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Psychedelics and Immunomodulation: Novel Approaches and Therapeutic Opportunities

Owl42

Psychedelic bird
Messages
53
Location
Mexico
Just wanted to tell you guys how much better I'm feeling. Two days ago I overdid it studying in the night and the next day I could not go to the exam anyway (typical for me) but I'm recovering fast from it. I've felt totally different from last month this week, more able to go places and do things, also concentrate and learn :)

I'm not cured, I still find hard doing most things. My body and brain are still in a poor condition, I can feel how contractured I am, my blood pressure keeps failing and I feel unable to access some of my brain resources. Also pain, even being less intense, is still present.

Still I'm somehow optimist and have found a great tool in this old medicine. I would love to read more research on it, I'm currently very interested in how my inmune system could be responding to it but there seems to be very little research on this.

I hope more of you guys join this discussion for it's really the best thing I've found in my long path with this illness and I'd love to understand it.
 
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Thomas

Senior Member
Messages
325
Location
Canada
I wanted to read your opinions on this matter. This is a recent study explaining the effect of psychedelics in the immune system mostly through their effect on the sigma1 receptor.
Note that as well as DMT, dextromethorphan (found in cough mixture), amitriptyline, and the SSRI drugs sertraline (Zoloft) and fluvoxamine (Faverin) are all agonists of the sigma-1 receptor
This is very interesting as I was just reading about the sigma1 receptor in Tuning The Brain by Jay Goldstein. He had a lot of success with pentazocine (Talwin) a sigma1 receptor agonist (or ligand), and claimed it could even be the magic bullet for some patients. Interestingly enough, he did elude to it's potential to make some people feel "very weird" or even hallucinate, I'm guessing in similar, but not identical fashion as pure psychadelics.

Haloperidol is a sigma1 receptor antagonist and may be able to reverse the previous. As well, he mentions pentazocine's ability to antagonize ketamine.

Do you think that pentazocine (Talwin) may be a potential "first try" before trying more hard core compounds like DMT? It may be something to consider...
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,858
This is very interesting as I was just reading about the sigma1 receptor in Tuning The Brain by Jay Goldstein. He had a lot of success with pentazocine (Talwin) a sigma1 receptor agonist (or ligand), and claimed it could even be the magic bullet for some patients.

There are a few pages here on Goldstein's use of pentazocine for ME/CFS, from his book Betrayal by the Brain. Goldstein says that sigma receptors are dense in the locus coeruleus (LC). The LC forms part of the reticular activating system which controls brain arousal and attention.

Hallucinations seem to be a noted side effect of pentazocine, and not just for ME/CFS patients.



I found it interesting that in the US, pentazocine is only sold in combination with naloxone (and thus this is the combination Goldstein used): a few years ago, I experienced an amazing remission from ME/CFS for around 4 or 5 days, where my brain fog pretty much completely disappeared.

The drugs I just started taking when that remission occurred were dextromethorphan (DXM) 20 mg daily, and low dose naltrexone (LDN) 4.2 mg daily (naltrexone is very similar to naloxone). I had tried LDN on its own previously, but with no benefits. Note that LDN may not work unless you also take vitamin D3.

So this is similar to the pentazocine + naloxone combination Goldstein had occasional success with, since both pentazocine and DMX are sigma 1 agonists (although Goldstein does explicitly say in his BBTB book (p.163) that none of his patients ever responded positively to DXM).

When I tried to repeat the DXM + LDN combination I took, I did not obtain any remission the second time. I also tried DMX on its own, but without much effect.



I just found this Wikipedia article on the sigma receptor which has a comprehensive list of sigma receptor ligands, both agonists and antagonists.

It is interesting that among the sigma agonists, there are several drugs there known to be helpful for ME/CFS:
ketamine, lamotrigine, memantine, methylphenidate, and quetiapine (Seroquel).
 
