Entheogens have profoundly changed my life for the better.

I am very interested in entheogens. I'm interested in how they work, what they do, and the healing aspects of them. I believe entheogens to be possibly the best medicines this world has to offer and it's awfully sad how most of them become illegalized by governments which portray these substances as "crazy dangerous highs". I find that further than the truth and too often governments restrict any research on them. I am a Libertarian and I firmly believe in legalized drugs because we should have that freedom to put in our bodies what we want and also to reduce the harm done both from drugs and the horrible harm that comes from the War On Drugs or the war on personal freedom is what I see of it.

I discovered entheogens through my first use of cannabis. It was about three years ago when I first tried Cannabis. I was in middle school and the first illegal drug I had tried (well, illegal due to being underage) was alcohol and though I found it fun and did it a few more times, I would end up vomiting often by the third or so time I realized that though it was fun, it showed me I could be doing much harm onto myself from its use.

Fast forward a few years and I'm in high school. I knew little to nothing about cannabis around this time and had been hearing more about through chatter of my fellow high schoolers, and also from many Hollywood movies coming out at the time. I decided that I wanted to try this drug I hear so much about. My original impression of cannabis is that it was going to produce a similar effect to alcohol, the 'high and harmful' feeling...but the second time smoking it I got effects from it and realized so much of what I thought was wrong. Not just what I'd previously thought about cannabis, but my whole opinion of it.

I was just looking for a high the first time but I soon realized yeah sure it can be fun but this plant was amazing and was much more than that. Every time I'd smoke cannabis, it would give me anxiety. It didn't give me the giggles or anything I heard it usually produced. Even though it gave me anxiety, I pursued further into my experimentation with this herb because it struck me as amazing how it could make time seem to be slow and that it had emotional impacts on me, I personally found that it made me more emotional, creative, and started to make me really think about the world I lived in instead of just being herded like a sheep and not questioning anything.

Well, after the fourth or fifth time I realized that cannabis wasn't causing me this anxiety I get from it, I was. I've always been a very shy person and I believe I may even have a disorder named Avoidant Personality Disorder and I realized from that moment that cannabis was trying to show me that I was causing the anxiety due to being afraid because I was doing this illegal thing and that I might be a bad person for doing so and that I generally worry much too much what other think about me and that I've held myself back most of my life being a shy kid who's afraid of what other think of him and also have many problems that I need to deal with for me to move on.

From then on, I knew cannabis wasn't just some "high". It was an amazingly beneficial plant. I regard that illegal choice of trying this plant as one of the best choices I've ever made. Cannabis has helped me be a more thoughtful and open-minded person as well as confronted me about many problems and I'm in no way a bad person for using this natural miracle herb. After realizing my faults I began to fight them and the next time I smoked was the most profound experience I'd had so far, I actually got the giggles I'd heard so much about and I started to enjoy using the herb and found it great for helping me to be more creative, imaginative, to think outside of the box, and most importantly to enjoy life more.

It was that life-changing experience that led me to look up more things about other plants and herbs that have such medical value and produce positive personality changes. I discovered to my surprise that there are thousands and thousands all over the world and then to the sad truth that most of them are unjustly banned. It's been 2 years since then and I've continually been studying about entheogens and also drugs in general and the reasons why they are illegal. I use cannabis to help me more than just for fun and don't drink alcohol nor do amphetamines nor any other harmful drugs, I'm solely into using entheogens now for their spiritual healing and medical benefits.

Now, one of my goals in life is to one day earn enough money to travel to a country such as Peru to have the Ayahuasca experience with a shaman and hopefully learn more about myself, the world I live in, and hopefully change anything wrong I may be doing to myself or how I treat others.

You have a good attitude for entheogens and I'm sure you'll learn alot about yourself. I also wish to travel to Peru in the near future for similar reasons to you
Goodluck!!

I can relate about the anxiety. I think that's what it is that I've recently realized about myself. Honestly though, I think it's from my regular pot smoking. I haven't smoked it in a couple days now since some powerful, teaching, awe-inspiring dmt/caapi journies. I've overused pot the past couple years and now am realizing that it's held me back in social situations. I was always shy as a kid too, but I consider myself an open person. However I'm very introverted. Recently dmt has helped me to start changing things about myself, how to find my higher self.

It's not all done with the entheogens though, it's all about integration and living those things you've learned in daily life. I will still smoked pot, and I'm not trying at all to discourage you from it, but for now I'm gonna take a break and see how my personality changes. I already feel more open to talking to people at college and whatnot than when I was always high.

I too would like to journey to Peru for some ayahuasca ceremonies someday. But that's not for now, I need to save up as well. Much love to you and your learning