thoughts on psychedelic therapy?

[wildflowers1996]

has anyone found this helpful?

 

[_AllCatsAreGrey_]

I haven't had formal psychedelic therapy, but have found a lot of value in self-medicating. I'd be interested in actual therapy with it. I have heard of many that found it helpful.

 

[findmybridgesocal]

I have heard of some people benefiting a lot from it. Having an experienced coach/guide is very valuable too.

 

[dreamscape1111]

Psychedelic therapy is amazing.

I've basically been doing on myself over the last 4 years or so.

When these sacred plants/substances are used with respect and with the intent to heal, grow, and become more conscious they're a Godsend.

They're 100 times more effective than just talk therapy.

You have to surrender and be willing to face your stuff, but then again, there's nowhere but up from here, so saying yes to what they have to say, though sometimes tough, is the wisest decision to make.

I'm super excited that they're slowly getting approved by countries and integrated into therapeutic practice, because the conscious expansion is simply impossible to achieve without their help, at least in that short amount a time frame.

They're the airplane rout to falling back in love with life, especially yourself. Can't recommend it enough.

 

[escape_from_hell]

Psychedelic drugs have helped in the past and revisiting them seems like it would be helpful. However, I now have nobody I trust in my life to trip-sit and I live in a tiny home where I think is a bit too claustrophobic to trip. I trust least of all a therapist I would pay to care about me while I lay there and go through my deepest most private mind, or even worse ask me therapy questions while I am trying to get deep into my shit. Abusing DXM can take you shockingly deep and be positive, it's immobilizing enough at really trippy doses I am okay to do it alone but I don't get much out of it anymore even after a long break.

One downside could be if your mind is truly, truly dark. I often am revisited by 'memories' from psychedelic points, not really flashbacks per se, but sort of haunting revelatory experiences that make me scared of the possibility of an afterlife. Salvia especially seemed to show me I was in hell appealing to some really primal fundamental states, although it is an atypical dissociative (kappa opioid agonist) not a traditional serotonergic psychedelic, which seem more forgiving but still potentially challenging. So I definitely plan to stay away from deliriants unless I'm in a really good place.

 

[sapphoslastpoem]

For some people it probably helps a lot, for me personally—it made life worse. I tried doing ketamine therapy and the company I did it through was pretty sketchy (they would send me the pills and I'd have to take them without supervision). Unfortunately i believe what happened was a result of negligent dosing (they gave me a normal dose for someone twice my size) and outside circumstances (I was being stalked at this time. I was sent into a combination drug/trauma-induced psychosis and it ruined my life. I still haven't fully recovered and probably never will.

 

[MatrixPrisoner]

Ketamine treatment was an ungodly surreal experience for me, but the long-lasting effects were nil. I have a slight temporary suspension of CTB urges when I eat shrooms, but the next day I always find myself heading back to the bus stop. I don't think any of these can be relied upon for long term efficacy. They only serve at momentary circuit breakers. Which isn't neccessarily a bad thing, if you're simply just trying to kick the can down the road.

 

[UKscotty]

I did lsd and mushrooms once, that put me off this type of drug for life. It was a surreal experience both times, not good with paranoia.

However I have read they are meant to be really good at fixing depression and there is lots of research going into them.

Might be promising in a few years.

 

[findmybridgesocal]

I've read a fair amount of literature on psychedelics, and the biggest factor on if someone has a good vs bad trip is their mindset going into the session. If someone is in a calm, safe, growth mindset wanting to learn from the experience they will often have a good experience. If they are suffering from out of control negative thoughts, psychedelics could make things worse.

Part of the job of a coach is setting that productive setting.

Age is also a factor. Young people are more likely to have a bad trip than middle aged and older. The drugs dramatically increase neuroplasticity of the brain, which is more beneficial and less risky for older people.

 

[escape_from_hell]

Yep I'd also just like to add my two cents that the conventional wisdom of "be as grim and ready to face the darkness as possible" may or may not be good advice for using these drugs.
I agree with they are good for kicking the can. There is a reason LSD, shrooms, ketamine etc. are party drugs as well. My own personal advice is take them when you have a zero stress day lined up in the best possible circumstances: less pain, not around negative people, nothing pending like a big work assignment. Line up good ass music, food, relaxing environment has been more positive, you will still possibly face demons at points of the trip but it will be more therapeutic that way.
The whole idea of having a therapist in the room waiting till you are seeing demons on shrooms suddenly asking "now tell me about the time Father Maddox shoved a ruler up your ass in Catholic school" does not seem like a healing scenario to me.

 

[PetrichorBirth]

has anyone found this helpful?

Took shrooms once. Was beautiful. No idea if it helped me. I guess it was a great experience, so in that way, it helped my life by adding one more cool thing to it to remember

 

[DreamEnd]

It can be yes given the right circumstances

 

[divinemistress36]

For some people it probably helps a lot, for me personally—it made life worse. I tried doing ketamine therapy and the company I did it through was pretty sketchy (they would send me the pills and I'd have to take them without supervision). Unfortunately i believe what happened was a result of negligent dosing (they gave me a normal dose for someone twice my size) and outside circumstances (I was being stalked at this time. I was sent into a combination drug/trauma-induced psychosis and it ruined my life. I still haven't fully recovered and probably never will.

