Alex Owens and I talk about psychedelics this episode.
Content warning: neither of us are experts. This is not medical advice. Please do your own research.
Alex shares a story of ego death while on mushrooms and acid. We talk about why Alex started into psychedelics and why Alex stopped. I discuss my experiences with mushrooms while on escitalopram, an SSRI. Please note some of the risks we’ve taken like mixing psychedelics with possible bipolar disorder or mixing psychedelics with antidepressants may be relatively high risk behaviours. We don’t advise you doing as we’ve done. We’re just here to talk about our experiences.
Here’s a love letter about taking care of yourself because you’re special. Yes, you. Let’s talk about risk profiles. We all want to get our needs met. Maybe that’s falling in love or fucking or holding someone’s hand and sharing a shy, flirty glance. Often getting our needs met comes with some amount of risk. Take falling in love with someone. There’s big risk. Rejection or maybe acceptance first followed by rejection.
A great poet once described this experience as a “sick obsession” where she got “strung out.” What seems like a very high cost for a fleeting high may be outside of your risk profile. But biomedical ethics tells us we can’t make decisions for other people or presume to understand their human experience. So when this poet says “the rush is worth the price I pay,” we have to believe her. For those of you who got the trolly, dated reference, I’m truly sorry.
So only you can decide what your profile is of risks you’re willing to take for the experiences you crave.
And remember that there are often lots of things you can do to get the same high at a much lower risk price, so no need to be reckless. There are safer behaviours. Be with people who help you feel safe. Be in an environment that is safe. Google and research. Find community. Remember there’s almost always another chance to get higher later where you can up your dose. No need to worry it’s not working after fifty minutes and take more. Give it hours. Also please note that the ego death experience Alex talks about on mushrooms actually involved a tab of acid alongside the mushrooms. Worst case, you don’t feel anything and try again after. Chances are you will feel something.
You are precious. Be well, friends. Now let’s listen to the session with Alex Owens here on Intimate Interactions.