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Thomas

Senior Member
Messages
325
Location
Canada
I found it interesting that in the US, pentazocine is only sold in combination with naloxone (and thus this is the combination Goldstein used): a few years ago, I experienced an amazing remission from ME/CFS for around 4 or 5 days, where my brain fog pretty much completely disappeared.

The drugs I just started taking when that remission occurred were dextromethorphan (DXM) 20 mg daily, and low dose naltrexone (LDN) 4.2 mg daily (naltrexone is very similar to naloxone). I had tried LDN on its own previously, but with no benefits.

So this is similar to the pentazocine + naloxone combination Goldstein had occasional success with, since both pentazocine and DMX are sigma 1 agonists (although Goldstein does explicitly say in his BBTB book (p.163) that none of his patients ever responded positively to DXM).

When I tried to repeat the DXM + LDN combination I took, I did not obtain any remission the second time. I also tried DMX
I think the reason they add naloxone to the pentazocine is to nullify the abuse potential if a patient attempts to heat and inject pentazocine in a similar fashion to heroin. Apparently, and I could be wrong, but the addition of the naloxone somehow chemically makes the pentazocine "high" useless if administered in that fashion. Personally, I'm not a drug abuser so I would prefer the medication without the naloxone. Naloxone can cause diarrhea which is already an issue for me. But then again, pentazocine alone may cause constipation. But perhaps the two compounds also have synergistic properties.

Goldstein mentions Talwin very often in TTB -- he also says it works well with the neurosteroids pregnenalone and DHEA -- interestingly enough those two hormones helped me achieve a near remission a few years ago. For 3 days :(

My experiments with DMX and LDN never yielded me any benefit - granted, I did not take them together.

But going back to this sigma1 receptor, it's role as an immune modulator, as well as the various positive neurochemical roles outlined by Goldstein, has made me quite interested in trying to obtain Talwin. I am very interested in the psychadelics but I think Talwin may be a lighter and less serious starting point if in fact it can mimic the therapeutic affects of certain psychadelics. Although it would be way easier for me to microdose some magic mushrooms from a friend's stash than to convince my family doctor to Rx me Talwin. If anyone knows any reliable online pharmacies that carry it please let me know. My go-to online shops do not carry this medication.
 

Owl42

Psychedelic bird
Messages
53
Location
Mexico
Do you think that pentazocine (Talwin) may be a potential "first try" before trying more hard core compounds like DMT? It may be something to consider...

I will stick to DMT myself for it's an endogenous substance and for now it's been nice on me.

I'm not a doctor and I don't know how any medicine would work on me but I feel more confy with a substance that humans have used for some centuries and we are able to produce ourselves in our bodies.

If there are testimonials on people getting better from related substances, then it looks to me like there's some evidence pointing the sigma receptor is involved and actual doctors should research on it. I'm pretty sure most practitioners would start investigating with the kind of medicines you are talking about, from pharma industry, but it would still be related to the effects the actual molecule used by our body (DMT and maybe others) have on those receptors intended to react to them.

I'm not saying other medicines are worse, but I think they would work in the same way at some degree and if we don't even know how the receptors for them work, I feel it even more confusing to use substances we don't know how are supposed to work in those little known receptors. (Well, now I'm being the most confusing myself)

It's just that I've already took the step to try DMT and I know my body has used it before (in the sleep phases people with CFS are lacking most¿?). And taking other substances intended to other purposes (opiods... not really into it) that act in our affected immune system in an unkown way (on the sigma receptors) seems to me even more risky...
 

Owl42

Psychedelic bird
Messages
53
Location
Mexico
Although it would be way easier for me to microdose some magic mushrooms from a friend's stash than to convince my family doctor to Rx me Talwin

I've tried large doses (4g or more) and low doses (0,5g) of them and I felt awesome in the meantime. But the trip lasts for 6 hours and can get pretty intense, so it can be much more tiring. DMT in low doses last for about 30 min and most of the times I've appreciated real improvement from "non-active" doses (less than 20mg, feels like another kind of weed in some way), and a more lasting recovery, I think.

