Jump to content

Psychedelic Therapy for mental health


Dnaguy

Recommended Posts

On 2/23/2023 at 10:44 AM, Celery Man said:

roger-sterling-mad-men-cigarette-acid-ls

 

it's a regret of mine that I never tried psilocybin. I mean fuck, I have Be Here Now literally within arms reach of me at my desk right now. But given the alcoholism (and despite Bill W's later in life experimentation with acid) and the kid I just don't think I probably could. But I bet it would have been an altering experience.

Listening to a podcast with the actor Frank Grillo.  He used to drink more than he should and he micro-doses with mushrooms and he was able to quit cold turkey.  Has me curious.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cross-posting this album because it passes the acid test with flying colors. It’s good for your peace of mind in any state.
RIP Wayne Shorter. (This is now his third appearance in this thread.)
 

We have an original poster from the fight at which Manolete was killed hanging in our living room. And my wife is microdosing these days. So, there ya go.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last time I tripped on acid was when I smuggled a couple tabs in the spine of a book on a flight to visit family in germany, using jet lag as an excuse to stay behind for the day while they were out. 
 

I wandered their tiny village and marveled at the summer greenery, idly admiring the windmills and gorgeous countryside.  It was amazing.  
 

That’s where I’ll leave my LSD experience because other times it felt too mechanical…like my brain was cracked open for the world to see like I was Neo coming out of the matrix.  
 

So yeah, posrep because I enjoy psilocybin more as well.  Or at least I did before real responsibility got in the way.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, ocugolf said:

Going on my first “journey” in april. Suppressed a bunch of shit when my baby died. Have several friends that have made tremendous strides doing journeys.

Are you going to do it with someone experienced?  Strongly recommend that.  Someone should be there to remind you that it’s temporary in case you get a little wild and help ensure you don’t decide now is a good time to go visit a place of memories.  Do not drive!
 

Also strongly recommend you research ‘set and setting’.  Set yourself up for a positive mindset entering the experience…clean your house, turn off your phone, turn off your Ring doorbell, make sure everything that needed doing that day is done, that you have nothing pressing the next day, have your favorite music loaded and ready to play, lock away your car keys, etc.

You don’t want to be coming up and worried your phone will ring, or be tripping and unable to start the stereo, or staring at a sink of dirty dishes, etc.  

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Homercles said:

Are you going to do it with someone experienced?  Strongly recommend that.  Someone should be there to remind you that it’s temporary in case you get a little wild and help ensure you don’t decide now is a good time to go visit a place of memories.  Do not drive!
 

Also strongly recommend you research ‘set and setting’.  Set yourself up for a positive mindset entering the experience…clean your house, turn off your phone, turn off your Ring doorbell, make sure everything that needed doing that day is done, that you have nothing pressing the next day, have your favorite music loaded and ready to play, lock away your car keys, etc.

You don’t want to be coming up and worried your phone will ring, or be tripping and unable to start the stereo, or staring at a sink of dirty dishes, etc.  

My psychiatrist is guiding my journey. We’ve had many basic therapy sessions. It’s at a secluded cabin that a holistic church offers as its space. 

  • Hook 'Em 4
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Homercles said:

Are you going to do it with someone experienced?  Strongly recommend that.  Someone should be there to remind you that it’s temporary in case you get a little wild and help ensure you don’t decide now is a good time to go visit a place of memories.  Do not drive!
 

Also strongly recommend you research ‘set and setting’.  Set yourself up for a positive mindset entering the experience…clean your house, turn off your phone, turn off your Ring doorbell, make sure everything that needed doing that day is done, that you have nothing pressing the next day, have your favorite music loaded and ready to play, lock away your car keys, etc.

You don’t want to be coming up and worried your phone will ring, or be tripping and unable to start the stereo, or staring at a sink of dirty dishes, etc.  

The last time I did shrooms (very moderate dose) everyone made sure to call their wives and kids, let them know our phones would be off until morning, and made a pact that nobody was driving anywhere.  We were at a very remote cabin in the Driftless Area (the IA/MN/WI version of the Ozarks) and totally cut off from the rest of the world.  It was absolutely imperative that we not have those distractions/options/opportunities for shit to go south.

I guess we had to leave one phone on for music, but that was it.

