In a 2021 paper published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, researchers describe how psychedelic users turn their challenging trips into valuable experiences through the particular narratives users construct around their bad trips. One crucial finding was that many users identified a lack of competence as the cause of their negative psychedelic experiences. This…
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It’s often assumed, because of the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs, that tripping can help people shed nihilistic and depressive worldviews. In fact, this does happen for many, with feelings of existential joy and a yes-saying to the world suffusing the psychedelic state – and these feelings of optimism and life affirmation can carry over…
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Whenever discussing harm reduction related to psychedelic use, we need to consider not just how psychedelics are used but also if they should be used at a particular moment in time. In his book The Joyous Cosmology (1962), Alan Watts famously cautioned psychedelic users: When you get the message, hang up the phone. For psychedelic…
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It is a common experience to find that you tripped more regularly and frequently in your younger years, with experiences happening less often with age. Initial psychedelic use typically occurs between ages 15 to 19, with 19 being the most likely age for people to first experiment with these compounds (note that this refers to…
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The fear of missing out (FOMO) is by no means a trivial form of distress. Fears about missing out on information, events, experiences, or life decisions that could enhance one’s life are associated with worsened depression and anxiety, and a lowered quality of life. FOMO drives the need to persistently stay glued to social media,…
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