I don't know all the factors playing a role here, but I've found those quite different in the past. But if you're interested in the psychedelic experience (You'll need to search for some guidelines, at least secure yourself a good "set and setting") shrooms are definitely the way to start, but please be careful and be sure to have someone taking care of you for the first times.

Also, halozepam is known for stopping bad trips, and having it near can make one calmer once they have to face the situation of being tripping.

If you experience improvement either from psilocybin or talwin, please come here to tell us :)

Psilocybin is not treated in that paper and I've been looking for its possible effect on sigma1 receptors without luck.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,858
I will stick to DMT myself for it's an endogenous substance and for now it's been nice on me.

I would think that many ME/CFS patients, especially us older ones, would not like to go through a psychedelic trip in order to ameliorate ME/CFS symptoms. So for that reason, a non-psychedelic alternative would be good to find.

I am quite wary of any psychoactive drugs these days, including medical ones like antidepressants, as the virus which triggered my ME/CFS also caused a number of other nasty mental conditions, including severe anxiety, anhedonia, emotional flatness, and some mild psychosis. Fortunately the severe anxiety and mild psychosis have mostly gone now, but I would not like to do anything that might bring them back, especially something that might trigger psychosis.

Although having said that, this new paper found no link between psychedelics and psychosis.

I wonder though whether DMT microdoses might actually be helpful for the anhedonia and emotional flatness symptoms that my virus triggered.



@Thomas
I was looking for info about pentazocine's binding affinity for the sigma receptors (the higher the binding affinity, the stronger a drug's potential effect on the receptor). I found this paper which says "pentazocine, a high-affinity sigma receptor agonist,...". So it looks like pentazocine will be a strong sigma receptor agonist.

However, in this article it says that DMT only binds to the sigma receptor with moderate affinity — which then makes me wonder if sigma agonism is really the only mechanism at work in DMT's effects on ME/CFS patients. Perhaps other receptors are also involved.

In this study, they found DMT agonizes the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, and the serotonin 5-HT2C receptor.

Looking at the 5-HT2A receptor:

• Activation of the 5-HT2A receptor produces potent anti-inflammatory effects in several tissues including cardiovascular and gut.

• Activation of the 5-HT2A receptor in the hypothalamus causes increases in hormonal levels of oxytocin, prolactin, ACTH, corticosterone, and renin.


In the case of the anti-inflammatory effects in the gut, then DMT may have helpful actions for ME/CFS in areas of the body outside of the central nervous system.

The hormonal effect of 5-HT2A activation of the hypothalamus might also help explain DMT's reported benefits for ME/CFS.
 
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Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,858
@Owl42
An interesting paper. It comes from the Medical Hypotheses journal, and is speculating that autoantibodies which target and disable adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) could be responsible for the HPA-axis dysfunction found in ME/CFS.

However, at this stage it is only speculation, because these ACTH autoantibodies have not been found (although several other autoantibodies have been observed in ME/CFS — see the table in this post for a list).
 

Owl42

Psychedelic bird
Messages
53
Location
Mexico
Code:
AUTO-ANTIBODIES FOUND IN ME/CFS AND ITS COMORBID CONDITIONS
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
AUTO-ANTIBODIES ME/CFS POTS ORTHOSTATIC SJOGREN'S
OBSERVED HYPOTENSION SYNDROME
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Adrenergic receptor alpha 1 Yes
Adrenergic receptor alpha 2
Adrenergic receptor beta 1 Yes Yes
Adrenergic receptor beta 2 Yes Yes Yes

Muscarinic receptor M1 Yes
Muscarinic receptor M2 Yes
Muscarinic receptor M3 Yes Yes Yes
Muscarinic receptor M4 Yes

Dopamine D2 receptor Yes
Mu-opioid receptor Yes
Serotonin 5-HT1A receptor Yes
Serotonin (neurotransmitter) Yes

Microtubule-associated protein 2 Yes
Phosphatidylinositol Yes
Insoluble cellular antigens Yes
Cardiolipin Yes
Heat shock protein HSP60 Yes
Anti-citrullinated protein Yes

I'm interested in the muscarinic receptor... I've got some amanita muscaria but I'm not going to test their effects while trying DMT.