Edited by Al_4_ISU
  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My buddy went through a pretty rough divorce and it messed him up. He's gotten into a lot of this stuff, is really into Sam Harris, etc. I was just with him this weekend and he was telling me that he did this with MDMA. He said it cost $1400. You provide them an address and they send the goods. It is a 1 mg dose. You have a couple of zoom calls to plan it, and then you do a 5 hour zoom call with a guide when you take the trip. He described it as just a feeling of euphoric love the entire time. He didn't say anything about it being rough coming down. He's ultra paranoid about basically everything so I think he would have mentioned it if it was an issue. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

I am currently microdosing.

I found myself in an unhealthy relationship with alcohol after going through something. During that time i was drinking too much i found myself needing to pass out to get sleep, or I'd have nightmares, or just general insomnia. 

I started a few months ago. I buy an ounce every other month or so,  turn them into dust, then make capsules. I do .5 g every day in the evening.

Haven't drank since.

  • Hook 'Em 4
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

MDMA saved my marriage. Wife and I are opposites emotionally so when we got into conflict she would go to 11 and I would just shut down. Talk therapy helped, but our therapist strongly recommended X for us. I had never tried it, but it has been fucking incredible. You can (and want to) talk to eachother about ANYTHING, including shit that normally would result in WW3. 

If anyone is interested I'm happy to go into more detail. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, PRONG HORN said:

 

Well of course you are Mr. Happy.  Next time fuck that talking shit and go dancing.  

 

 

 

Sometimes we talk, sometimes we walkabout in the woods, sometimes we get naked, etc. Fucking incredible

Edited by texastough
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

I was microdosing for awhile. Really, really liked it.

I was able to concentrate more with work and found myself more empathetic with my kids. 

Then I got stoned and hid my bag of pills and haven’t been able to find it.

4ea.jpg

  • Like 1
  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/25/2023 at 8:13 PM, TwiceHorn said:

There's a non-drug therapy called EMDR, which uses disco strobes and lights and stuff to help with PTSD and trauma.

I’ve done this one a few times. We had to shut off the light bar because it made me laugh out loud and I couldn’t follow it. Just used the vibration things instead 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/25/2023 at 9:00 AM, Kennythetiger said:

We had to shut off the light bar because it made me laugh out loud and I couldn’t follow it

 

A really good therapist would have focused on your laughter and used it to fuel the work being done.  Missed opportunity.  

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, ocugolf said:

This hits home.  My survival technique was to punt on first down.  Even if I knew I was in the right, it wasn't worth the energy and outcome of the fight.  I've had so many in depth conversations about things that normally would be very much outside of my comfort zone before MDMA.  Either: scared of being vulnerable, scared of being laughed at or disregarded, or that my opinion wasn't worth rocking the boat.  Fucking baby boomers that grew up internalizing all of it, showing no emotion, not expressing love, etc. ravaged a bunch of current 30-45 year olds.  Of course I know my dad loves me.  Does he say it? No.  Did that somehow stick in my craw? yes.  But now, it's all good.  I can't expend energy over three words that I already know the answer too.  

With my wife and our baby, I tried for so long to suppress it and be stoic and the rock.  Very successfully for 3-4 years.  Shit catches up.  Since the journey, I have talked more about our daughter than the last 5 years combined. I let loose of A LOT of guilt/shame/grief.  Her death was the "main intent" of the journey.  Once the magic pill hit, I can't explain it, but I started thinking about my daughter.  I felt a warm sensation on my right side.  I FELT her.  She was telling me that "she's ok" "she knows she is loved" "she's real", etc. Really fucking powerful stuff for me and my wellbeing.  Unbeknownst to me, at the time I "felt" her, a butterfly was flying around and rested on me.  I had no idea it was happening, but my therapist caught video of it as it went down (just because he thought it was unique and powerful). He doesn't film our session.  I'm not perfect.  I'm not healed.  I have a lot of work to do, but this is the most hopeful I've ever been.  Can't wait to go back.

As if Oklahoma isn't bad enough, they are about to enact a law (my understanding from my therapist) that charges therapists 5k a year for their license, take 10% of all earnings, and make the therapists upload their notes to a common database.  So that will fuck mental help up even more.  Who would want to have their deepest and darkest on a server that anyone can hack into?  Embarrassing. My therapist is considering giving up his PhD and license to avoid it.  No license or PhD would make it illegal for him to carry out a "journey". 

