I'm a 23 year old graduate student. I suffer from cluster headaches and use these friends of ours to prevent my headaches. Recently, one of my good friends was abusing LSD and crashed his car into the bay. I have always preached respecting these chemicals but I feel as if I've not reached any of my friends, and because of my extreme cautious behavior with these things, I've become rather distant from them. Perhaps for better.
I am always questioning my own use of these drugs now and whether or not I'm using them (beyond the medical purpose) the wrong way, or if I have a drug problem.
I do not use alcohol or nicotine. I've never used cocaine, meth, heroine, or pain killers. Nor have I ever had a drug dependence. I am diagnosed with ADD and was prescribed Ritalin for 7 years which I quit at 14 because I was anorexic and tired of feeling like I was covered in bugs everyday after school. I started using marijuana at age 20 to help focus my mind, which I have yet to see any safer drug to use in its place to help me stay attentive and sit still. When I turned 22 I tried LSD and loved it. I discovered its creative potential in me, its spiritual feelings, as well as the bonding it gave me and the people I used it with. I had also overcome a great depression, and learned how to better manage my anxiety in my everyday life. DMT brought me a great deal of insight to love and creative exploration.

I'm joining this forum to learn how to use these chemicals better to avoid abuse, and wasting it. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to learn.

I can definitely relate to what you said about being distanced from friends. I've never considered psychedelics to be social/party drugs, whereas most of my friends do. So I feel as though I've been going on this inner journey that I can't relate to any of them, but c'est la vie.
In regard to the responsible use of psychedelic drugs, if you are, as you say, using them for spiritual purposes, then there is no way to abuse them. If you're like me, then every psychedelic experience is a life-changing event. At times when that stops being the case, I stop using psychedelics. On the other hand, in that period after psychedelic drug use when my life still feels like it is again turned upside down, I stop using psychedelics. Ultimately, you should ask yourself why you want to use psychedelic drugs every time you have the urge to do so and, if you find the answer you come up with to be unsatisfactory (or if you don't have an answer), then maybe you should consider not using them. That's my view. The consensus on the Nexus seems to be that psychedelic drugs are the most sacred of tools so, if you share this view and only use psychedelic drugs as a sacrament, then you cannot abuse them.

On a side note, what is your major, if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks for your words. The way you described how to use it responsibly is exactly how I use it. Coming from a Native American background, I respect the earth and plants a great deal, I always felt the closeness and connection to nature through these experiences. It helped me connect the dots to see how even our consciousness relates to patterns in nature. They bring me a lasting afterglow of oneness with nature. I've definitely turned down doing psychedelics many many times because of feeling like I would be using it for the wrong reasons.

I'm studying Architecture and Community Design. I'm thinking about doing my thesis on this idea of Psychedelic Architecture... Spaces that invoke spirituality without needing the context of a religion. My idea would be to put them in every park as a sacred space, like a monument to the spirit of life.

I like your idea for Psychedelic Architecture Spaces. On the other hand, I would be careful with the word "psychedelic", which usually just reminds people of tie-die shirts and 60's album covers, if not illegal drugs. If you're going for a trippy style, then "psychedelic" would maybe be appropriate, but if you want it to be more of a monument to the sacredness of the spirit of life, then the word "psychedelic" may fall short on most people, and simply using the word "spiritual" in place of "psychedelic" might be better. What are your thoughts on this?

Well I'm following in the style of Daniel Libeskind and Morphosis but, I don't know how they will respond to the word Psychedelic. Why I was drawn to it was because of the Greek meaning, to manifest ones soul.

I haven't taken LSD in almost two months and my head aches are coming back, I had one minutes ago, but I smoked out of a pipe that had some DMT resin in it and I feel instantly better. It absolutely is a medicine for me. Even small small doses are sufficient to kill this horrid pain, and not cause me to be impaired or drowsy. My current prescribed alternative is a barbituate which I have yet to even try.

I am intersted in trying to get a prescription for Methysergide, a close relative of LSD that is legal and used for prevention of cluster headaches, however I hear its rather hard to find a doctor that knows about it.
I don't know much about it other than wikipedia, does anyone know anything about it? It is manufactured by Novartis. I'm guessing that since its a legal prescription drug, its probably not that good for you.

Welcome!

You sound like you've got a great handle on a grounded approach to these wonderful things. You'll find a TON of folks here that have very a similar medicinal outlook.

Blessings

First off, welcome to the nexus!

I can relate a lot to and respect your attitude towards psychedelics. I too have drifted away from tripping with friends that use psychs for strictly recreational purposes. Not that theres anything wrong with that at all, i feel the same about cannabis, and its a stark contrast to my group of friends who consider it a harmless recreational intoxicant to be used quite liberally. It affects me in a completely different way that is not cohesive with using it the way they do.

For me, going gung ho about my spiritual/intellectual/introspective (non-recreational) psychedelic use definitely had immense benefits in all areas of my life. Its definitely the path less taken, and can lead to alienation, but it was worthwhile.

However, i try to encourage my less non recreationally inclined friends/family to try it a different way, and i take the time to enjoy psychs the way they do occasionally. It helps create a sense of balance, and keep your relationship with those friends strong. You can learn from them, and they can learn from you.

I think when most people say that they consider psychs sacraments to be used with strong intention and dedication, they are correct for the most part. That's where you get the most out of them imho/ime. But its just as important to not take them so seriously occasionally. Have fun with them, and try to keep a balance between recreational/non-recreational use.

Imho thats a very important part of using psychedelics, otherwise you can be limiting yourself to possible novel and useful experiences tripping a different way, in a different set/setting, or with different people. And at the same time encourage others to try using psychs in ways other than purely recreationally.

Both camps can learn & expand from connecting with each other. Perhaps we can even help a fellow traveler down the path of psychedelic use purely to improve upon their lives. Or they can help us see another use for these substances that benefits our lives.

To me, it boils down to finding friends that can/want to experience & embrace novelty without judgement, while being able to keep things in balance. And trying your hardest to do the same yourself.

Tricky to say the least .

Thanks for the welcome everyone!
Thought I'd show some of my artwork