I used them about a year ago and got really active while in the trip but I wasn't this bad.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,858
I'm interested in the muscarinic receptor... I've got some amanita muscaria but I'm not going to test their effects while trying DMT.

You might be interested in my experiments taking Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) microdoses for ME/CFS. Lyme disease patient Sam Malone found such microdoses very effect for her Lyme brain fog. I found it did not help my ME/CFS brain fog, but had some interesting motivational effects.

Some details here and here.
 

Thomas

Senior Member
Messages
325
Location
Canada
I would think that many ME/CFS patients, especially us older ones, would not like to go through a psychedelic trip in order to ameliorate ME/CFS symptoms. So for that reason, a non-psychedelic alternative would be good to find.

I am quite wary of any psychoactive drugs these days, including medical ones like antidepressants, as the virus which triggered my ME/CFS also caused a number of other nasty mental conditions, including severe anxiety, anhedonia, emotional flatness, and some mild psychosis. Fortunately the severe anxiety and mild psychosis have mostly gone now, but I would not like to do anything that might bring them back, especially something that might trigger psychosis.
I'm "only" 36 years old and I completely agree with what you are saying. I would love to be able to think I could tolerate DMT or even magic mushrooms at this stage of my illness but even small doses of vitamins can trigger acute symptoms for me. And according to anyone I ever read about who smoked DMT, even hardened longtime psychadelic drug users described it something to the like of "LSD and mushrooms combined x a hundred million". Not sure I'm ready for that yet! Hence my bringing up of Pentazocine.

But microdoses of LSD and psyilocibin, and I mean really micro could be interesting and they are on my list. My poor brain is so inflamed right now though.

Oddly enough my doctor agreed to Rx me pentazocine today at my annual physical. So I have a script. Now I'm just too frightened to try it. Like Hip, I also struggle with strong psychiatric symptoms at times and Ive made gains there but am scared of bringing them back full on. I guess I'll try it at some point in the next few days and will definitely start low, and definitely wait til the crash that today's appointment will bring on as well.

Hip, aren't most of the drugs we try psychoactive in some way or another? And you hadn't struck me as a shy patient in terms of experimental treatments given your history of experiments. Perhaps that's changed as you've gotten older as you mentioned. I have no idea how old you are though. And you don't have to tell either ;)
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,858
Hip, aren't most of the drugs we try psychoactive in some way or another? And you hadn't struck me as a shy patient in terms of experimental treatments given your history of experiments. Perhaps that's changed as you've gotten older as you mentioned. I have no idea how old you are though. And you don't have to tell either ;)

I think when you have the frailly or instability of mind/brain that can come with ME/CFS and its related comorbid mental conditions like anxiety and depression, lots of drugs that would probably not mentally affect healthy people seem to significantly perturb the mind of ME/CFS patients, and worsen mental symptoms. I have even found certain normally innocuous mineral supplements (like boron and molybdenum) taken at normal doses worsen my mental symptoms.

But now I am wise to this, so whenever I try a new supplement or drug, I always begin with very low doses initially, and keep an eye out for any ill effects. Then if you do get hit with some negative effects, those effects will be much less intense, due to the lower dose.

I am definitely not shy of trying interesting treatments, but always cautious, and use these low doses to begin with.

I am 51 now, but first developed medical problems at the age of 33, when I was hit with severe generalized anxiety disorder and IBS, the anxiety being severe enough to destroy my career, and many other aspects of my life. ME/CFS only appeared 5 years after that, triggered by a respiratory virus. In some ways, I feel I am still at the age of 33, because that was the last time I had any proper engagement in life. Lots of things happened in my life up until that age of 33, but from then on, I hardly did anything memorable.
 

