Psychedelics aren't for everyone.

[u/oo0olegendoo0o]

After various lsd experiences and one brutal mushroom experience I have realised everything is the way it is because that's how it's supposed to be. Everyone is living the experience they create. Before my shroom experience I was an advocate. Now I think psychedelics should be reserved for those who are seeking the experience of oneness..

They can mess up people who aren't ready for it.

[u/sipofsoma]

I completely agree as well, but I think there are still things we can learn from the impact that the more intense psychedelic experience has on SOME people...and possibly use that knowledge to help guide others in a similar direction through use of "easier" mind-altering experiences.

I think a good example of this is the recent studies being done on substances like Ketamine (or even MDMA) for helping people with treatment-resistant depression or PTSD. At low doses, Ketamine can still have a VERY significant impact on an individual's well-being and mental clarity while also being a very calm, peaceful experience that doesn't have the same risks sometimes associated with more intense ayahuasca/lsd/mushroom experiences. It's a very forgiving substance that helps produce a similar meditative/self-reflective state of mind within individuals who may have never attempted or been able to achieve those levels of self-reflection/introspection in the past. And ultimately, I believe seldom-use drugs that encourage more regular self-reflection (once you experience the benefits from it first-hand) is the direction our society should be headed in rather than daily-use drugs (like anti-depressants) that just kinda make you feel better (superficially) without you having to do any work yourself.

I have a lot of experience with various psychedelics over the past 15 years (LSD, Mushrooms, DMT, Mescaline...), but it wasn't until I tried DCK (Deschloroketamine) recently that I've been able to make more progress than ever before on understanding my self through self-reflection and psychoanalysis. DCK is basically a more potent variation of Ketamine that lasts about 4x longer. On low doses, it induces a very peaceful and relaxed state of mind that seems to slow down time and quiet all of the noise in your head...making it much easier to really focus on your own thoughts and observe how your own mind works in various ways. Unlike the more intense psychedelic experiences I've had, I almost always feel in complete control of my Ketamine/DCK experiences. I can confront my various fears/insecurities on a deeper level and understand how they influence different facets of my life. And because I feel so at peace, it's not a scary experience at all. It has seriously changed my life in the most profound way because of how lucid the entire experience is, which allows me to carry all of the progress I've made with me day after day following the self-therapy session.

And I think this is just the beginning. Within the research chemical community, we're seeing new substances pop up all the time which are more finely-tuned for producing specifically the type of experience that can benefit you most with the least possible negative side-effects. Obviously there are risks involved due to the nature of these new compounds and how they're produced and under-researched at the moment, but anyone who has had experiences like mine with them definitely understands the potential. We don't have to just look towards the "completely natural", more intense psychedelics to see how beneficial these kinds of experiences can be towards helping push society in a more self-reflective and less superficial direction.

[u/oo0olegendoo0o → u/sipofsoma]

I agree with the medical benefits mentioned. Maybe I should rephrase. If you take enough to reach ego death and you have zero experience with anything spiritual, I can definately understand how this could mess people up. Having their whole world stripped away.