looking for some honest advice from people with experience of the dark side of shroom

OK, i've tripped on mushrooms moreso than any other hard psychedelic. i've probably done it...maybe 12 times? i only weigh around 110 pounds, and it has literally been split right down the middle of experiences which were great all the way through and experiences that went downhill at some point.

I've been to the hospital twice because of bad trips on shrooms. my honest take is that i didn't necessarily NEED to go to the hospital but i was freaking out the people around me and they didn't know what to do so they called 911.

The last time i tripped was on only half an 8th, and 90 percent of the trip was absolutely amazing. the last 10 percent ended with me freaking out and going to the hospital. Like i said i'm a lightweight so i trip hard quite easily. I honestly look at the bad trips as a release of fear and i really think i would have been fine eventually if i had not gone to the hospital. But that's just me. Perhaps all i needed was a reminder that i'm tripping and that it would end at some point. I just wish the people around me could have realized that. Even when i got to hospital i was in an amazing mood once again and getting my mind blown by everything...extreme revelations were rushing forth. There was just that tiny section of "badness" which resulted in someone calling 911.

I'd like to trip again, and if i did, i would probably either buy an 8th or half an 8th and just do quarter 8ths at a time. I just really feel like i need to trip at some point again in my life, not even necessarily soon, but just to prove to myself that i can make it all the way through again. I just don't want to end my shroom extravaganza on such a bad note because it seems to taint so many amazing and beautiful moments. I feel defeated by these shrooms, and perhaps something wants to conquer the fears inside of me, for better or for worse.

I'd like to get an intelligent and experienced sitter, someone who has tripped on shrooms before, i have someone in mind, but just someone that could understand that even if i start getting scared, they could just understand that it is a kind of release and that it WILL end. I need someone who can promise me they won't call the cops, cause that's only making things more complicated in my honest opinion.

But i think that if i choose the proper set and setting, and only start off doing quarter 8ths this next time, i think it is totally do-able.

What do you think? i want responses from experienced shroom delvers and anyone who has had bad trips. I need some kind of closure that just because i went to the hospital doesn't necessarily mean i should never trip again, which alot of people have told me in the past.

And yes, i understand that ultimately it's all up to me, and only i can know my body and my psychology and the drugs that i put into my system etc etc.

so with that aside i want some honest and intelligent feedback from experienced users.

thank you,

chris

 

you shouldnt trip around people that are so inexperienced with psychedelics that they would seriously think that calling 911 and taking you to the hospital is the best course of action for a bad trip. If you were not having a bad trip before, going to the fucking ER while tripping balls is definitely one way to start one. Now if you were having a legitimate physical reaction to a substance (allergies for example) then thats one thing (better safe than sorry) but anyone who know entheogens knows that "freaking out" is best dealt with through conversation...talking you down if you will. Please next time you trip keep it between you and the experienced sitter and for the love of god don't invite friends who are going to call 911 on you just cause you talking crazy talk. Be safe and have FUN.

 

yeah its very true, ive had many bad trips, and ive made people swear to not call 911, because youre not in any real danger in a bad trip, its merely a different type of learning experience
getting a trip sitter that will leave you alone, and only interfere in your trip when you ask them to would be the best idea, but its hard to find someone who will do that
almost anyone whos sober and tripsits you, will try to influence you with "weird" or "mindblowing" topics, and dont understand that the adventurer andn the mushrooms should be in control

but if you have someone in mind who understands your goal for your next trip, then i would say go for it

but if youre going to trip in increments of 1/4 of an 8th, you could do it alone in my opinion, but its all up to you

 

You gave us zero information about the freak out, only that it happened. What was it about? What started it? What ended it? Answer me these riddles three.

 

I would trip around people who have taken shrooms / psychedelics and only in small groups. Or maybe even alone, though I know some people will advise against this. Just know that you are not dying, nothing is wrong with you, you're just TRIPPING BALLS.

 

good shroomates can be hard to find.

