Hi there! New member here. I don't tend to attempt to contribute to forums, preferring to passively observe conversations that occur on these types of forums. Only rarely do I like to comment, and I don't think that'll change here.
Still, I see a unique opportunity to be introspective and have fun with this so-called introduction essay.
I've had a very long history with mind altering compounds, a normal, accepted staple of my life. My doctor said I had ADHD, and my mother was relieved; I was a handful, and she was eager to medicate the problem away. And thus came a gauntlet of primarily stimulants, splattered by a SSRI and bupropion. Ritalin and adderall were friends of mind for years, and until my teen years, very helpful. Eventually, my response to them changed, and I found myself made quite anxious by them, and gradually, after trying all of them again, and reading extensively, decided to scrap them altogether, except for modafinil at this point (5 years later)
In reading about ADHD medications, these amphetamines and the like, I developed a keen interest into how they functioned, and the seemingly small differences that mediated a very strong subjective difference for myself. Dextroamphetamine worked quite nicely for me, albeit quite anxious, but Adderall, a mixture of various racemic amphetamines and dextroamphetamine salts made me short tempered and prone to violent outbursts. It fascinated me.
More relevantly, I began to read about psychedelic experiences. I had at this point, around 15, developed a strong distaste for my stimulant ADHD medications, and quite enjoyed the idea of something that could cause spiritual and personally meaningful experiences, which were sensually wacky at the same time, with apparent phenomena like synthesia, and euphoria. Sounds great! And, certainly much better for me than heavy amphetamines prescribed daily, a prescribed chemical dependency. Unfortunately, I knew had few people skills, and knew even less people of the psychonautic persuasion. It wasn't a few years until I acquired cannabis through a family friend, and become quite enthused with that. Initially, it was quite psychedelic when I smoked a lot, undeniably so, and perfect for my back pains, which were quite bad at the time. Eventually, tolerance grew, which seems, either by fact of receptor desentization, or otherwise, to never fully go away. Suppose you become cognitively tolerant as well to an experience you already know.
Eventually, I acquired psilocybin mushrooms, and after a few botched experiences, I achieved a lovely, progressive experience which was delightfully introspective, and made me feel lovely in my own skin. I was enthused, and it confirmed, as I suspected, that cannabis and psychedelics are most certainly my drugs of choice.
In my 19th year, after years of profuse reading about psychedelics, and continued lack of resources in that area, I realized that I could understand DMT extraction rather easily. It was a relatively simple chemical process, and careful and continued reading expanded my knowledge profoundly, and when I attempted my first extraction of mimosa, although sloppy, I procured several grams of yellowish and white dmt (experimenting with both evaporating and freeze precipitation). First sampling it, and not quite believing I had indeed separated the devilish elfspice from its woody cellular prison, I was treated to beautiful changing, scintillating visions, and a delightfully short experience. Totally manageable. Since then, dmt has been my ideal psychedelic, though I am respectfully timid in my exploration of the spice. I am eager to attempt pharmahuasca when syrian rue presents itself to me, and I would like to expand my repertoire of psychedelics.
I'm currently attending college, community college due to a poor high school experience and limited resources, but I intend to pursue a chemistry major, and study pharmacology as well. Here's to hoping that in a few decades, we have a legal atmosphere that allows more direct research into applying psychedelics therapeutically, and tailoring substance for more efficacious usage by psychiatrists. There's a world of new substances, both psychedelic and not, which can be developed and applied intelligently. Better living through chemistry, to use a silly slogan