That’s a heckuva powerful story, good luck to y’all.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i also did EMDR a couple years ago, worked thru some childhood trauma that i literally did not even know was impacting my current day emotional state.

he just used his finger (shut up pervs) and an audio tick-tock sound, basically had me following it back and forth. Baboo except more pronounced 😄

seinfeld-no.gif.912ef9a3011a30676e87a34d5379a446.gif

 

anyway, the tears started about one minute in which surprised the hell out of me. by the end i literally felt like i was going to pass out sitting up.

i mean, this was something from when i was NINE years old! i always had the memory but just never, ever felt any real impact, always just like 'eh, coulda been worse, whatever'. but damn if it wasn't a huge breakthrough on the current issues in my life that had prompted me to start seeing him in the first place.

i would recommend it. 

both psilocybin and mdma can have incredibly positive mental health impacts, there's ample evidence at this point. 

i enjoyed them both recreationally a great deal as a young person, i always preferred psychedelics. i've often thought i'd try them both again as an adult if/when i ever had the opportunity 😊

 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
So, do you just go stand at 24th and San Antonio and ask all the passers by, "Got any shrooms?"
Some therapist will prescribe them.
Cow shit ones are hard to dose.

I just ask my friends and stock up on various types when someone harvests. Sometimes I microdose. Sometimes I take a low dose with friends, sometimes I need stronger dose to get through some stuck attitudes or issues. Maybe every 3 months or so.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/20/2023 at 12:24 AM, Elvis said:

I’m interested in trying the micro dose thing to treat mental health and alcoholism. 
 

How do you get the stuff?  Doctors? Psychiatrist? Street drugs?

You can grow your own. You buy the growing medium and supplies, and order the spores off the net, which is legal. It's not expensive though does require time and attention to detail. Some acupuncturists will know how to hook you up with the finished product. Or the type of yoga places that are more hippy oriented (the type that has full moon ceremonies, solstice gatherings, calls themselves holistic etc) . If you're not going to grow your own it's also cost effective to buy an eigth or a quarter oz (grind in a dedicated, new coffee grinder, and then make your own capsules). on reddit there's r/shrooms and r/unclebens

 

Edited by Chopper
  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/16/2023 at 4:03 PM, texastough said:

that would work, and they are also supposed to grow out of cow pies

Back in the day we would drive out between gilding’s and brenham and hit the pastures at night, come back with 2-3 black trash bags full.  
 

95% of what we harvested looked like titties, the other 5% spotted, or brown, or just not the domed boob with darker nipple.   Also the stems would turn purple where cut or bruised.   We would eat 5-10 fresh ones depending on size while we cleaned and dried the hauls, the little ones packed the best  punch.  
 

don’t eat the spotted ones… or the dark brown ones, just eat the titties.  Don’t know the validity but later heard the farmers started adding feed with anti fungal sin it to deter fence jumpers.

As far as acid goes, with the gel acid that came on 10x10 sheets in different colors, I never found there to be much difference between taking 2 and taking 8-10.  Didn’t really like the LSD trip so much because it was less natural of a feeling that mushrooms, but definitely had more fun on high doses of gel than one shitty tab of kaleidoscope from the drag worms.  
of course that shitty blotter was my first experience when I was in HS.  Took it on a school night but went home an hour and a half later when nothing happened.   Started tripping after I got home, spent the rest of the night in my room and a good part of that in front of my bathroom mirror.   Fuck that to hell.  Pretty sure I still have PTSD from that night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did a magic truffle and Ayahuasca trip last fall in Amsterdam. I hired a psychologist who specializes in psychedelic therapy to be my trip guide. Anyone can buy a bag of magic truffles there for $30 and trip on their own or with a friend. It was my first time taking a psychedelic and I didn't want to risk some bizarre reaction while alone so I paid a significant premium to hire a professional. I booked a comfortable and sound proof hotel room the guy recommended.

It was the most intense experience of my life. Very fulfilling and emotional. The psychologist said mine was one of the more chill trips he had ever guided as I just quietly laid in bed with a pillow over my face listening to a playlist he had compiled based on my music taste. He said a lot of people have severe nausea and often vomit from chewing the truffles. Fortunately I didn't have any reaction other than disliking the taste which is pretty foul. I think I lost 5 pounds because my minimal amount of muscles were constantly tensioning and releasing the entire 5 hours and I was soaked in sweat by the end.

The only thing I regret is he strongly suggested I immediately journal everything I remembered from the trip as it helps maintain the psychological benefits of tripping. I was so tired at the end that I didn't and instead went to a coffee shop around the corner and had a joint after a long nap. I'd recommend anyone doing it for the first time have a friend or professional trip sit for them as reactions to it apparently varies fairly dramatically. Also, lock up your phone and computer.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Orale said:

The only thing I regret is he strongly suggested I immediately journal everything I remembered from the trip as it helps maintain the psychological benefits of tripping. I was so tired at the end that I didn't and instead went to a coffee shop around the corner and had a joint after a long nap. I'd recommend anyone doing it for the first time have a friend or professional trip sit for them as reactions to it apparently varies fairly dramatically. Also, lock up your phone and computer.

