131–138 of 138 posts
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Heck, saying that LSD is addictive at all is actually a really strong claim, which you didn’t support.
And you didn't acknowledge your silly logic error so we are even.
I mean, you called them both addictive, how is that not “like” each other?
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And you didn't acknowledge your silly logic error so we are even.
You called LSD and Shrooms addictive without evidence, but you’re more angry about me using the word “like”? I mean, you called them both addictive, how is that not “like” each other?
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This is such a difficult question -- I honestly wish I knew the answer outright and could give it to you. I don't think I can do that much, but what I can do is offer some theories and context. (Note: I wrote at length about this experience, and my general experiences with both psychedelics + MDMA here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22991744 ) I'll write the following under the assumption that you/the reader d…
"Psychedelics are a fundamentally neutral substance. What I mean by that is, that they and the experience, are neither good nor bad." There are a significant number of people who view the psychedelic substances they use as teachers, as sacred, as emissaries of gods or other supernatural beings, or as those beings themselves. Though such views are often dismissed as superstition or magical thinking by many who conside…
Kind of like how more experience with nature moved those same societies to not want to destroy it? While it's reasonable to question underlying prejudice and (frankly) very little actual knowledge I do not think that's going to be solved with more experience. We just don't see that reflected in reality. Most of Western society is fossilised, hostile and fundamentally exploitative. Having those attitudes change would involve a complete overhaul of the underlying cultures, which just isn't likely.
Anyone with first hand experience of LSD ?
Please, you're on a discussion site where the main demographic is actively microdosing to improve their productivity at startups inbetween two editions of Burning Man. You'd be hardpressed to find someone without a first-hand experience of acid. But yeah, you pretty much tend to remember everything that happens to you during a trip, even years afterwards, which naively makes me believe your brain and memories become…
This doesn't much change the summary. Even at face-value (though you have to wonder about losing 80% of their data), what functional changes does some transient blood serum increases in BDNF cause, and why would some chemical results noticeably change one's assessment of the experimental evidence reported so far? It will be much more interesting to read the other data, which, however, remains unknown: "assessment of mood, cognition, empathy, and creativity that will be reported elsewhere." (That's from the pain paper reporting this study. Apparently they intend to salami-slice this study into at least 3 papers.)
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Honestly a fair number of studies have been done and the problem with all that stuff is there's always been a relatively high rate of complications and adverse outcomes. Responses/experiences are hard to predict. I get that in some people it can be a wonderful thing, nearly a miracle cure. I've done plenty of psychedelics myself, but I always find the insistence by proponents that any harm done is the fault of the us…
I don't disagree with this; I do wonder however if this is more related to the black-market nature of this drug. Aka, inconsistent 'manufacturing' processes, etc. Meaning if it were legal and had a process in place to assure the correct chemical composition, if that would still happen. Thinking about this further - have bad trips been observed in clinical studies where the the LSD was created in a controlled, ideal l…
It will. I'll stake my life-savings on it too.
>Thinking about this further - have bad trips been observed in clinical studies where the the LSD was created in a controlled, ideal lab setting?
Yes, actually, the results here are the ones usually criticized by psychonauts for causing bad trips due to "bad settings" or "poor preparation". There's a bit of truth to that, but the bad trips are always going to happen.
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I do absolutely agree on that. What would be nice is that you get the benefits of the drug without any of the "bad trip" experiences, in a controlled way.
If you look at every trip as a learning experience, even a bad trip doesn't have to be all bad. Now, I wouldn't wish my own bad trips on anyone, but I've found I learned far, far more from them than I did my good trips, so in that sense they were actually beneficial. Also, the term "bad trip" may be a misnomer. They might be more fittingly called "difficult trips" or "challenging trips". It is possible to draw meanin…
For some, maybe even most, but it would be irresponsible to assume that it would be the case for everyone, and this is exactly the sort of blaming the victim of the bad trip for "doing it wrong" that I was talking about. Somehow it's their fault for having a bad trip, or for looking at it wrong and failing to "correctly" integrate it into their worldview.
Humans are a diverse group. That line of thinking just doesn't work from a clinical perspective.
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If you look at every trip as a learning experience, even a bad trip doesn't have to be all bad. Now, I wouldn't wish my own bad trips on anyone, but I've found I learned far, far more from them than I did my good trips, so in that sense they were actually beneficial. Also, the term "bad trip" may be a misnomer. They might be more fittingly called "difficult trips" or "challenging trips". It is possible to draw meanin…
>If you look at every trip as a learning experience, even a bad trip doesn't have to be all bad. For some, maybe even most, but it would be irresponsible to assume that it would be the case for everyone, and this is exactly the sort of blaming the victim of the bad trip for "doing it wrong" that I was talking about. Somehow it's their fault for having a bad trip, or for looking at it wrong and failing to "correctly"…
Yes, things could go wrong even if one takes every reasonable precaution, is in the best frame of mind, etc. That's why having helped from experienced people you can trust is a good idea, but even that offers no guarantees.
There are no guarantees in life for anything. You could break your neck climbing a ladder to change a lightbulb. People can and do suffer severe accidents (including severe brain damage) skiing, driving, or crossing the street.
Yes, you should be aware of the risks and look both ways when crossing the street, but you could still suffer some accident even then. For some the risky activity is worth it, for others not. For those who think it is, it's helpful to educate oneself and take reasonable precautions. No blame necessary or intended.
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"Psychedelics are a fundamentally neutral substance. What I mean by that is, that they and the experience, are neither good nor bad." There are a significant number of people who view the psychedelic substances they use as teachers, as sacred, as emissaries of gods or other supernatural beings, or as those beings themselves. Though such views are often dismissed as superstition or magical thinking by many who conside…
> I suspect that as they gain more experience with them their views will change. Kind of like how more experience with nature moved those same societies to not want to destroy it? While it's reasonable to question underlying prejudice and (frankly) very little actual knowledge I do not think that's going to be solved with more experience. We just don't see that reflected in reality. Most of Western society is fossili…
So the entire culture doesn't have to be overhauled to have a massive influence. During and after the 60's there was a backlash against the counterculture -- a backlash that was ultimately very effective in some ways, and one which continues today, but I do believe a lot of people will start to once again see that another way is possible once psychedelic use becomes more widespread and mainstream. That potential is one of the few things that gives me a sliver of hope about humanity's future.