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Psychedelic mushrooms, specifically Psilocybe *. Losing that ego-based view of the world and realizing the interconnectedness of all things, and feeling that c
by uoaei 9y ago
Psychedelic mushrooms, specifically Psilocybe *.
Losing that ego-based view of the world and realizing the interconnectedness of all things, and feeling that connection at the deepest levels of your psyche, does wonders for eliminating the adversarial individualism that I feel generates a lot of issues when enacted in all participants of society. Before, I had (and admittedly still have) some aspects of my self that, when acting through them, generate much undue stress in interpersonal relationships. I've never been particularly social and psychedelics have helped me simultaneously empathize with my fellow participants and remove the stupid anxieties related to others' view of you. "L'enfer, c'est les autres" is still very much a part of my outlook but approaching this mentality from both sides (ego-centric and ego-dissolved) has made abundantly clear how to manage these anxieties, even if I still get caught up in them sometimes, leading to destructive behavior.
All interactions are social, and embedded in the expectations and habits of human participants. At work, in romance, in family, and between friends, understanding what is meaningful and mutually beneficial interaction is essential for long-term happiness as a part of society.
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A second thing that has helped a lot has been living abroad in very colorful and international communities. The vast array of perspectives and norms gives you a wider understanding and a deep empathy for how people can grow up in flawed societies and how to approach the fostering of your own to overcome those flaws.
- overcast 9y agoI don't advocate drugs in any form, but everyone should experience hallucinogens at some point in their life. It will change your life, for the better.
- datpuz 9y agoNot everyone* People with some personality and mood disorders can really be thrown off by psychedelic experiences. A lot of people really struggle to attain stability and control in their lives, and I'm not sure they are good candidates for people who should have their entire reality pulled out from under them.
- uoaei 9y agoAs always, the key factors are set and setting, i.e., how you are feeling mentally in terms of your comfort zone and confidence that things will go well, and the environment in which you have the experience, especially the kinds of people you surround yourself with. Meaningful experiences can be had even on quite low doses so I encourage everyone to at least do some research in good faith. One good place to start is Erowid.
- Toast_25 9y agoIt's worth mentioning that if you have bipolar or schizophrenia do NOT trip. It will most likely trigger an episode.
- Finch2193 9y agoYou don't advocate drugs, but everyone should take mushrooms? That's advocating drugs!
- vinchuco 9y agoSeems like parent advocates the experience, not the habit
- thomasmarcelis 9y agoI find it weird people keep saying they lose the ego-based view of the world after taking psychedelics, it has had the complete opposite effecf on me. I know the experience is very personal but I have never read about experiences similar to mine. I become very ego-centric and just think about how I can get the most out of the world. I do think it has affected me positively overall. I find it easier to work through tough times in order to reach what I want these days.
- uoaei 9y agoCurious. If you don't mind answering on a public forum, what was the ratio of your dosage to bodyweight? For instance, my experiences were usually around the ratio 5e-5. It is true that some people's egos "fight" the drug more than others. All the bad trips I've seen in others have been the result of a person's ego refusing to relinquish control over the body, and fighting to remain relevant to the host. They were driven to a maniacal series of "I want/I need" demands and their satisfaction, which is precisely what the ego thrives on. Below a certain level, the ego does not feel threatened but continues to act, as it did for you I guess. Above a certain level, the ego is forcefully dissolved but this may not always lead to a beneficial experience that feels safe.
- a-priori 9y agoI find it really interesting that psychedelic drug users frame their experiences in Freudian terms, using terms like 'ego' and its struggle against other entities within the mind.
- yesenadam 9y agoWhat's so really interesting about it? Well, what other term would be so readily understood by people? Also, I guess with LSD/mushrooms there's usually a lot going on, and you can either go with it or try to resist. Going with it is advisable, but it can get scary - e.g. horrific death/maggot/slime-based imagery. You have to trust in the experience, which is so huge the self disappears. I guess a similar thing happens in everyday life, but not so unmistakably. A similar thing came up for me when writing orchestral music - I quickly learnt just to be a tool for the music, to follow the flow, never to impose my ideas "I want this to happen here/next" - that never worked; just to write down what I heard in my head. I guess a lot of pursuits are like that.