Do you feel like one trip had any long lasting benefit for you? I've felt a huge change from micro-dosing psilocybin - I have a nerve issue and it's made the lows from that feel nowhere near as low. I take 100mg once a day for 5 days, then 2 days off. There are no psychedelic effects from a dose that low; you don't feel high or see colors differently or have a bad trip. The first day my stomach felt a bit cramped but that was about it. I gave some to my BIL who owns a construction company in Austin and works hard at it, has 4 young kids, and literally has a broken back. It's been just a couple of weeks for him but so far he says they've enabled him to get some rest for the first time in years.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Chopper said:

Do you feel like one trip had any long lasting benefit for you? I've felt a huge change from micro-dosing psilocybin - I have a nerve issue and it's made the lows from that feel nowhere near as low. I take 100mg once a day for 5 days, then 2 days off. There are no psychedelic effects from a dose that low; you don't feel high or see colors differently or have a bad trip. The first day my stomach felt a bit cramped but that was about it. I gave some to my BIL who owns a construction company in Austin and works hard at it, has 4 young kids, and literally has a broken back. It's been just a couple of weeks for him but so far he says they've enabled him to get some rest for the first time in years.

 

Your question wasn’t directed at me but I did a couple of small doses of psilocybin to get the feel of it, then 1 large dose. 
I felt it helped me process some close family members deaths who had passed away in the previous 10 years. 
It was a 1 time thing for me and I felt I got a benefit from it. I didn’t have any expectations beforehand.

They say you don’t get the trip you want, you get the trip you need.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Chopper said:

Do you feel like one trip had any long lasting benefit for you? I've felt a huge change from micro-dosing psilocybin - I have a nerve issue and it's made the lows from that feel nowhere near as low. I take 100mg once a day for 5 days, then 2 days off. There are no psychedelic effects from a dose that low; you don't feel high or see colors differently or have a bad trip. The first day my stomach felt a bit cramped but that was about it. I gave some to my BIL who owns a construction company in Austin and works hard at it, has 4 young kids, and literally has a broken back. It's been just a couple of weeks for him but so far he says they've enabled him to get some rest for the first time in years.

 

Not any long-lasting effects that I can discern. But the experience itself was lovely and I would definitely do it again in the future. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

Journey time again tomorrow. Intentions are being comfortable in my own skin, not keeping score, and not being affected by perceived expectations of others. Will be my last MDMA journey for a while. Will do ketamine or mushrooms next time. Glad I will have a weekend to recover. Excited to see where the medicine takes me tomorrow.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’s been far too long for me. I mostly did shrooms and acid with best friends and had really positive and uplifting experiences each time.  With two young kids, a really stressful time in my marriage, and general malaise->depression swoons, I feel a journey/trip would do me good. I need to find a dedicated time to reset myself and work thing the jumbled rats nest that is my brain right now. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a next door neighbor that used to go hunting for mushrooms with his dog out in the forest when I lived in a really rural area some years back. He’d sell some and use some. He was around his mid to late 40’s, but looked like he was 60. Guy had a rough life as far as I could tell. Seems like the mushrooms helped him with his anger because the excessive alcohol sure wasn’t helping.

I still drank at that point in life, but have never used any drugs. I am all for what you men and women in this thread are doing though. Anything like this that can help you sort out life and put you on the road to being in a better place is good with me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BearSchlong said:

My psychiatrist and I discussed that yesterday. She said that and MDMA and micro-dosing are really promising.

I regret that my 15-year-old nephew didn't get the chance to try those therapies prior to his death by suicide this summer.

I feel for you and your family. Such a beautiful spirit that your nephew had. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
Posted (edited)

Unearthed this thread for breaking news.

Updated 8:16 AM EST, Thu March 7, 2024

image.thumb.png.f811d7d22b1615e9cf27dca6b65b81c3.png

 

image.thumb.png.1e9db9b6e27405f8b16fdcffec0e6548.png

 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/health/lsd-anxiety-fda-breakthrough-therapy-wellness/index.html

edited to add this para from the article -

“While prior research has documented the benefits of combining LSD with psychotherapy to alleviate anxiety associated with life-threatening conditions, this groundbreaking study is the first to show that a single dose of LSD … can effectively treat generalized anxiety without the adjunct of psychotherapy,” said psychiatrist Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, a professor and scientist at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal and Canada Research Chair in Therapeutics for Mental Health. She was not involved in the clinical trial.