Thomas

Senior Member
Messages
325
Location
Canada
@Hip i can't quote a reply because I'm using my phone but your last paragraph on the above post mimics my own story very much. I don't want to derail the subject of this thread, but I got hit with IBS and anxiety at age 22 that it crushed my social life in many ways. My love of travel was quickly derailed by fear and a gut that would play right into the fear.

Luckily by 26 I was able to get it somewhat under control in order to begin my career as a real estate broker. Even though I never had the energy of my colleagues, I faked it quite well. By 32 my body/brain had enough and I got hit with ME. Struggled at work part time for a bout a year and then had to quit and file for disability. Been downhill since then also.
I've joked with my friends recently that all my cool and funny stories seem to have ended in 2011, the year I got sick with ME. My best friend was honest enough to remind me that the true Thomas "died" after university when the IBS/anxiety hit. In many ways he's right. Oh well, you never know things can get better for both (all) of us in time for more memorable and worthy experiences!

Anyways, just wanted to tell you that.

Back to tripping balls...
 

ScottTriGuy

Stop the harm. Start the research and treatment.
Messages
1,402
Location
Toronto, Canada
Lots of things happened in my life up until that age of 33, but from then on, I hardly did anything memorable.

Not to invalidate your life before illness, nor your sense of loss, but there may be a number of people on PR who have benefited from your sharing of your research and may take umbrage to the bolded bit.

I am one of them. So, thank you for sharing your research, you have positively impacted my life.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,858
Well that is nice thing to say, @ScottTriGuy, though I think credit goes to the entire PR community, as so many people here contribute to this forum, and we all learn from other members here.

In many ways, the time I spent on PR, getting into discussions with other members, and fighting for our common cause is actually more fulfilling than any previous career I had. I used to work as a multimedia computer programmer, but in a strange way, the kind of ME/CFS activism and discussion of the scientific issues that lots of us are involved with on this forum are more meaningful, because it seems like we are all fighting for a good cause. And it is usually very interesting too.

I guess what I really mean about something being memorable is less about the particular things that your are doing, and more about your state of mind and receptivity when you do them. I am sure if I did not have brain fog and terrible memory of ME/CFS, where the passing of days and months seem like just one long hazy blur, not to mention anhedonia and emotional flatness which kind of take all the spice out of life, then I would be still be having and making memorable moments, even with my activities on PR.

In others words, to have memorable moments, the first requisite is having a memory! These days I do things, but I don't really form vivid memories of what I do. I am sure this must be the case with many ME/CFS patients.



I got hit with IBS and anxiety at age 22 that it crushed my social life in many ways. My love of travel was quickly derailed by fear and a gut that would play right into the fear.

Yeah I suddenly developed a terrible fear of flying when I got hit with IBS and generalized anxiety disorder. And all my muscles became incredibly tense and taught as one of my anxiety symptoms.

I have never got to the bottom of what caused my sudden onset of IBS / anxiety. I imagine that this may well have been triggered by catching some gut pathogen, but unlike my ME/CFS, where there was a clearcut and obvious viral sore throat which marked me catching my ME/CFS virus, I don't recall any infectious episode or infectious symptoms that occurred just prior to developing IBS.

The only slight evidence for a pathogenic cause was the fact that my mother also developed IBS at around the same time, suggesting a contagious pathogen going around.
 
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manna

Senior Member
Messages
392
I did Ayahuasca and successfully broke through on about a dozen occasions. Often I would think "that's it I'm healed" only for it to return a few days later. What I felt it did was to erase the years of illness memory and trauma and wipe the slate clean. It was excellent in this aspect as years of "suffering" had clearly impacted me in ways that I was not fully aware of.

