This is the problem that bothers me. The current mckenna theory that hallucinations effected by "sacred" plants somehow has a spiritual and medicinal aspect to it could make sense.But then what do we ... View MoreThis is the problem that bothers me. The current mckenna theory that hallucinations effected by "sacred" plants somehow has a spiritual and medicinal aspect to it could make sense.But then what do we make of hallucinations caused by more mundane objects. The effects of sniffing benzene or glue gives users the same shared audible hallucination in the "bo-ing bo-ing bo-ing" sound before you slip into a completely otherworldly state of unconscious mind, yet I've never heard anyone suggest solvents are a spiritual experience or have any positive impacts on mental health. Is there a qualitive difference in the two experiences or are mushrooms just being overhyped as the latest trend, and in reality give hallucinations exactly like any other hallucinations.
Right off the bat, solvents can cause major damage to several different organs including permanant brain damage. They can also cause sudden death. So calling them medicinal is off the table. As far as spiritually, its within the realm of possibility for someone to have a spiriual experience from sni... View MoreRight off the bat, solvents can cause major damage to several different organs including permanant brain damage. They can also cause sudden death. So calling them medicinal is off the table. As far as spiritually, its within the realm of possibility for someone to have a spiriual experience from sniffing glue. I wouldnt call it a reliable method of achieving a religous experience whereas psychedelics, at the right dose, are a pretty surefire way to achieve one. For the sake of argument, lets say someone has had a mystical experience from sniffing glue. Lets say this person has also had a similar mystical experience from doing mushrooms. Negative health consequences aside, is there anything that would cause this person to value one of these experiences more than the other? Not that i can think of. If the value of these experiences is measured by the subjective religous quality, what would be the difference? But the thing about mushrooms is that the medicinal value isnt measured solely by the subjective religous quality, although i would argue that that is part of it. Mushrooms also have a lasting effect on depression, anxiety, addiction and other harmful habits like gambling. Im not aware of any similar medicinal qualities derived from glue sniffing. So my conclusion would be that the spiritual and medicinal value of these substances would be better evaluated seperately. And doing so youd find almost no value gained from solvent inhalation. So...glue kills brain cells. Shrooms grow brain cells
This place always pleasantly surprises me. I posted this status into the great cyber void in a way to get my head around an idea by putting it into words. And here i get some well reasoned answers all grammatically perfect which can only be a result of some thought process taking my question serious... View MoreThis place always pleasantly surprises me. I posted this status into the great cyber void in a way to get my head around an idea by putting it into words. And here i get some well reasoned answers all grammatically perfect which can only be a result of some thought process taking my question seriously, that isnt the internet i know, a post like this would normally have been an excuse for keyboard warriors to call me stupid. So thanks for taking it seriously.
As to my question itself, i should have used timothy o'leary rather than mckenna. McKenna's name is too big and clouds the real issue. Likewise my example of solvents was too extreme something like a poppy and opium might have been better to consider.
But ultimately my originsl post missed the point, what i was really asking myself is :
am i lying to myself about my motives in an attempt to justify my actions of abusing another substance as a nagging feeling of suspicion suggests, or; is that nagging feeling of suspicion my mind resisting a new idea of using drugs as medicine that goes against what i have been taught of drugs being bad. . . From where i sit watching myself i can't tell the two apart.
Can i ask if you have a history of drug abuse? That seems to be what youre implying and the reason youre distressed about your use of psychedelics. Psychedelics just arent drugs of abuse, theyre non-addictive and non-habit forming. In fact they are habit disruptors. Many people use them to aid in br... View MoreCan i ask if you have a history of drug abuse? That seems to be what youre implying and the reason youre distressed about your use of psychedelics. Psychedelics just arent drugs of abuse, theyre non-addictive and non-habit forming. In fact they are habit disruptors. Many people use them to aid in breaking addictions or other bad habits. Speaking as someone who has struggled with addictions and has an addictive personality, psychedelics just dont activate that pleasure center in your brain that other drugs do. When activated by those drugs, it reinforces the pleasure seeking behavior and the behavior is repeated and a cycle begins. I have never had the urge to use psychedelics immediately after a trip. In fact i have the opposite reaction; the thought of using turns me off completely. This is the most typical reaction to psychedelic drugs. Ive never encountered a person who used psychs in a truly addictive way. Abusive? Sure but never truly addictive. What i mean by that is that the abusive behavior is never prolonged like true addictive behavior. The rare cases of psychedelic abuse that i have personally witnessed go on for some weeks maybe at most but then fizzle out. They never extend for months or years like true addiction. And those rare cases that ive seen were burnt out festy kids whose behavior was most likely driven by some other mental issue rather than compulsive pleasure seeking. So even as someone with addictive tendencies, my use of psychedelics has always been self-regulating. Ive never had to slow down or attempt to control my usage. Regardless of your motivation for using psychedelics, the chances that you will fall into abusive behavior are very small. And if your motivation for using psychs turns out to be the same motivation for using other drugs, escapism or pleasure seeking, then things will likely go one of 2 ways;1. you will eventually lose interest in psychedelics because they dont provide that dopamine dump that pleasure seeking drug users are after 2. your motivation slowly shifts over time as you eventually begin to recognize psychedelics as a sacred medicine that can affect deep meaningful change in your life