Edited by Chopper
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/24/2023 at 5:26 PM, texastough said:

Talk therapy helped, but our therapist strongly recommended X for us. I had never tried it, but it has been fucking incredible.

Well shit, I wish I could just tweet at my wife when she's fucking pissed and calm her crazy ass down.  

  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Powerful Psychedelic Gains Renewed Attention as a Treatment for Opioid Addiction https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/health/ibogaine-psychedelic-opioid-addiction.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bE0.qwgS.GH5zBfmeed-4&smid=nytcore-android-share

 

Posting this on my phone so hopefully it opens. Interesting article about ibogaine for treating addiction. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Orale said:

Powerful Psychedelic Gains Renewed Attention as a Treatment for Opioid Addiction https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/health/ibogaine-psychedelic-opioid-addiction.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bE0.qwgS.GH5zBfmeed-4&smid=nytcore-android-share

 

Posting this on my phone so hopefully it opens. Interesting article about ibogaine for treating addiction. 

fwiw I think that article would be better in the opioid thread because the med is to break addiction to opioids. Unless I misunderstood.

Of interest in the heroin study article (for use for general anxiety disorder and depression) is they studied different dosage levels and also discussed the lack of "bad trips" when the drug is manufactured to a pharmaceutical level standard.

Quote

The multicenter, randomized, double-blinded trial tested doses of 25, 50, 100 and 200 micrograms compared with a placebo. “We’re very confident based on the results that 100 micrograms is the right dose to bring into our phase three studies, as we didn’t see any more improvement with 200 micrograms but did see additional adverse effects,” Karlin said.

Quote

 

 Compared with experiences with forms of LSD purchased illegally on the street, the study’s grade of MM120 did not appear to induce “bad trips,” Karlin said. “LSD is difficult to manufacture with high purity and tends to degrade quickly in the presence of light and water,” Karlin said. “We’re manufacturing it to pharmaceutical industry standards, a highly pure version that is also shelf stable.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I absolutely believe psychedelic drugs need to be looked at as a serious option for people with long term mental health issues. 

I'm now 2 years away from ending my marriage. Wife struggled with depression since childhood. I loved her and believed it could be manageable, but it wasn't. Our child was 4 years old when we separated. Will never forget sitting him down and telling him. My little fucking badass hero. Handled it like a champ and I believe he's happier today than he's ever been. I come from a family with no divorces, she comes from a family with multiple divorces everywhere. Truly the hardest years of my life seeing my family dreams unravel, but the work I've put in as a parent is paying off. 

She lives in therapy. We went to multiple couples therapists constantly. Literally didn't move the needle in a positive direction at any point. Finally she decided to get an in-depth evaluation from Menninger. Laundry list of issues - Severe depression, ADHD, childhood trauma, alcohol, etc. They recommended 45 day in patient rehab and she was a on a plane to Arizona a few days later. They were concerned about her drinking habits and its possible effect of dulling/neutralizing her medications. I was skeptical, as she basically had a couple of glasses of wine a night. She never got super drunk, or angry, or flip a switch personality wise. I told Menninger people that if my wife was an "alcoholic" then I've got about 60 other functional good friends that are alcoholics. 

Anyways, she completed 45 day rehab and got sober. Nothing changed. I continued to research stuff myself to find answers and the light bulb went off when I came across Narcissistic Personality Disorder. It really seemed to check all the boxes. No one has diagnosed her with it, but I fully believe this is the main issue. Highly recommend deep diving into NPD info if you're struggling to identify mental issues with someone close to you. There are many different spectrums to NPD. Don't assume narcissists are just the extroverted people that are easy to notice. And I think NPD cases are going to rise quickly with our current culture and technology advances (particularly social media) that will only make it worse.

Like other personality disorders, common belief from professionals is that NPD can't be "cured". A person can work hard to manage it, but it is hard-wired in to their brains, most likely from childhood trauma that is VERY difficult for a underdeveloped brain to manage. 

With cases like this, I think psychedelic treatment should be seriously considered. I wish it was something presented to us years ago, as I think she might have given it a go. A good rattle to the brain might give them a perspective they've never felt before. If this country were smart, we would pour a lot of money into research for this. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...