As for folk being completely healed, I would wonder if this were reported during the phase of a day to a week where they felt "cured" before it returned. That said I'd guess that folk who were just the other side of recovery could breakthrough to full recovery. It's possible. Not wanting to diminish the severity of their symptoms by implying they were already close as this can still mean a great deal of illness and discomfort. Potentially even more so as obviously their CNS is stronger and so potentially "feels" blocks/illness more.

I felt the affect of psychadelics was largely on my Central Nervous System (which is everywhere yes?) and bringing more electricity, if that's the right word, into it. Often on Ayahuasca there would be periods of intense discomfort as the new revamped CNS seem to become more aware of the mental, emotional and physical situation of the body. Essentially it could be said that Ayahuasca reutrned an element of physical intelligence to my body that it had lost. The body could then solve the issue itself as it was now "aware" of it.

For me personally, I could never heal by doing this alone. The integrity of my digestive tract is so poor as to need daily attention, via diet and complimentary therapy, over a few months for it to heal. Ayahuasca could help that but gluten for instance is such a big issue for my gut that it would wipe out any advances within days. I know someone (from their forum posts, not as a friend) who had Ulcerative Colitis & took Aya for a year, daily, and did not heal. I would not have expected them too either w/o addressing specific dietary needs helpful to U.C.

On psylocibin, I did find this helpful some of the time but also it unfortunately induced 2 psychotic breaks. Apparently this is fairly common with succeptible people. I would advise caution with it. Microdosing is probably the way to go and supposedly not more than once every 4-5 days.

Caapi leaf is quite a nice relaxing and safe way to get a slight psychadelic lift. I have had some success with Kratom too. Generally speaking I don't take anything regularly as i know my recovery lies in daily dietary and physical therapeutic approaches.

I'm not a fan of smoking/vaping DMT. I hung around DMTNexus for a while, which is an informative site, but came to the personal conclusion that it was not very safe or as healing as traditional ayahuasca. That's not say no vaped experience can't help but I'd exercise caution as it clearly does mess some people up. Regarding Ayahuasca alone, I also feel it's important to stick with Caapi vine and Chacruna leaves. There are various combinations involving Chaliplonga leaves or Mimosa but these can be alot more intense. I did Chaliplonga leaves on my first time and it was just way too much. Ultimately not harmful but not helpful either. When folk report it was too much it's likely they vaped too much, or the same amount more efficiently, or took one of the more stronger admixture plants. Caapi and Chacruna is difficult to overdo if even you can.

I read recently that some hospitals in the U.S. allow psylocibin mushrooms to be consumed by cancer sufferers or similar chronic cases.
 

Thomas

Senior Member
Messages
325
Location
Canada
@manna that'a so interesting, thanks for the info. A few questions if you don't mind:
1. Did you travel to specific Ayauasca retreats or obtain it on your own? How long does the trip last?

2. I also have digestive issues which frighten me in the way that I would respond to such compounds. What dietary and physical treatments do you do to address your gut?

3. I'm interested in microdosing shrooms. Actually, correction, my best friend who shrooms a lot is interested in me microdosing from his apparently high quality stash. Do you have a recommended way for someone to go about microdosing?
 

manna

Senior Member
Messages
392
@Thomas

I obtained my own. Generally 4-6 hours with caapi/chacruna. I've never personally liked the idea of retreats though I expect a few might be good. I recommend you join the ayahuasca.com forum and do some indepth research. Also check the laws of your own country regarding the substances. In the UK it is currently legal to buy but not to brew. By April it will be illegal to buy as well. It's been over 8 years since I partook and honestly, I was alot more grounded when I did do it occasionally.