I hear those will Autism should stay away from psychadelics. I'm sorry you went though that
I've done 12 ketamine Infusions. It never helped but it was cool to leave my body for a bit and experience an ego loss and feel like I was in a different realm I want to try it again just for that experience. I'm starting microdosing shrooms which so far is just making me more anxious but haven't fully tripped on them before. I think they could be beneficial with a trip sitter to walk you through it

 

[DreamEnd]

I hear those will Autism should stay away from psychadelics. I'm sorry you went though that
I've done 12 ketamine Infusions. It never helped but it was cool to leave my body for a bit and experience an ego loss and feel like I was in a different realm I want to try it again just for that experience. I'm starting ti microdosing shrooms which so far is just making me more anxious but haven't fully tripped on them before. I think they could be beneficial with a trip sitter to walk you through it

Yes usually low doses or micro doses can cause more anxiety. It's just the way it works sometimes I can't explain it.

 

[divinemistress36]

Yes usually low doses or micro doses can cause more anxiety. It's just the way it works sometimes I can't explain it.

Yes, I think it's making all the trauma come out that you need to face. Sometimes though the day after you feel better .

 

[sserafim]

Don't psychedelics destroy your brain and result in brain damage?

 

[DreamEnd]

Yes, I think it's making all the trauma come out that you need to face. Sometimes though the day after you feel better .

It can be that but most likely it's the attempt to control the experience

Don't psychedelics destroy your brain and result in brain damage?

No

 

[divinemistress36]

Don't psychedelics destroy your brain and result in brain damage?

Only if they are doing a lot of them all the time

It can be that but most likely it's the attempt to control the experience

No

Do you microdose?

 

[sserafim]

I hear those will Autism should stay away from psychadelics.

Why? I've never tried them before but I'm curious why this is

 

[DreamEnd]

Only if they are doing a lot of them all the time

Do you microdose?

I used to take low doses and just hike in nature

 

[divinemistress36]

Why? I've never tried them before but I'm curious why this is

I'm not sure. My massage therapist son has autism and when he took shrooms he freaked out and kept trying to bite himself . So maybe it makes them more prone to psychosis? Psychadelics dissolve your ego and can bring out trauma and for some people feel a closer connection to the divine. It can be really scary if one isn't ready to surrender to it

I used to take low doses and just hike in nature

I'm still experimenting with it I'll try it out in nature

 

[PetrichorBirth]

Don't psychedelics destroy your brain and result in brain damage?

That's a common misconception. Studies have shown that psychedelics can actually have positive effects on the brain, like promoting neuroplasticity, enhancing cognitive flexibility, and even potentially treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD

 

[DreamEnd]

That's a common misconception. Studies have shown that psychedelics can actually have positive effects on the brain, like promoting neuroplasticity, enhancing cognitive flexibility, and even potentially treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD

Nixons war on drugs really fucked up the perception of them in the eyes of the public didn't it lol

 

[sserafim]

Nixons war on drugs really fucked up the perception of them in the eyes of the public didn't it lol

Didn't the CIA experiment with LSD in MK Ultra? I wonder why it did

 

[DreamEnd]

Didn't the CIA experiment with LSD in MK Ultra?

Yeah something like that. I'm talking about legit clinical trials by Timothy Leary and others before Nixon banned it and arrested him

 

[nofunclub]

I did psilocybin-assisted therapy at a reputable place and it made my PTSD worse. I know it's being heralded as a miracle breakthrough therapy and stuff, but I wish I had considered the possibility of it making things worse before I decided to try it. I kinda went in thinking it would either help or do nothing. Instead it has accelerated my timeline because I can't tolerate how bad every single day is now.

I read a lot of promising psilocybin studies for other mental health conditions before deciding to try it though, and it seems like MDMA-assisted therapy is quite promising for PTSD, if it ever gets approved. I also found LSD to have a healing effect that lasted a while when I did it recreationally over a decade ago.

Most people who have had success with psychedelic therapy are probably not on this site lol. Your sample here will not be representative of the general population.

In any event, psilocybin-assisted therapy was my Hail Mary / last ditch effort to get better. So at least there's that… I really feel like I tried everything, and getting better just isn't in the cards for me.

 

[divinemistress36]

I did psilocybin-assisted therapy at a reputable place and it made my PTSD worse. I know it's being heralded as a miracle breakthrough therapy and stuff, but I wish I had considered the possibility of it making things worse before I decided to try it. I kinda went in thinking it would either help or do nothing. Instead it has accelerated my timeline because I can't tolerate how bad every single day is now.

I read a lot of promising psilocybin studies for other mental health conditions before deciding to try it though, and it seems like MDMA-assisted therapy is quite promising for PTSD, if it ever gets approved. I also found LSD to have a healing effect that lasted a while when I did it recreationally over a decade ago.

Most people who have had success with psychedelic therapy are probably not on this site lol. Your sample here will not be representative of the general population.

In any event, psilocybin-assisted therapy was my Hail Mary / last ditch effort to get better. So at least there's that… I really feel like I tried everything, and getting better just isn't in the cards for me.

I think MDMA would be more beneficial for ptsd and maybe autism since it releases oxytocin the hormone that makes you feel bonded to others, more empathetic and trust others

 

[sserafim]

I think MDMA would be more beneficial for ptsd and maybe autism since it releases oxytocin the hormone that makes you feel bonded to others, more empathetic and trust others

I heard that even small doses of MDMA damage your brain…

 

[divinemistress36]

I heard that even small doses of MDMA damage your brain…

It could but so do psych meds and electroshock therapy

 

[sserafim]

It could but so do psych meds and electroshock therapy

All psych meds?