with each other in any way. You can do this bythis onetable.

Read, read, read

Read how it has affected other people. There are thousands of stories on erowid.org and www.reddit.com/r/Drugs/ of people who have used all sorts of things in all sorts of amounts, combinations, and situations, and their experiences are extremely useful guides to safe trips. You will gain valuable practical advice from there.

Free your weekend from obligations

Using psychedelics requires more time. The effects of LSD last up to 9 hours, mushrooms up to 4, a trip with DOB can take over 20 hours. It is advisable to leave the next day for rest and recovery. The main benefits of psychedelics come when you manage to make sense of the experience in peace. Give yourself at least a day off, because complex and stressful activities could affect you in an unpleasant way ( of course, the whole thing is strictly individual ).

Set & Setting

The most important thing to remember, and you will find it in every other guide to safe use, are these two things.
Set– is your mindset, your emotional setup, approach, expectations, concerns, problems, etc. If you expect to feel bad, most likely that will be enough to make you feel that way. A positive attitude is a must.
Setting– is the environment you will be in while under the influence of the substance. It is possible that functioning in a normal urban environment will become an extremely difficult and unpleasant task when you are on psychedelics. Most people prefer secluded places in nature or the comfort of their homes, because random and abrupt noises, lights, stressful environments can quickly lead to a bad trip.

The combination of these two things will determine whether you will have a good time on your trip or not.

Sitting

If you are considering taking higher doses, especially if you are a beginner, it is a good idea to take advantage of the company of a sober person you trust. They can be very helpful in times of trouble, as even just their presence can give you confidence that you have someone to rely on in case of trouble. If you don't have a sitter, but feel that you need company, there is a special chat room for this purpose here. People there have been through this and will give you appropriate advice.

A bad trip might not be so bad after all

Remember, a bad trip is usually the result of trauma and something broken in your memories and subconscious that just comes out and you have to deal with it. Ultimately, it can be very healthy and therapeutic for you, even though it may not feel like it at the time. This is exactly the ability of MDMA and LSD to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans in the US. However, when it happens in the wrong setting (for example: imagine you are at a big electronic party, taking LSD and a repressed memory of being raped and abused as a child comes to mind), the consequences for your mental health can be very serious.

And a few more important things

It is also good to know that:

Physical dependence on most psychedelics is practically impossible. If you start, for example, using mushrooms or LSD more often, your tolerance to this substance will simply increase dramatically and you will need much more of the substance to feel the effect, which will make its use unreasonably expensive and unprofitable...

Overdosing to death – too. With the exception of MDMA (it’s still debatable whether it’s even a psychedelic), you need monstrous doses of any psychedelic to overdose to death. On the LD50 scale (lethal dose for at least half the population) you can see how safe LSD and mushrooms are compared to alcohol and opiates, for example…

After LSD, you may not be able to sleep for a night...

Taking the mushrooms with lemon juice enhances the effect...

(If we missed something, add it as a comment so we can upload it to the article)

Psychedelics can change your life (and not necessarily for the better). The powerful influence that psychedelics have on a person's way of thinking is the main reason they are taken. However, no one can promise you that their effect will be positive for you. Many people share about a permanent detachment from reality, loss of the ability to distinguish truth from imagination, loss of motivation for work, family relationships, etc. ... as well as many people who share about inspirations, reaching answers to life's dilemmas and questions, regained faith in life, etc. The effects are strictly individual and following the advice above increases the chance that yours will be positive.

Stay safe! 😉

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