Treatments: I have had alot of success with the Healthpoint Electro-acupuncture device. The most important treatment for me has been Pulsors invented by George Yao. There are many but the best therapeutic Pulsors for us are 3 of the "Angel Torroid" split frequency ones combined with the pamphlet "Healing Energy" by John Davidson, which details how to use them in regards to polarity therapy. Diet is organic, low G.I., candida/yeast inhibiting, "Hay diet", gluten free etc. Getting the diet exactly right and sleeping with the pulsors on my gut has been the difference that made few near breakthroughs. If you would like the specific diet I used then feel free to p.m. me as I don't wanna go too far off topic.

I'm not sure about recommending micro doses of shrooms. If I had no other way like diet or natural therapy then it might be a last resort but really just for settling my emotions. I don't think you could heal or recover down that path so ultimately is it worth it? By quality stash I'm wondering if you mean cubensis or the more potent cyanescens? I think there's azurescens too but maybe someone will correct me there. They are different ball games altogether though at micro doses they are all potentially harmless. I believe micro doses range from 100 mg dried/powdered to 500 mg though upto 250 mg is really more like it. Thats for cubensis. Cyanescens need more respect on doses. Research those but personally I would never go over 500 mg with them but of course you're microdosing anyway but to be sure you know.

You'll get more results with a daily health regime than taking psychedelics imo. The one thing the linked post on DMT had in it was a fella who felt a cloud/ghost/entity lift from him. I'm not suggesting everyone has negative entities hanging around them but this sort of spiritual healing that occurs during Ayahuasca can have the most proifound affects and results as you are left to see your situation in a much clearer light. Longterm chronic illness can bring you down in ways that you're so used to that you don't really notice as being other than normality. For me if I could choose, it would be Ayahuasca for breaking stuck in illness modes etc etc etc (it does so much) and diet and natural therapy on a daily basis for for actual recovery.

Recommending anything it would be just diet and therapy. All the ayahuasca did was to focus my attention and intention on recovery. The same couldv'e been determined by sheer determination. I had already worked out what was necessary for me to recover I think so all it did was what I could already do anyway. Leaves me wondering if it was ever worth it. Having an ego death, which is basically a death experience that may even feel like a spiritual funeral with bells and everything. I'm not sure that something that should be taken lightly: to know what it's like to die before you actually do. You can't take it back once it's happened. I'm not sure it's clever or necessary. I don't believe it did me any harm at least. It can be a very deep experience: it is like traversing a mountain range in a night. Epic struggle. DMT has an odd ability to show you the deep suffering you've unknowningly caused others and yourselves; the deep understanding and recognition of all the pain you've caused others, all the why's and wherefores and thought processes that started them and were moulded in others by your shortsightedness. Most people are quite sad when they see what they've done to others. Regretting treating people certain ways can be quite upsetting. But it's still you and it's stuff comin out not going in so if you don't mind to look then good. DMT has the affect of making you cheerful too whilst you look at what you've done. It's a strange combination of laughter within the pain, strange. Makes you think that the source of that healing has some kind of fusion with a power that has pure love or joy at it's source, as maybe silly as it sounds. At the end of the day it'll all come out in the wash anyway, as my mum used to say. All good.
 
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Thomas

Senior Member
Messages
325
Location
Canada
I'm not sure about recommending micro doses of shrooms. If I had no other way like diet or natural therapy then it might be a last resort but really just for settling my emotions. I don't think you could heal or recover down that path so ultimately is it worth it? By quality stash I'm wondering if you mean cubensis or the more potent cyanescens? I think there's azurescens too but maybe someone will correct me there. They are different ball games altogether though at micro doses they are all potentially harmless. I believe micro doses range from 100 mg dried/powdered to 500 mg though upto 250 mg is really more like it. Thats for cubensis. Cyanescens need more respect on doses. Research those but personally I would never go over 500 mg with them but of course you're microdosing anyway but to be sure you know.
Thanks a lot for all the info. I was just curious, I'm not ready for any several hour ayauasca trip.

I clearly don't know the answer to what type of mushrooms he has but I'm going to ask. My guess is he will have no idea what variety he has (cubensis vs cyanescens) either, but I will research if there are any ways to find out.