Should I stay sober or start tripping again?

[vishnusavestheday]

I have a couple sober friends and a couple alcohol-drinking friends. I'd like to introduce them all to psychedelics with different trip outsets in mind, but I know one of my sober friends is living completely fine without psychedelics. I've also relied on him for support in sobriety, so I feel that I would let him down should I buy a large quantity of LSD again. He didn't know me when I used to trip. I also feel that I don't want to be boxed in with silly identifications like sobriety or otherwise.

 

I've just been getting the call to take acid again. The last time I tripped was Lemon Tekking 4 grams--September 7. I haven't taken acid in years-- at least 2. It doesn't feel that long ago honestly.

 

I'm in a completely different state of living now, too. I also feel motivated to introduce psychedelics to others because it's therapeutic and it gives me a role to play with growing other people who are willing but lost.

 

But am I sacrificing my sobriety by tripping with other people // microdosing by myself? What should I think is important? I'm asking y'all for your thoughts and human probing purposes , but I'll send my sober friend a text right now too.

Thanks.

[John Paul]

You’d be kind to respect others identities and paths. There is no need to interfere other than embodying goodness. Watch out for your own identity slipping into the strategist phase mentioned in Leo’s 9 ego stages video part 3. So I wouldn’t offer it to anyone especially you’re sober friend. But if anyone- why not your drinking friends? They already drink. Just make sure they don’t have mantle health problems.

[vishnusavestheday]

@John Paul Yeah, quite a few of the drinking friends and stoner friends expressed interest in it. They haven't taken it before. 

 

My sober friend doesn't want to take any. He hasn't tripped since he was younger. I don't want to persuade him to trip, I just don't know if I value his opinion of me over who i could be

[flowboy]

@vishnusavestheday  Psychedelics are anti-addictive, so no you're not sacrificing your sobriety.

LSD used to be one of the original 12 steps of AA.

Unless you use them as an escape.

Only you can know whether you are escaping something by tripping.

 

Sidenote: I've stopped recommending psychedelics to people after I realised that although they work great for me, they could go very badly for people with a shakier psychology (prone to anxiety, etc)

[Aiwass]

Self-actualization, not others-actulization.

I completely executed a proper 30-day n,n-dmt topped off with synthetic 5-MeO solo retreat, inside my house, porn during lunch(aye, my retreat, my rules). 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Aiwass

[vishnusavestheday]

 

12 hours ago, flowboy said:

Psychedelics are anti-addictive, so no you're not sacrificing your sobriety.

LSD used to be one of the original 12 steps of AA.

Unless you use them as an escape.

Only you can know whether you are escaping something by tripping.

@flowboy I know that they are not physically addictive, and the point you've touched on is where my main conflict is.

 

I want to trip, but I can't tell if every inclination to trip at all is a desire to escape. Should escapist behavior be obvious?

 

Maybe, if I'm being ambivalent, there's a healthy level of escapism-- like going to clear your head of a problem by going for a run. I can see this in the psychedelic context as well, but I am also aware of my ego co-opting whatever sounds virtuous or convenient to justify going behind my other people's back by taking psychedelics. The people close to me don't view the activity with much positive appreciation to say the least. 

 

Currently, I am living with family for at least the remainder of this semester for school. I know that I have to move out of this fucking place ASAP, as I'm working on improving my credit score, etc etc in preparation for a down payment on a condo or studio.

 

I've also considered that this chapter in my life is not ideal for tripping right now, and I could believe that with having new work/school obligations and whatnot. Part of me just wants to hoard a lot of acid like I used to. The other side hopes to microdose more than I ever have before...

 

Ideally, I'd like to try a couple microdose rounds and see cognitive/confidence/creative benefits. 

 

Thoughts?

[Pudgey]

You have to set your priorities straight. 

Are you doing psychedelics for INFINITY or to have a circle jerk with friends?