 

There is no darkside to a mushroom. If a dark side does exist, it exists only in the realm of you.

 

i ran outside screaming and crying. The neighbors are the ones who called the cops. i was yelling. so, it seems as if it just happened all by itself. It's really understandable to say the least.

I felt as if i was going to jump out of this dimension or something. I felt my reality was disappearing. It just got to a point of almost a brick wall that i could not go beyond. This has happened before but without me going to the hospital. I was by myself and nothing really resulted from the fear. It's an intense fear. my bad trips have always been with either half an 8th or just an 8th.

So it really is up to me. But how do i know if i'm ready for it again or not? Am i supposed to just leave it alone forever?

 

how much is an eight again??? i think two three grams would not give you very intense hallucinations... and when I ever do shrooms, Im unable to think, not to mention talk... Im wasted that way and I dont have realizations... I cant even have a coherent tought

 

ChinaCatSunFlower, a few tips:

-Trip with only one close friend who youre really comfortable around.
-Let him/her know that the hospital or police should not be called.
-Trip somewhere away from home and in a quiet setting.
-Exercise on the come up, (jog, sit ups, bike, etc.) It relieves ALOT of the uncomfortable body sensations that many people get on the comeup, which can be reason for bad trips alot of the time.

 

This is something you should meditate on, really dig deep. In my opinion there are certain substances that should not be consumed unless the person is prepared for intense altering of the consciousness and potentially profound spiritual experiences. These experiences can be highly introspective and sometimes unpleasant, trust me I know Ive been there. Everyone is different but If you decide to take psychedelics again let me give you some advice.

1. Clear your mind. Its important to be free of negative thoughts. If your in a troubled or stressed state of mind (boy/girlfriend trouble, school trouble, family problems... whatever the case may be) then you should probably abstain until any problems are sorted out. Think positively... if you think you will enjoy yourself, you probably will.
2. Clear your body. Eat healthy for at least a few days before and make sure to get plenty of fiber. Consider fasting 8-12hrs before. The less junk in your system the less nauseous you will get. Bad nausea can ruin a trip.
3. Plan your trip. Don't just dose because your bored. Make sure people know your going to be "unavailable", and turn off your cell phone. This can help you avoid unexpected situations.
4. Find a good sitter. someone experienced, but just as important, some one your comfortable being around.
5. Set and setting. Make sure your somewhere trip safe, somewhere where there isn't anyone that you don't want knowing whats up (otherwise you might get paranoid). Only be with people who your are absolutely comfortable with. Put on chill music, relax.

Sorry...I like lists... hope this helps :cheers2:

 

lists are helpful lol
thats a pretty good list too haha

the only thing i have to add is to not plan anything, that means anything at all , zero responsibilities, for at least 7 hours after you eat them, it doesnt feel good to HAVE to do something while tripping

 

i agree wholeheartedly with this.
if you're having a bad trip, always remember that it will end, and the only reason you are having a 'bad' experience is because you, and only you, have willed it so.
your trip seems as though it may have stemmed from your conscious or subconscious fear of losing your 'self', your identity as an individual, and everything you currently understand your rational waking experience of conscious life to be.this can obviously be extremely scary, and will ultimately lead to a 'bad trip'.

i personally prefer to trip alone, and to stay in one place, so as to limit distraction from the experience of the mushrooms themselves.
when i first started taking mushrooms i was around friends who weren't tripping, and in situations that weren't necessarily 'suitable' to trip. Don't get me wrong though, not all of the trips I had then were bad, but I certainly had a fair share of disturbing experiences.
having tripped alone, it has been easier for me to acknowledge if my experience is about to take a downward spiral into fear. When this happens, i simply remind myself that everything is ok, and that the universe is one and complete, so there literally is nothing i should fear.

My advice to you would be to just keep eating mushrooms, observe your experience, and if fear arises, remind yourself that you have had bad trips before, but you're still alive, still breathing, still you!
you shouldn't let a few bad experiences turn you off from the bigger journey.
get to know yourself more, and as this happens, your fears and worries tend to dissolve and fade as gracefully as the morning haze at sunrise.

i wish you peace in your experiences!

