"the side effect of this drug is serious hallucinations every time you take it, often serious enough that people recommend that you only take it in the presence

"the side effect of this drug is serious hallucinations every time you take it, often serious enough that people recommend that you only take it in the presence of a licensed professional able to deal with the fallout of a hallucinatory episode going bad" Many consider the "hallucinations" to be actually quite valuable and seek them out. So that this substance causes them would be a plus. As for doing psychedelics with a therapist, that can be beneficial, depending on what your goals are, where you are in your life, whether you can find a good therapist who you like, respect, and trust, etc. But taking psychedelics in a therapeutic context is not the only legitimate way of using them constructively. You could also take them in shamanic, religious, ritualistic, creative, sexual, or even playful contexts -- though some would argue that these are seriously powerful and perhaps even sacred substances that deserve tremendous respect and should not be used casually. As for the trip turning "bad", that's always a possibility because these are in fact very, very powerful substances, and one could get in to a situation one is not capable of dealing with on one's own. That's why having an experienced person you like and trust with you is essential. It's like going on an expedition to Antarctica or to the moon. You wouldn't be advised to try it alone. An experienced companion can help you in all sorts of ways and have your back. That doesn't mean the trip is not worth taking. It just means that you should prepare thoroughly and take every reasonable precaution. Also, regarding bad trips: it may be more productive to call them "difficult trips" or, better, "challenging trips". If one takes the attitude of curiosity and tries to learn something from every experience, no matter how unsettling, one may find that the challenging trips are ones that offer a lot of learning opportunities. I know that I've learned far more from my bad trips than the good ones. That doesn't mean that everyone can deal with anything that comes up during a challenging trip.. some people are clearly not ready, or have some demons they really, really don't want to or aren't capable of facing. This is why doing this in a therapeutic context may be safest, but at least go in with an experienced person you like and trust. They might be able to help. As for personality changes... that could actually be a good thing. Some people are happy with themselves the way they are, others are looking for a change. However, such changes on psychedelics don't tend to be permanent. After a while, people tend to slide back in to the same old habits and the same old ways of viewing the world. It usually takes very significant, conscious, and deliberate effort over the long run to have a chance of making what you learn during a trip in to your life stay with your forever.