If you are taking psychedelics to escape real life, you need to set life priorities straight and stay sober.

Stop toying with psychedelics man. 

[flowboy]

@vishnusavestheday

Escapism is when you'd rather be tripping than sober.

So you can't wait for the effects to come on, so that you can stop thinking what you're thinking, and feeling what you're feeling.

 

Even then, doing that once won't hurt and will probably set you straight.

It's only a problem if it's a habit, e.g. you should be working on moving out and changing your life but you're taking acid on the weekends instead.

[flowboy]

2 hours ago, vishnusavestheday said:

Part of me just wants to hoard a lot of acid like I used to.

This is a bit fishy though, why do you need a lot?

What does it represent to you?

[vishnusavestheday]

@flowboy

24 minutes ago, flowboy said:

Escapism is when you'd rather be tripping than sober.

So you can't wait for the effects to come on, so that you can stop thinking what you're thinking, and feeling what you're feeling.

 

Even then, doing that once won't hurt and will probably set you straight.

It's only a problem if it's a habit, e.g. you should be working on moving out and changing your life but you're taking acid on the weekends instead.

Okay, thanks for clearing that up. I'm glad I could be given perspective. 
 

I've been continuously fed fear-based definitions of problematic behavior recently, (eg. it's wrong if you know it's wrong) and I needed to hear something grounded in something exemplified.

 

So, to reiterate, escapism is always avoidance-based behavior? It can be mental and physical, and it always requires an intentional avoidance of unresolved problems?

 

18 minutes ago, flowboy said:

This is a bit fishy though, why do you need a lot?

What does it represent to you?

Good question. Having a lot of acid is like a feeling of abundance and lack of scarcity. But I'd also be acquiring from the web, and it doesn't seem smart to pay for shipping if only buying a small amount. It feels like I'm buying time. It feels like an investment. It feels like I'd be sitting on a castle made of sand with that much acid stored for future use, man.

 

You got me beat, dude. I couldn't come up with an answer that doesn't sound fishy. You're asking me to justify future use? I'm definitely planning to start microdosing, and I'd like to have a good amount to work with to feel comfortable if I were going to be thinking along a longer timeframe than a weekend.

Edited January 17, 2023 by vishnusavestheday

[flowboy]

21 minutes ago, vishnusavestheday said:

So, to reiterate, escapism is always avoidance-based behavior? It can be mental and physical, and it always requires an intentional avoidance of unresolved problems?

Yes, except "intentional" sounds like it's a conscious decision, which it is usually not. Usually when escapism happens, you tell yourself it's for a good reason and you're in denial about the actual reason.

The only way that works for me to tell the difference, is the "energy" behind it.

Is there something frantic in me that can't wait? A quality of neediness, neurotic urge?

If it feels like you're calm and you could take it or leave it, it's not escapism.

21 minutes ago, vishnusavestheday said:

Good question. Having a lot of acid is like a feeling of abundance and lack of scarcity. But I'd also be acquiring from the web, and it doesn't seem smart to pay for shipping if only buying a small amount. It feels like I'm buying time. It feels like an investment. It feels like I'd be sitting on a castle made of sand with that much acid stored for future use, man.

Sounds alright to me. I also stocked up on a bunch of acid once (acquired legally, it was 1P). I didn't want to be dependent on friends anymore.

I was rather watching for something like "having lots of acid so I can obliterate my mind". That would be unhealthy.

You're fine, enjoy a trip if you think it would help you.

Might help you break free from the opinions of friends

Edited January 17, 2023 by flowboy

[vishnusavestheday]

@flowboy  Yeah, I'm actually in the process of going the way of 1P myself actually.

7 minutes ago, flowboy said:

The only way that works for me to tell the difference, is the "energy" behind it.

Is there something frantic in me that can't wait? A quality of neediness, neurotic urge?

Okay this gives a lot better context, I appreciate it. This has been invaluably insightful to me thank you.