I was wondering... The leading cause of substance abuse would probably be curiosity and/or depression, right?

So, in my life, I have had a pretty rough ride so far, which lead to the use of marijuana and other substances, eventually leading to this fabulous thing called DMT. The difference being that it feels like I have come across something more than just a simple substance. But my question is, are we all just deeply depressed inside our own minds and day to day lives? Why do we all feel the need to look for answers, even though we KNOW (and yes we know) that we will never ever find them?

I know a lot of people on here will agree with me when I state that DMT has a deeper spiritual meaning than most other drugs... But the fact of the matter is one simply does not just 'smoke DMT' without having a reason or road paved to getting there.. So it would just be interesting to know... That not only do we all share the same interest in DMT, but also the same kind of emotional vibes as well.

Im sure a lot of people will dislike this post or even deny that it has a certain amount of truth to it, but it does.

Anyway peace all, looking forward to hearing what anyone else has to say, if anything at all

Such over confidence in your own assertions is what might not go down so well here, not the assumptions themselves.

Well I have had this on my mind for a few days, not sure what I expected as a reply from anyone, didnt really matter, its merely to get people to think. I have been thinking about this myself for a while, and was wondering if anyone had similar thoughts... If I come across as 'over confident' then maybe I am, but either way, I'm not here to screen my personality or point out flaws of anyone else, nobody is perfect. Thanks for the input

Not everyone does take DMT for the same purpose (even if it's with genuine spiritual intent), and not everyone has the same standards as what qualifies for the answers to the questions they have. If you're looking to really get to the heart of philosophical and/or scientific time-old conundrums, then you probably won't find conclusive answers with a ringing finality to them. In fact those who do claim to have all the final answers can tend to be full of it. Some are simply looking to experience an alternate modality of consciousness. I think part of the reason why we feel the need to look for answers that we will probably never find is because by having the truth/answers lingering just out of reach can provide all the motivation we need to test the beautiful and peak potentials of human consciousness like a dog being strung along by the scent of bacon. Even if the dog never actually gets the bacon, it was still an interesting sensual experience on the infinite journey along the way.

Loving that response

I guess that alternate consciousness is what I'm talking about. A need to escape the limits of our normal routines, and why we all do that. I suppose its a question better left off unasked, because reasons for taking DMT will vary greatly. In a few situations I guess people would smoke DMT due to the things they have heard or read, without ever having taken any other kind of substances, but I'm sure most would have come a long way before arriving here, and that is what sparked my curiosity on this topic in the first place.

I wonder if anybody with depression feels that DMT has helped in some shape or form as well.

Thanks Global, your response is truely appreciated

I smoke it because it's awesome Is there need for anything else?

Hahaha brother, if that is indeed your motivation, then I guess not It is awesome, no denying that

Depends on what kind of depression ( there are many) I've battled with a form of it( dysthymia ) for decades and can conclude in my case that these substances ( tryptamine psychedelics) can help with some aspects of it, albeit temporarily. But I could imagine that anxious-depressives would be better off staying well clear of them.

As for definite answers to life via pyschedelics, not for me, some interesting theories are building up as I get older, but I'd attribute that to lifes experiences in general with DMT making a useful contribution.

Peace

Wrong. Substance abuse is hard to define to begin with. Is 2 glasses of wine after dinner use or abuse? How about 3 or 4, or maybe a different setting? However you define it, there will me lots of other possible causes (peer pressure, many other psychiatric conditions etc).

As for substance dependence, studies show quite clearly that genetics is what really makes the difference.

For starters, there's that assumption that we are driven by depression or some other need to escape. But I think that's mostly a false assumption. Attempting to escape a flawed reality via psychedelics is a recipe for a bad trip IMO, because they tend to mirror reality right back at you.

For many of us, it's the opposite- the pre-flight jitters are because we are nervous about leaving the comfort zone of our everyday reality in order to roll the dice and be catapulted at high velocity into who knows where. If the rewards weren't so great, nobody would bother.

As far as finding answers, we get those every time. Strong reinforcement of our seamless interrelationship with our world is always a good one, you can never get too much of that. And if you're a creative person, you can get all kinds of inspiration from the psychedelic experience. As far as the answers to The Big Questions, I think just being able to look at the topic from that angle is healthy, even if it can't provide concrete answers that a human can understand.

I am an escapist. Hell yeah.

I told my best friends gf that once when she called me an escapist. Who wouldnt want to escape from the paradigms of the west..a busted reality with no use in fixing..lets move on already.

So yeah I am an escapist. I dream and will never stop dreaming...

