In short, I've not broached the subject yet but a friend very close to me has been dealing with transgender dysphoria and suicide attempts and some day I hope to convince this friend to try to connect with me and those close to her once she has found a good understanding with her therapist. However, without proper planning on all of our parts and her being in the best possible place in her struggle such an experience may only serve to worsen things. She's not attempted in some time, and is in therapy, but the whole matter must be approached with utmost caution.

And so I have assembled a list of truths as a protective mantra to preface a trip with and act as an anchor to reality during a bad trip:

Psychedelic Preparation

Truths about this incidence.

1. This substance and its effects are temporary.
2. This substance and its effects will not harm you.
3. This substance and its effects will not change who you are.
4. This substance and its effects do not have great potential, they help make you aware of your own.
5. You and those around you are safe.
6. You are surrounded by people that mean you no harm.
7. It may seem like the world is different, or is not as you remember it. This is not true, before, during and after this trip time will continue to move separately to you.
8. At no point during this experience will you be trapped in any way, mentally or physically. It is best; however, that you stay within the sight of those you are with for your safety.
9. [Insert a description of the substance in question, the dosage they will be receiving, where it comes from, what it is made of, what it is supposed to do, how long it will last and why it may positively affect the user's life.]
10. [Speak to the user about what they intend to gain from the use of this substance and tell them the your intentions.] It is important to form a connection in with those you are with so that you can properly reflect upon it and gain as much wisdom as possible from what you have experienced.
11. [Speak to the user about the necessity of openness, an entheogenic experience can be uplifting, jarring or downright scary.] Under no circumstances should your partner(s) be criticized for a breakthrough or experience.

Truths about to the world around us.

1. The universe that formed and encompasses all of creation is larger than both you and the world you rest on. And you as a human are one of the few beings in the universe to be aware of this. Respect the universe and the beauty within its confines.
2. This universe holds to laws that govern its motion. The abstraction of mathematics, the rigor of physics, the predictability of chemistry and so forth. These laws are capable of being understood and are tools that we can use to understand what is around us.
3. The earth you were born on and have lived on your whole life formed shortly after the sun, about four and one half billion years ago and will continue to exist in whole or in its parts for the remainder of all time.
4. In this time civilizations have risen and fallen and have changed and reformed in many ways.
5. Species apart from humans have done the same, they have changed to fit the world around them as we have. Across billions of years, life has risen from the oceans and covered every part of this world with a beautiful chaos that has given us everything we see before us now.
6. You as a human are conscious of the world around you, the actions that are your own and of others are the product of such evolution. It is through the outside world and all relationships that all beings have had since the dawn of our existence has culminated in your own existence and your own experiences. This existence and experience is unique to you and wholly under your control, and will affect the lives of all those you have interacted with and will interact with.
7. It is the duty and obligation of all human beings to reflect upon one's own existence, experience and those lives that have affected yours and those you have affected and will affect. This is the basis of human compassion and understanding and is the most important facet of our existence.

I like it but the actual truth of a few of these truths is debatable. One that I would particularly suggest tweaking is

'3. This substance and its effects will not change who you are.'

If by who you are you mean an individual's personality or worldview, then I think the substance and its effects definitely can cause change. A person is made by their experiences in life, so a powerful experience like a psychedelic trip can cause a powerful change. What a tripper needs to realize is that this change is not a negative thing or something to be feared. Let go of fear and rejoice in the transformation!

I wish safe and productive journeys for both you and your friend

You're definitely right that many of these are debatable. The second list is certainly up for debate, but I feel they provide a good baseline from which someone that isn't experienced with tripping can turn around a bad trip. Some of the more grandeur subjects can certainly be subject to tweaking for a particular set of people. Say if you were to bring your machine to bible camp, you may ammend 3 and 4.

If you've read my I intro you'd know I'm no psychonaut, this list has pretty much just been gleaned from potential problems I've read about in trip reports. Number three was tailored for the friend as her dysphoria could be likened to DR/DP. It is meant to convey that the substance is not what changes her, it is how the substance will make one change herself. All things hyperspace aside, the mind and a trip are self contained, it is your entire being making a decision to completely rewire it's own base structure internally. Deciding to trip is your brain making changing itself, the mushrooms don't leap out of the cow patty and change you, one has to come to terms with the nature of conscious choice and that it is perpetual.

Or at least that's how I interpret it.

Ninja edit, thank you for the well wishes! I have faith that she will conquer this and I just know psychedelics will be a positive catalyst.

I'm sorry but what is the meaning of 'DR/DP'? The bolded statement draws a very fine distinction indeed, but I think I follow you. Just be sure your friend follows you too when you share these with her

> I'm sorry but what is the meaning of 'DR/DP'?

derealization/depersonalization

Ah ha! thanks for the clarification

I wouldn't say psychedelics CAUSE change, I would say psychedelics ENABLE a person to change if they so choose to. Not to mention change is a constant happening.

This could just be semantics.