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Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

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Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#51
post #38

A trip can't be explained. You have to live it. From what I remember from my few experiences during my adolescence, a nice trip feels (visually) something similar to this vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1sZ_vwqwcE . Pixelation, fractals and weird japanese voices included… =) I don’t think I will ever repeat it, and I don’t think I need it. I was very fortunate to try it before my 20s. That level of introspectio…

The whole "can't be explained" thing is really annoying. Visually, a trip is very similar to this gif http://i.imgur.com/w9ygNoP.gif Mentally, it's like a series of breakthroughs you'd get after years of therapy wrapped up into a couple hours. You have to give people some explanation, otherwise we'll never progress past "I heard Lucy makes people go crazy and they think they can fly so they jump off the Golden Gate B…

Another annoying aspect of LSD is that it's impossible to say anything bad about LSD without being jumped on by people who have made LSD part of their own identity, the same way being a Democrat is part of their identity. Try saying anything bad about either one, and you're in for a bad time.

It's possible that the silent majority simply feel that spending a bunch of time in an altered LSD state is a crazy thing to do. People claim they are profoundly different after tripping, but if you look at what they do, not what they say, they don't seem much different. They seem like pretty much the same person, if you look at their accomplishments before and after.

That's not to discount the therapeutic properties. If LSD can help someone in pain, whether physical or emotional, then it's a great tool. But that's a very different situation from what most LSD proponents seem to imply: that everyone should do it for no particular reason except curiosity. And curiosity is nice, but we should at least be willing to admit what it is: an interesting experience, the same way taking a vacation to a remote tropical island is an interesting experience. But you'll still be pretty much the same person before and after your vacation, though more relaxed afterwards.

Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#52
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I do know I've never met someone who was proud to be an LSD user I am proud to be an LSD user. For a few of my friends who struggle with depression, they take LSD once every few months. They report that it acts as an emotional 'reset.'

Are you proud to be an LSD user in the context of everyday society? Do you tell your employer? Have you recommended LSD to all of your close family members? I don't know you or where you're from, but that's unheard of inside the circle of people I know.

>Are you proud to be an LSD user in the context of everyday society?

Not really a fair question, given the taboo still surrounding the drug. Imagine asking a homosexual in the 1950's "Are you proud to be gay in the context of everyday society?" Of course the answer is going to be "No." But in certain circles - namely those that don't give in to the notion that such experiences are unspeakable - the answer is surely "Yes."

That said, I agree with zafka that being "proud" to have taken LSD is effectively a category error.

Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#53

For anyone sharing their personal experiences, I would recommend looking at the following video. For the impatient, forward the video to around 3:45. http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke...

Awesome video. Thanks for posting it...

Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#54
post #38

A trip can't be explained. You have to live it. From what I remember from my few experiences during my adolescence, a nice trip feels (visually) something similar to this vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1sZ_vwqwcE . Pixelation, fractals and weird japanese voices included… =) I don’t think I will ever repeat it, and I don’t think I need it. I was very fortunate to try it before my 20s. That level of introspectio…

The whole "can't be explained" thing is really annoying. Visually, a trip is very similar to this gif http://i.imgur.com/w9ygNoP.gif Mentally, it's like a series of breakthroughs you'd get after years of therapy wrapped up into a couple hours. You have to give people some explanation, otherwise we'll never progress past "I heard Lucy makes people go crazy and they think they can fly so they jump off the Golden Gate B…

That gif is great.

In terms of physical sensation, someone once likened it to the shiver you sometimes experience while urinating, except lasting several hours instead of a fraction of a second. I always liked that analogy.

Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#55
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I do know I've never met someone who was proud to be an LSD user I am proud to be an LSD user. For a few of my friends who struggle with depression, they take LSD once every few months. They report that it acts as an emotional 'reset.'

Are you proud to be an LSD user in the context of everyday society? Do you tell your employer? Have you recommended LSD to all of your close family members? I don't know you or where you're from, but that's unheard of inside the circle of people I know.

I'm certainly the exception, but I've shared my experience with psychedelics with many people. Coworkers, friends, family. I'm not ashamed in the least.

Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#56
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is really little downside. Anecdotally i've heard people say marijuana will get you addicted to harder drugs, will turn you into a melted couch blob, etc.

Straw man argument is made of straw. I'm speaking of word of mouth from informed, trusted friends, not what I heard from those who have an agenda have to say on fox news.

Ironically you are straw manning my own argument which was also from experienced drug users

Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#58

When I see videos like this, or read other experiences of LSD, I wonder if I'm not missing out on something. LSD, uniquely amongst mainstream recreational drugs, seems to have the promise of an outright transcendental upside, with supposedly little downside. It saddens me that there is no safe and legal way for me to try it.

It's been at least 15 years since my last trip, but they do make a lasting impression. It wasn't something I did a lot, but it maybe totaled 20 times over about 10 years. Having said that, it's not always a grand magical experience. I had one semi-bad trip, which in retrospect I unconsciously but intentionally set myself up for. You've got to watch that carefully, and be aware of it, what your mindset is going in. I…

Similar experience here. I spent about 30 minutes staring at a Windows NT 4 wallpaper[1] in college, and saw many objects such as skulls, bodies, etc. in it which cognition under normal circumstances filters out. Our cognitive filters must be really good at preventing us from seeing false positives in the patterns out in the visual field.

The way the setting made a difference for me were perceived risks. In the same way my cognitive filter was disabled for visual patterns, it must have been disabled for danger too; seeing a candle on the coffee table made me panic about a fire so I put it out, and seeing a friend go out on the balcony of our second floor apartment made me terrified that he would try to "fly" or hurt himself, so I made him come in and locked the balcony door. I can definitely see how a more adverse setting could lead to a really scary trip.

Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The whole "can't be explained" thing is really annoying. Visually, a trip is very similar to this gif http://i.imgur.com/w9ygNoP.gif Mentally, it's like a series of breakthroughs you'd get after years of therapy wrapped up into a couple hours. You have to give people some explanation, otherwise we'll never progress past "I heard Lucy makes people go crazy and they think they can fly so they jump off the Golden Gate B…

Another annoying aspect of LSD is that it's impossible to say anything bad about LSD without being jumped on by people who have made LSD part of their own identity, the same way being a Democrat is part of their identity. Try saying anything bad about either one, and you're in for a bad time. It's possible that the silent majority simply feel that spending a bunch of time in an altered LSD state is a crazy thing to d…

Psychedelics are a part of my own identity, but moreso DMT and mushrooms than LSD. In fact, I have had several terrifying experiences with LSD that left me a bit shaken. I've also known people to go off the deep end with LSD. I think drugs should be taken with caution, and LSD is one that I am reluctant to take again (though there is a fair chance I will at some point). LSD has shown me a power to ravage the human psyche in ways that I haven't seen in mushrooms or LSD, and therefore I consider it to have the potential to be somewhat more dangerous.

Re: Veteran's Hospital LSD Testing (1956) [video]

#60
post #50
post #41

Just sounds like radically heightened synaesthesia and sensory sensitivity. With a bit of focus you can start seeing the colors floating in the air she's talking about. Stare at a wall. Focus only on the vision itself, the image rendered to your consciousness if you will. Focus on the grain/noise/vibration in it. Try to "amplify" it as much as possible. Look at the patterns that form. There's gonna be some color here…

The other thing you can do is close your eyes and put gentle pressure on you eyeballs. You'll start to see moving patterns emerging in the dark.

Just don't use pointed sticks like Newton.
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