Why should I adhere to the dead world of a collective who seem bent on relentlessly digging their own grave? The dreams of the individual mind can conceive of realities of being far beyond that of the mass hypnotic trance of our culture..why not escape into them, if only for a moment in order to concretize that into being here?

Escapism?? Why does this term have to carry the negative baggage with it that so many attach to it? I am an individual and seek to break through this crap backwards paradigm into one of greater relevance..

I escape the lie..reality is what is what I find in the visionary mirror.

Psychedelics are an invaluable tool on that path..far beyond what these people who call us "escapists" dream of.

very well said Jamie. I am glad you brought up the stigma associated with escapism, as I have struck that quite a lot with people questioning my intentions after hearing my views on western culture..

arcanum, I'm curious as to why you think anxious people should stay away from DMT. Both myself and an extremely close friend have this problem, yet with DMT there is no problem. Maybe you know something I should know?

And to be honest Guyomech, I don't see any trip as bad. They might be freaky, but you still get something out of it. A lot of the times I purposefully smoke Salvia or DMT when in a really bad mood, just to see what happens and what I can bring back with me (like Jamie said, escapism), and it usually goes down well. At the same time I also partake in these things in the best moods possible. It all depends really, and this thread just goes to show how unlike-minded we all actually are, as opposed to what I previously "assumed".

So thanks guys

hmm..do altered states allow privileged access to the means of personal growth, or are they just a degenerate version of everyday awareness? .. i've though a lot about this question. ime i've learned as much studying, playing music, traveling etc as i have from tripping, not because they have any conclusive answers, but because it's what i love..i think that's what's primary.

the question is are you seeking comfort or resistance? i think dmt unlike cannabis or alcohol is not a refuge, and its use should be an extension of a healthy disposition, of an abundance, not the product of a perceived lack or sadness, an aesthetic not anesthetic experience

I don't know why I use them like I do, but I can assure you that it's not for anasthetic purposes haha and that it does help me specifically when I need it. If you have never tried it that way, for fear of a 'bad trip' or whatever (and I'm not implying that you haven't either) then how would you know what it's going to do for you? I know because I've done it that way, countless times, with different things, for myself.

Like everyone else has clearly pointed out to me and any other readers of this thread, we are all different.

Wrong !! Addiction is the leading cause of substance abuse and lack of knowledge about the substances in question.
And its not substance abuse its self abuse. Curiosity....ummmmm You can try all drugs and not become addicted or enter into substance/self abuse

Not all people are lost and need drugs for that.

Recreational drugs can be addictive. Everything potentially is addictive, more often its the mind set not the drug. Substance/self abuse is another area completely, and not really a focus for this site.

To me..... DMT is not a recreational drug/toy, its an educational compound to be explored. I will not abuse either it or myself, will you ?
Are you actually asking a question or making a statement? You are VERY unlikely to become an abuser with this substance/compound (DMT).

IMO Depression is way over diagnosed and medicalised. With the 'prescibed drugs' everybody benifits except the one taking them normally.
I feel, depression is a way the mind/body tells you something is not right here. Get a bicycle.
Go for a walk, change your life. REALLY.
Smile and Be happy. PM me if you require a serious talking to

I've talked about this in another thread (though where I forget ), but lately I've been making observations in my personal experiences that run directly contrary to "traditional" set/setting theory which posits that one should be in a positive mental state with a clear head, feeling good and all that. I however have been employing a different approach. It seems like some of my most magical, positive, euphoric experiences emerge out of negativity. I now have begun to prefer to journey when I'm a bit run-down, fatigued, irritated, etc...DMT takes all that negativity and like black-gold fuel, it transmutes that highly charged negativity into positivity. There's just this massive build up of tension, but the darkness can only sustain itself briefly (as the experience itself is so brief) so that when it begins to lose steam (and it will if you can be just a little patient) you have all that energy that's run its course and flowers into some incredible experiences. Most of my encounters with the godhead have gone something like this. It's not all daisies and roses along the way, but if you can surrender to it, magic happens. I don't necessarily recommend traveling under a bad set, but I am letting you know what's been happening with me lately. It does require a substantial ability to be able to let go, so if you haven't mastered that yet, it's probably a terrible idea

Nice! I once found myself being licked and sucked by four shadowy figures whilst standing upright in a coffin, and when I embraced the fact that they were stealing my energy they exploded into a cloud of smoke, while the coffin door opened to allow the most incredible colors and sunset style view to come pouring in through what used to be their bodies. I was in a bad space before i smoked. You need to be able to let go and accept what is happening, and either way, without the negative there can be no positive, best to have both. A balance between the two is the right way to go, although we cant all choose the cards we are dealt. Money rules everything, as much as I hate to admit it, you can do whatever you want if you have enough.

I'm rambling off topic now... Anyway