 

Thank you so much for the responses, people. It really means a lot to me. The psychedelic community, whether at music fests, parties, or through the cyber world, is always so gracious and supportive of one another. i love it. Thanks a lot for the advice.

What does Mr. Writer think?

 

fear of dying, fear of the end, fear of change, fear of no "i". its the exact same fear that grips every tripper in every single variation of "bad trip". It is existential panic. It is a fantastic illusion created by your mind, which is the one dying. Your mind has made you associate with it so much, that you think you are your mind. So as your mind begins disintegrating, it panics, and screams into your awareness, "I AM DYING! MY REALITY IS DISSAPEARING! OH MY GOOOOOODDDDDD" and like a good little servant who always listens to his mind, you take this at face value, and shit bricks.

But it's not the truth. It's a biased opinion. Your mind has caused you more pain throughout your life than it has caused you pleasure. Your mind is not to be trusted, ever. Get in the habit of questioning that persistent voice, get in the habit of not believing everything it says, of replying to its statements "Well, maybe, and maybe not". It will diminish with time if you do this, and it will settle down, and the balance will begin to shift a bit, although your mind will forever be in part an autonomous force inside your world with its own desires, fears, and plans. It is also known as "ego".

You'll know you're ready when you don't have to ask if you're ready.

Do you understand now what is going on? You are perceiving your thoughts, and confusing them for reality, which they are not. They are your mind's analysis of reality. Your are looking at a pie chart of damage done in Hiroshima, and shitting bricks because you think a nuclear bomb just went off beside you. Learn to relax, and let go. This one who is dying is not you, because you are aware of this thing dying, which means that you are something else which is watching it die, so it can't be you. What you are, is that thing which is always there, which cannot go away, which perceives all things, all minds, all arising, all dying. This one is the only one. Anything else is mere frothy water.

 

i think the point of the "darkside" within this context is to test our inner strength. psychedelic space can get pretty heavy and there can be some real frightening confrontations, but it really comes down to holding (or having faith in) love more strongly than the fear of being annihalated by our weaknesses. the "dying" process that these heavy trips represent certainly have the potential to unravel the healthy aspects of our ego as well as the unhealthy aspects if it is allowed to do so.

a number of years ago i was eating mushooms fairly regularly, and the accumulative effect was building up in such a way that i knew i was going to have a real heavy trip soon. so i hiked into the jungle (i was on kauai at the time) alone and ate an 8th, sat down and went for it. highly recommended. my advice is to set yourself up for a trip in which you can embrace and process the darkest shit you could be confronted by... intent on choosing love over fear.

if you not into that, then my advice is to stop eating mushrooms. because its probably just going to drive you bonkers otherwise.

 

Though I totally agree with all the opinions on set and setting and fear of letting go to as being the usual suspects, I must say I have seen more bad trips on shrooms than any other psychedelic.

I feel that if there is a bad energy in the soul it is more likely to come out with shrooms than anything else. I would say at certain doses (both low and high) there is more anxiety than acid and the fact that shrooms have a habit of slowing down the breathing.

As always what it comes down to is: are you ready? If not, then forget about it.

 

i think i am ready for a small dose, but i'm not rushing about it. so with that said, i've begun to notice that existence presents the shit i need automatically when i am ready for it. so i won't go out of my way to find some since i have no hookups presently anyway. i start classes tomorrow, and a lot of new changes are beginning to happen in many different ways. so if it presents itself to me i'll on jump on that shit.

mr. writer, do you think the ego ever dies completely? or do you just extract your identity from it permanently at some point but even then it still exists as some sort of hollow shell?

 

except it is not hollow like you think

it is so full that you will forever weep for all those around you who dwell in the fingernail depth of themselves, ignoring the towering that

 

this was so well put it rocked me out of my damn seat....

thank you that made my night..